Learning Forum

[jeff.bonyun]

My understanding is that there is an Add-in for Solidworks that might ease my workflow of designing in Solidworks and doing Fluent simulations. I can't get it to work. I'm using Solidworks 2024 Pro and Ansys 2025 R1 Enterprise on Windows 11 24H2. This link says that should be supported.

 

I have modifications I make in Discovery (adding external fluid channels, adding Named Selections) and every time I modify anything in Solidworks, I have to repeat them from scratch, because I can find no way to update in place that will keep these modifications in Discovery.

 

I've tried installing the add-in using instructions I can find online. There is conflicting info, but I think the critical steps are using "CAD Configuration Manager 2025 R1" as Administrator. Every time it opens, the SOLIDWORKS options are unchecked (but maybe this manager doesn't keep track of state). I check it, and choose "Workbench Associative Interface". I leave it on "All Users". Click "Next". Click the "Configure Selected CAD Interfaces" button. It says:

 

Prerequisites ..... Configure Success

Discovery Workbench Plugin ..... Configure Success

SW  Workbench PlugIn ..... Configure Success

If I "Display Configuration Log", it's all successes, but it does say "SpaceClaimEngineeringConfiguration Not Detected", but since 2025 R1 doesn't seem to have SpaceClaim (at least I don't), this doesn't seem relevant.

 

I exit the CAD Configuration program.

 

Now I open Solidworks. I can either open a part or just leave all documents closed. If I look in, Tools/Add-Ins, "Ansys 2025 R1" is on the list, unchecked. I can check it and click "OK". Nothing happens. Ansys does not appear on the Tools menu, where I think it ought to appear. If I open Tools/Add-Ins again... it is unchecked again. I assume it is unable to load it, but I don't know where Solidworks might report this; there is no error given.

 

I have gone down some other paths. I have tried "Unconfigure Selected CAD Products" (the add-in disappears from the list in Solidworks) and readded it. I have tried "Product and CAD Configuration Manager", chosen "Configure Products in CAD". The internet said to configure Workbench, but I don't see that on my list. I have tried "Other"/"Geometry Interfaces" and both automatically and manually choosing my CAD packages. I'm not sure what it said at first, but it reported "SOLIDWORKS Geometry Interface - Associative Interface" is "detected as previously configured".

 

I'm out of ideas. Any help is appreciated.

Am I going about this all wrong, not understanding how the interaction is supposed to work?

[Rajeshwari Jadhav]

Hi,

Install the service pack for v2025R1 for this issue.

[tim.sieben-haussen]

 

LOL. jeff.bonyun gave such a complete overview and all he gets is a one liner without any aditional information. A Link to the download would be nice, i have no clue where to get the “service pack for v2025R1” :(

When going to ansys Workbench>Help>Info About Ansys Workbench i get the following:

2025 R1

Point Releases and Patches installed:

Ansys Service Pack 2025 R1.6879000
Discovery (full install) 2025 R1.6879000
Core WB Files 2025 R1.6879000
Ansys Dynamic Reporting 2025 R1.6879000
CFX (includes CFD-Post) 2025 R1.6879000
Chemkin 2025 R1.6879000
EnSight 2025 R1.6879000
FENSAP-ICE 2025 R1.6879000
Fluent (includes CFD-Post) 2025 R1.6879000
Polyflow (includes CFD-Post) 2025 R1.6879000
Forte (includes EnSight) 2025 R1.6879000
Rocky 2025 R1.6879000
TurboGrid 2025 R1.6879000
ACIS Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
AutoCAD Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Catia, Version 4 Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Catia, Version 5 Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Catia, Version 6 Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Creo Parametric Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Inventor Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
JTOpen Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
NX Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Parasolid Geometry Interface  2025 R1.6879000
Solid Edge Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
SOLIDWORKS Geometry Interface 2025 R1.6879000
Speos 2025 R1.6879000
SpaceClaim 2025 R1.6879000
Speos RPC 2025 R1.6879000
Aqwa 2025 R1.6879000
Autodyn 2025 R1.6879000
Material Calibration App 2025 R1.6879000
Mechanical Products 2025 R1.6879000
Motion 2025 R1.6879000
Academic Student 2025 R1.6879000

And with this Version of ANSYS the Solidworks Plug in DOESNT WORK !!!

