Elevating SOLIDWORKS Plastics Simulation with Abaqus Tools

As product design engineers, we occasionally encounter disconnected workflows using different software packages and not being able to transfer data from one app to another easily. For example, insights gained from a plastics simulation might not easily make their way into structural performance evaluations.

For plastic injection molded parts, the fiber orientation, material temperature, and residual stress at the end of injection molding have an impact on the overall strength of the part. SOLIDWORKS Plastics simulation results can be exported to various formats to bridge the gap between manufacturing realities and mechanical performance.

Exporting SOLIDWORKS Plastics Results to Abaqus

The workflow from SOLIDWORKS Plastics to Abaqus is a game-changer for design engineers, especially for those working on injection-molded components that require high performance and durability. Results that can be exported from SOLIDWORKS Plastics include in-mold residual stresses, thermomechanical, and fiber-equivalent material properties.

Exporting SOLIDWORKS Plastics simulation results

After running a SOLIDWORKS Plastics study, with either Fill and Pack or Fill, Pack, and Warp, right-clicking on the Results folder gives you options to export results. The export process allows you to select different destination software, including Abaqus, ANSYS, or Digimat. You can also include residual stresses when exporting in-mold Residual Stresses.

How Are Results Exported from SOLIDWORKS Plastics?

The result data are exported in CGS units, temperature data in degrees Kelvin, and stress data in Dyne/cm^2. It is important to note that deformed geometry can be exported as well by selecting the model option. The deformed geometry can be saved as STL,  Nastran, and native SOLIDWORKS Plastics (PG3) formats.

SOLIDWORKS Plastics mold results

Importing Plastics Data into Abaqus

Importing the results in Abaqus/CAE brings in all relevant data needed to run a simulation study.  Any changes to boundary conditions, such as load definition, can be made if needed.

In the model tree in Abaqus/CAE, the material section has the homogenized short fiber properties from SOLIDWORKS Plastics results. The fiber orientation of each element in the mesh is known from imported results.  This helps the software determine the strength of the part based on the material’s fiber orientation.

The Abaqus feature tree showing the SOLIDWORKS Plastics data

The input data exported from SOLIDWORKS Plastics can be directly run in Abaqus/CAE after setting up an analysis job. After running an Abaqus analysis, the fiber orientation can be plotted and compared against what was evaluated in SOLIDWORKS Plastics.

Key Applications for Working with SOLIDWORKS Plastics and Abaqus

Combining SOLIDWORKS Plastics and Abaqus can give you the best of both worlds, being able to accurately predict stress from the molding process and using best-in-class structural simulation tools. As a result, there are many applications across a wide range of industries that can benefit from using the two software packages.

• Automotive: Predict how molded plastic brackets or housings will behave under thermal and mechanical loads.
• Consumer Electronics: Evaluate warpage-induced stress concentrations in thin-walled enclosures.
• Medical Devices: Evaluate that molded components maintain structural integrity under sterilization and use.
• Aerospace: Analyze fiber-reinforced plastic parts with directional stiffness and stress profiles.

Improving Your Plastic Injection Molding Process

By integrating plastic injection molding simulation with structural analysis, engineers can improve a product’s strength and reliability, accelerate design validation cycles, and minimize expensive physical prototyping. This also helps reduce overdesign and material waste.

Exporting SOLIDWORKS Plastics results to Abaqus isn’t just another technical workflow, but rather it’s a strategic move toward smarter, simulation-driven design. As engineering challenges grow more complex, workflows like this enable bridging the gap between multi-simulation domains and create a digital thread from product concept to its functional performance.

To learn about leveraging SOLIDWORKS Plastics in your engineering workflow, click here.