Altair Simlab Reviews

Very powerful tetrahedral meshing algorithm that ensures high quality and minimizes pre-processing time. It can read meta data like solid body and surface naming made in CAD software. Naming and colors are transferred to SimLab in general parasolid format. Pre-processing can be automated by using Python interface.

The Python interface could be better. There is still XML format inside python functions.

Meshing and setting up finite element models for structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics.

What I like best about SimLab is how seamlessly it integrates everything into one platform. Having used HyperMesh for years, I found SimLab’s user interface comfortably familiar, yet more intuitive. The meshing process is streamlined, and geometry handling is significantly easier. What really stands out is the ability to perform all types of analyses—implicit, explicit, and CFD—within the same environment. There's no need to switch between different software tools, which makes the workflow much more efficient and user-friendly.

One aspect I find challenging in Altair SimLab is the midplane extraction for injection-molded plastic parts. These components often have intricate geometries, and the automated midplane generation doesn’t always handle the complexity well. It requires a lot of manual intervention to get accurate results, which can be time-consuming. Having more control and flexibility over midplane meshing would significantly improve the experience for users working with detailed plastic geometries.

Altair SimLab enables rapid design feasibility assessments during the early stages of development, while offering the convenience of performing all types of analyses—structural, thermal, CFD, and more—within a single unified platform. This significantly streamlines the workflow and enhances productivity.

I typically use SimLab for structural and fluid simulations. I have also used the software to create topologically optimized shapes. The major advantage I see in this software is its multiphysics simulation capabilities. It is so simple and intuitive to use. There are a lot of tutorials that help me create my own simulations. Additionally, forums and support tickets complement the help process very well.

Before starting a simulation, I used to read the theoretical documentation to make sure I knew what I was doing in the software. However, SimLab and its solvers do not have enough of this type of documentation. Moreover, the tutorials are almost always outdated, and sometimes something does not work properly in the current version of SimLab because a button could have been changed or a feature could have been removed.

I have used SimLab to solve complex engineering problems through simulation, including structural (static and dynamic) and fluid (stationary and transient) simulations, as well as topology optimization for fluids and solids. This software has benefited me by making these complex simulations accessible and manageable through its simplicity, intuitive use, and strong support system.

Excellent pre processing tool( hypermesh), having multiple options to improve meshing quality to achieve high degree of accuracy. User friendly & better GUI

Improve Hyperview & post-processing animation with auto report generation capabilities.

I used all simulation tools for

Easy installation and user-friendly operation. A wide range of different modules. Online help and tutorials. Community and support.

In a new update, some functions are not adopted. For example, version 2025.1:

- automatic conversion of the decimal separator "," to "." no longer works;

- 3dConnexion mouse cannot be integrated.

I like the fact that it is a very diverse simulation environment, with lots of different software integrated. The ability to couple different solvers to run multiphysics simulations are valuable to us. I have mostly used SimLab for fluid-structure interactions, coupled thermal solutions and smoothed particle hydrodynamics, as well as some preprocessing meshing, and it has served me and my colleagues well so far. It is a software under continuous development, and new features are added upon each release, which is good to know.

The user interface is also neat and easy to use, and the support from Altair is great if you need additional help. The geometry preparation is also very helpful and quite extensive. Lots of stuff can be done directly within SimLab instead of going to a dedicated CAD software.

Graphic user interface

Easy Settings

Faster & Time saving

Simlab works similar like hypeworks nothing new .

.Interface btwn pre and post processing in

Interface betwn CAD and pre proceesing unit

Easy interface btwn pre and post processing

Optimisation, size optimisation 5 years of experience with

The possibilities to connect. You can really reach the network you want.

Quickly "briefly" looking at a component is not possible. Analyses with NL contacts are EXTREMELY complicated (compared to Ansys Workbench). Support is very tedious.

(Nonlinear) structural analyses of steel components.