Also it seems not possible for students to get a servie pack since they dont have an account number (customer number).

 

[Rajeshwari Jadhav]

 

Hi Tim and Jeff,

The plugins are not included in student version, so it won't work. Instead you can import solidworks file in Discovery first and save it in Discovery format.

Also, the CAD configuration will not be helpful for you as you are using free student version.

Refer: Download Ansys Student | Workbench-based Simulation Tools

 

[tim.sieben-haussen]

1. Create A text File with text editor 
2. coppy the text below into it
3. save it and but AddIn_Dll_Mover.bat as a name (*.bat is the important part)
4. runs the bat as admin
5. IT WORKS :)
   
   @echo on

:: Ensure the script is running with Administrator privileges
:: Check if the script is running as admin
openfiles >nul 2>nul
if %errorlevel% NEQ 0 (
    echo This script requires Administrator privileges. Restarting as administrator...
    powershell -Command "Start-Process '%~f0' -Verb runAs"
    exit /b
)

:: Perform the file copy operations
echo Copying DLLs to the SolidWorks directory...
copy /Y "%AWP_ROOT251%\Framework\bin\Win64\Xalan-C_1_12.dll" "%AWP_ROOT251%\aisol\CADIntegration\SolidWorks\winx64"
copy /Y "%AWP_ROOT251%\Framework\bin\Win64\XalanMessages_1_12.dll" "%AWP_ROOT251%\aisol\CADIntegration\SolidWorks\winx64"
copy /Y "%AWP_ROOT251%\Framework\bin\Win64\xerces-c_3_2.dll" "%AWP_ROOT251%\aisol\CADIntegration\SolidWorks\winx64"
copy /Y "%AWP_ROOT251%\Framework\bin\Win64\zlibd1.dll" "%AWP_ROOT251%\aisol\CADIntegration\SolidWorks\winx64"

:: Check if the addin is checked (this depends on the method of checking your addin)
:: You can add specific commands here if you have a way to query the addin status
echo Checking if addin is enabled...

:: You can potentially use a script or method to verify that the addin is enabled in SolidWorks
:: This step would need to be customized based on how the addin is managed

echo Process completed.
pause

[Rajeshwari Jadhav]

Hi Tim,

I have edited my response, please note that the plugins are not included in student version. So the previous suggestion of .bat file won't work.

[jeff.bonyun]

OP here.

Anyway, @tim.sieben-haussen was exactly right, and just copying over those DLLs worked. (I did it manually, but it looks like the script is good too.) The Solidworks add-in now actually loads and appears under Tools and stays checked. Next I’ll try to leverage it to smooth out my workflow.

Installing the Service Pack might have achieved the same thing, but in our University environment, that’s much harder to make happen.

I’m also unclear if I am on the free student version; I never said that I was. My impression is that I’m on an Enterprise research license through my university. Which means we lack support (hence the forum) but seem to have access to most of Ansys.

My thanks to the forum!

 

[Rajeshwari Jadhav]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the update, if you have the license and have installed academic version then plugins are included and the script will resolve the sw issue, also someone from your Univeristy should have access to Ansys Download Center as you have the Enterprise license.

[tim.sieben-haussen]

@ Rajeshwari Jadhav

"The plugins are not included in student version, so it won't work. Instead you can import solidworks file in Discovery first and save it in Discovery format.

Also, the CAD configuration will not be helpful for you as you are using free student version."

IDK man, i got my ansys from here: https://www.ansys.com/academic/students/ansys-student
Pretty sure that its the student License because thats the name. And its working fine, so i think what you are saying is not correct and might confuse people, who infact do have access to this Plug-In. 

[Rajeshwari Jadhav]

 

Hi Tim,

yes you are absolutely correct, student verison has plugins installed.