{"id":198005,"date":"2026-03-11T17:53:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T17:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/?post_type=topic&#038;p=198005"},"modified":"2026-03-16T18:10:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:10:01","slug":"ansys-rocky-2026-r1-release-highlights","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/forums\/topic\/ansys-rocky-2026-r1-release-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Ansys Rocky 2026 R1 Release Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-197600 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3.png 1600w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-300x38.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-1024x128.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-768x96.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-1536x192.png 1536w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-24x3.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-36x5.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/rocky-release-highlights-3-48x6.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\" style=\"text-align: center\"  id=\"WHATS-NEW-FOR-ROCKY-IN-ANSYS-2026-R1\"><strong>What\u2019s New for Rocky in Ansys 2026 R1<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Ansys Rocky\u2122 <\/strong>particle dynamics simulation software 2026 R1 release introduces new physics capabilities, expanded multiphysics coupling, and usability improvements that help engineers get the best from <strong>DEM simulations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This release further strengthens <strong>Multiphysics<\/strong> workflows by improving integration with other Ansys products, including Ansys Fluent<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> software, expanding the possibilities for the projects you can create.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to new capabilities, Ansys Rocky 2026 R1 brings <strong>Performance and Usability<\/strong> enhancements that help users run simulations more efficiently and streamline project setup.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-198013 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Cover-Whats-New-for-Rocky-in-Ansys-2026-R1.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Explore what\u2019s new in <strong>Ansys Rocky 2026 R1 <\/strong>and discover how these enhancements can help you accelerate innovation in your applications.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2  id=\"DEM-SIMULATION-IMPROVEMENTS\"><strong>DEM Simulation Improvements<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3  id=\"MIXING-INDEX-CALCULATOR\">Mixing Index Calculator<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198016 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Mixing-Index-Calculator.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The new <strong>Mixing Index Calculator<\/strong> provides an automated way to quantify the quality of powder mixing in DEM simulations.<\/p>\n<p>This <strong>ready-to-use script<\/strong> evaluates the <strong>mixing index of multiple materials<\/strong> throughout the simulation, helping users determine how uniformly particles are distributed in the system. It can also help identify the optimal stopping point for mixing processes once a target mixing threshold is reached.<\/p>\n<p>The feature is especially relevant for industries where powder mixing is critical, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pharmaceutical manufacturing<\/li>\n<li>Chemical processing<\/li>\n<li>Food processing<\/li>\n<li>Soil and granular material modeling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By automating the evaluation of mixing quality, the calculator reduces manual post-processing and helps optimize mixing processes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"vidyard_iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/mixing-jjnjn.mp4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span>\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center\" style=\"text-align: center\"  id=\"A-NEW-SCRIPT-TO-AUTOMATE-THE-CALCULATION-OF-THE-MIXING-INDEX-FOR-MULTIPLE-MATERIALS-IN-A-MIXER-THAT-IS-BASED-ON-THE-PROPORTION-OF-EACH-MATERIAL-IN-DIFFERENT-CELLS-OF-THE-DOMAIN\"><em>A new script to automate the calculation of the mixing index for multiple materials in a mixer that is based on the proportion of each material in different cells of the domain.<\/em><\/h6>\n<h3  id=\"INTERMOLECULAR-FORCES-AND-1-WAY-FREE-SURFACE\">Intermolecular Forces and 1-Way Free Surface<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198015 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Intermolecular-Forces-and-1-Way-Free-Surface.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ansys Rocky 2026 R1 introduces <strong>the Intermolecular Forces and 1-Way Free Surface modules to support simulations in which<\/strong> particle behavior is influenced by surrounding fluids without explicitly modeling the fluid phase.<\/p>\n<p>These modules allow users to represent fluid-related forces acting on particles without requiring computationally expensive <strong>CFD or SPH fluid simulations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Two approaches are available:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fixed free surface model<\/strong> \u2014 Represents a static fluid interface.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"vidyard_iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/fixed-freee.mp4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Moving free surface model<\/strong> \u2014 Represents a dynamic interface, such as liquid evaporation or surface evolution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"vidyard_iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Media1moving.mp4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Additional intermolecular interactions can also be included, such as <strong>repulsive forces and van der Waals forces<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These capabilities are particularly relevant for <strong>battery manufacturing processes<\/strong>, where particle behavior is affected by thin liquid films or evaporating solvents.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2  id=\"MULTIPHYSICS-COUPLING\"><strong>Multiphysics Coupling<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3  id=\"1-WAY-FLUENT-GPU-ROCKY-SUPPORT\">1-Way Fluent GPU-Rocky support<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198009 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/1-Way-Fluent-GPU-Rocky-support.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The multiphysics coupling between Rocky and Ansys Fluent has been expanded with support for <strong>1-way coupling between Fluent GPU simulations and Rocky<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This enhancement enables users to leverage the high-performance GPU solver in Fluent while transferring flow-field information to Rocky for particle simulations.