Contact UsWhat is Ansys Discovery?
Ansys Discovery is the next generation geometry preparation tool provided by Ansys. CAD geometry is often needed to be modified before a simulation is performed. Common geometry modifications for simulation include the removal of unnecessary bodies or features (defeaturing), replacing 3D geometry with 1D/2D representations (beam or shell creation), or creating fluid volumes for CFD simulation. There are also tools that allow for from-scratch geometry creation in Ansys Discovery. Both parametric and direct modeling is supported, allowing for flexibility in creating or modifying designs.
Ansys Discovery is differentiated from the previous Ansys geometry preparation tools (DesignModeler and SpaceClaim) by including simulation capabilities. Multiple types of simulation are supported, such as structural, fluid, thermal, or electrical analysis. These different physics can also be combined in multiphysics simulations.
The combination of the geometry modification and simulation capabilities in Ansys Discovery make it particularly useful for early-stage design, concept exploration, and iterative testing of designs. In addition, Ansys Discovery is very easy to use, making simulation accessible to engineers who are not experts in simulation.
Licensing Changes in 2025R1
The Ansys Discovery product licensing structure is changing at release 2025R1. Instead of the Discovery Modeling and Discovery Simulation licenses that are available currently, the Discovery licenses are switching to a Pro/Premium/Enterprise level structure consistent with other Ansys products.
Customers with a Discovery Modeling license will be transitioned to a Discovery Pro license. This does not result and any fundamental differences in the capabilities of the Discovery license. The core 3D modeling capabilities are all available in the Discovery Pro license. Customers with a Discovery Simulation license will be transitioned to a Discovery Enterprise license.
One additional capability included in a Discovery Pro license that was not available in a Discovery Modeling license is the option to do structural analysis on a single part. Previously, this capability was only available with a Discovery Simulation license. This allows users to try out the simulation capabilities available in Discovery. A demonstration of a single part structural analysis is shown in the video below.
For more complex analysis in Ansys Discovery, a Discovery Premium or Enterprise license is needed. Customers who have a Discovery Simulation license will be transitioned to a Discovery Enterprise license and will all have the same capabilities as before. The Discovery Premium license is an intermediate level license with most structural simulation capabilities and entry-level fluid simulation capabilities, while the Discovery Enterprise license has full capabilities for all physics, including multiphysics.
Conclusion
The 2025R1 licensing updates for Ansys Discovery provide a streamlined structure that provides flexible solutions to meet the needs of engineers at every stage of the design and simulation process. If you’re refining geometries, running complex simulations, or exploring early-stage concepts, these updates ensure you’ll have the right tools to optimize for efficiency.
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