<\/p>\n<p>Although the current implementation supports <strong>only 1-way coupling, it represents an important step toward fully GPU-based coupled workflows<\/strong> between Fluent and Rocky.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3  id=\"BUOYANCY-FORCE-USING-FLUID-EXPANSION-COEFFICIENT\">Buoyancy force using fluid expansion coefficient<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198012 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Buoyancy-force-using-fluid-expansion-coefficient.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Natural convection can now be modeled in <strong>SPH simulations<\/strong> through a buoyancy formulation based on the <strong>fluid thermal expansion coefficient<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This implementation uses the <strong>Boussinesq approximation<\/strong>, where density variations are considered only in the gravity term, enabling the simulation of thermal buoyancy effects without requiring fully compressible fluid models.<\/p>\n<p>The formulation introduces <strong>buoyancy acceleration on SPH elements<\/strong>, enabling more accurate prediction of <strong>natural convection and wall heat transfer rates<\/strong>, particularly for complex geometries.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"vidyard_iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/buoyanceee.mp4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center\" style=\"text-align: center\"  id=\"NATURAL-CONVECTION-ON-SPH-MODELS-FOR-PREDICTING-WALL-HEAT-TRANSFER-RATE-AT-COMPLEX-BOUNDARY-BETA\"><em>Natural convection on SPH models for predicting wall heat transfer rate at complex boundary (Beta).<\/em><\/h6>\n<h3  id=\"TORQUE-LAW-IN-THE-ROCKY-UI\">Torque Law in the Rocky UI<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198021 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Torque-Law-in-the-Rocky-UI.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A torque law has now been introduced for 1-Way Constant coupling to model rotational effects and torque-driven particle motion. This feature enables users to simulate scenarios where <strong>particle rotation plays an important role<\/strong>, allowing torque-induced energy dissipation or rotational dynamics to be incorporated into particle\u2013fluid interaction models.<\/p>\n<p>The torque law is implemented as a <strong>one-way interaction model<\/strong>, providing a straightforward method to include rotational physics in simulations where torque effects are significant.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2  id=\"PERFORMANCE-USABILITY\"><strong>Performance &amp; Usability<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3  id=\"DISTRIBUTED-PARALLEL-COMPUTING-BETA\">Distributed Parallel Computing (Beta)<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198014 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Distributed-Parallel-Computing-Beta.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The new release brings <strong>Distributed Parallel Computing<\/strong> in <strong>beta<\/strong>, enabling simulations to run across multiple GPUs on different nodes.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, Rocky simulations were limited to GPUs within a <strong>shared-memory node<\/strong>. With this enhancement, users can now scale simulations beyond a single node and leverage <strong>large GPU clusters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Key characteristics of this feature include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Multi-node GPU execution<\/li>\n<li>Increased scalability for large particle counts<\/li>\n<li>Improved simulation capacity for large-scale DEM models<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In this beta version, distributed computing is currently supported for <strong>DEM spherical particles<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3  id=\"OPTIMIZATION-OF-THE-VOLUMETRIC-GENERATION-OF-DEM-SPH-ELEMENTS\">Optimization of the volumetric generation of DEM\/SPH elements.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198017 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Optimization-of-the-volumetric-generation-of-DEM-SPH-elements.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>initialization stage of simulations<\/strong> has been optimized to accelerate the generation of DEM and SPH elements.<\/p>\n<p>Performance improvements have been implemented for scenarios involving:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Injection of large numbers of particles<\/li>\n<li>Filling operations in tanks or containers<\/li>\n<li>Single-size and multi-size particle distributions<\/li>\n<li>Combined DEM and SPH initializations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3  id=\"AUTOMATION-WITH-PREPOST-SCRIPTING-IMPROVEMENTS\">Automation with PrePost Scripting Improvements<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198011 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Automation-with-PrePost-Scripting-Improvements.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Automation capabilities have been expanded through improvements in <strong>PrePost scripting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>A new scripting workflow allows users to <strong>programmatically<\/strong><strong> define particle inlets<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Particle injection locations<\/li>\n<li>Material properties<\/li>\n<li>Initial velocities and other parameters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This enhancement enables easier automation of model setup and supports the creation of repeatable simulation workflows.<\/p>\n<h2  id=\"ROCKY-SCRIPTS-IMPROVEMENTS\"><strong>Rocky Scripts Improvements<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198018 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Rocky-Scripts-Improvements.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Starting with Ansys Rocky 2026 R1, the distribution of <strong>Rocky scripts <\/strong>has been reorganized to improve accessibility, simplify installation, and better align with Ansys platform standards.<\/p>\n<p>Key updates include:<\/p>\n<h3  id=\"CENTRALIZED-REPOSITORY-FOR-PREPOST-SCRIPTS\"><strong>Centralized Repository for PrePost Scripts<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>All <strong>PrePost Scripts source code (General Scripts)<\/strong> now hosted in the <strong>Ansys Rocky PrePost Scripts &amp; Modules Repository<\/strong> on the Ansys GitHub page.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3  id=\"SCRIPT-WIZARDS-DISTRIBUTION\"><strong>Script Wizards Distribution<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>Script Wizards<\/strong> are now distributed through the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/developer.ansys.com\/app-catalog\/catalog\">App Catalog<\/a> on the Ansys Developer Portal<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Material Wizard<\/li>\n<li>Coating Visibility Wizard<\/li>\n<li>Calibration Suite<\/li>\n<li>Material Storage<\/li>\n<li>Closed Loop Motion \u2014 A New script available in the 2026 R1 release, which automates the creation of replicated geometry motion. It will also generate motion frames with high accuracy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em><strong>Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/forums\/topic\/rocky-scripts-ais\/?template=rocky\">Rocky Scripts Page<\/a> to browse all of them.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2  id=\"ANSYS-ENGINEERING-COPILOT\"><strong>Ansys Engineering Copilot<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198010 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-24x14.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-36x20.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot-48x27.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Ansys-Engineering-Copilot.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ansys Rocky 2026 R1 has <strong>Ansys Engineering Copilot<\/strong>, an AI-powered assistant designed to help users quickly find technical information and learn from the broader Ansys knowledge ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p>Engineering Copilot retrieves information from multiple sources, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ansys Innovation Space<\/li>\n<li>Knowledge base articles<\/li>\n<li>Community forum discussions<\/li>\n<li>AnsysGPT\u2122<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Within Rocky, Engineering Copilot appears as a <strong>dockable interface<\/strong>, allowing users to ask questions and access learning resources directly inside the software environment.<\/p>\n<p>This integration helps users quickly find answers, explore documentation, and engage with the global Ansys community while working within Rocky.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"vidyard_iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Recording-2026-01-14-233043-1.mp4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block;width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>With the <strong>2026 R1 release<\/strong>, <strong>Ansys Rocky software<\/strong> continues to expand its capabilities for high-fidelity particle dynamics simulations. New physics models, enhanced multiphysics coupling with <strong>Ansys Fluent software<\/strong>, and improvements in performance, scalability, and automation enable users to simulate increasingly complex particle-driven processes with greater efficiency.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these advancements help engineers accelerate development, gain deeper insights into particulate systems, and extend the range of applications that can be addressed with Rocky software.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\" style=\"text-align: right\" align=\"right\"><span class=\"eop\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.0pt\">Ansys Rocky\u2122 particle dynamics simulation software <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\" style=\"text-align: right\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" align=\"right\"><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"><span class=\"eop\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.0pt\">Learn more about Ansys Rocky\u2122 software in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/ais-rocky\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Ansys Rocky\u00a0 Innovation Space<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p xml:lang=\"EN-US\" align=\"right\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-198027\" src=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round-300x280.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round-300x280.png 300w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round-24x22.png 24w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round-36x34.png 36w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round-48x45.png 48w, https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/foto-round.png 345w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 xml:lang=\"EN-US\" align=\"right\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" align=\"right\"  id=\"JANAINA-OLIVEIRA\">JANAINA OLIVEIRA<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\"><em>Senior Technical \/ Product Publications<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-198005","topic","type-topic","status-publish","hentry","application-products-2026-r1","application-products-ansys-2026-r1","application-products-ansys-rocky-2026-r1","application-products-ansys-rocky-release-highlights","application-products-ansys-rocky-software-2026-r1","application-products-ansys-rocky-whats-new-2026-r1","application-products-ansys-rocky","application-products-ansys-whats-new","application-products-rocky","application-products-rocky-2026-r1","application-products-rocky-dem","application-products-rocky-whats-new-2026-r1"],"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":[],"custom_fields":[{"0":{"_edit_lock":["1773690618:17114"],"_edit_last":["17114"],"_aioseo_title":[null],"_aioseo_description":[null],"_aioseo_keywords":["a:0:{}"],"_aioseo_og_title":[null],"_aioseo_og_description":[null],"_aioseo_og_article_section":[""],"_aioseo_og_article_tags":["a:0:{}"],"_aioseo_twitter_title":[null],"_aioseo_twitter_description":[null],"application_name":[""],"_application_name":["field_64a80903c8e15"],"filter_by_optics_product":["Lumerical"],"_filter_by_optics_product":["field_64fb192ba3121"],"family":[""],"_family":["field_64a809229a857"],"siebel_km_number":[""],"_siebel_km_number":["field_63ecbffce60db"],"salesforce_km_number":[""],"_salesforce_km_number":["field_63ecc018e60dc"],"km_published_date":[""],"_km_published_date":["field_64c77704499dd"],"product_version":[""],"_product_version":["field_64c776cb4fd2e"],"_bbp_forum_id":["180025"],"_bbp_topic_id":["198164"],"_bbp_author_ip":["200.58.0.178"],"_bbp_last_reply_id":["0"],"_bbp_last_active_id":["198007"],"_bbp_last_active_time":["2026-03-11 17:53:19"],"_bbp_reply_count":["0"],"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":["0"],"_bbp_voice_count":["0"],"_btv_view_count":["1779"],"_bbp_likes_count":["1"]},"test":"solution"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics\/198005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/topic"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics\/198005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":198164,"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics\/198005\/revisions\/198164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}