Run structural, thermal, fluid, and electromagnetic analyses directly on your geometry to make informed design decisions in real time.
Key Features
Turn Your Ideas into Better Products, Faster
Ansys Discovery 3D product simulation software allows engineers to quickly prepare models for simulation or create design variations, all while rapidly exploring multiple design concepts with real-time interactivity. Upfront simulation improves product insight and leads to a more efficient and higher-performing outcome.
Empower engineers to evaluate performance, refine geometry, and validate designs instantly with a connected, multiphysics simulation environment built for rapid iteration.
Interactive Simulation and Instant Design Feedback
Make engineering decisions while you design. Ansys Discovery provides real-time physics simulation that updates instantly as geometry changes. Engineers can evaluate stresses, flow, and thermal performance during the design process, enabling faster iteration and immediate design insight.
Live Simulation Feedback
Visualize stresses, temperatures, and flow behavior instantly as designs evolve.
Rapid Design Iteration
Test multiple design variations in minutes instead of waiting for solver runs.
Evaluate more concepts earlier in development
Upfront Design Exploration
Ansys Discovery enables engineers to explore multiple design options during the concept stage using fast, physics-based simulation powered by advanced GPU technology. Early insights help teams identify high-performing designs before costly downstream decisions are made.
Early Performance Insights
Understand design strengths and weaknesses before detailed analysis.
Interactive Design Studies
Quickly test geometry, materials, and operating conditions.
Reduced Prototyping
Validate concepts virtually before committing to physical builds.
Prepare and modify CAD models directly for simulation
Geometry Modeling and Simulation-Ready CAD
Discovery provides powerful, simulation-ready geometry tools that just work — allowing engineers to quickly import, adjust, and iterate on designs without the need for manual cleanup or repair. This enables faster exploration of design studies and helps teams converge on the best possible options.
Direct Geometry Editing
Modify imported CAD models without returning to the original CAD system.
Bidirectional CAD Connectivity
Maintain a live link with leading CAD tools so design updates automatically sync into simulation-streamlining iteration between design and analysis.
Seamless CAD Updates
Automatically update simulations as design changes occur.
Analyze multiple physical behaviors within a single environment
Multiphysics Simulation in One Platform
Engineering problems rarely live in just one physics domain. Structural loads influence thermal behavior, fluid flow affects temperature distribution, and electromagnetic effects can interact with mechanical performance. Engineers need software built for engineering reality. Ansys Discovery brings structural, thermal, fluid, and electromagnetic simulation together in one environment, making it easy to understand how physics interact and how those interactions impact product performance.
Structural, Thermal, Fluid, and EM Simulation
Study multiple physics interactions without switching tools.
Topology Optimization
Generate innovative, lightweight designs based on performance goals.
Design Trade-Off Analysis
Compare multiple design concepts to identify optimal solutions.
Move seamlessly from exploration to high-fidelity validation
Connected to the Ansys Simulation Ecosystem
Ansys Discovery integrates with the broader Ansys simulation portfolio, enabling engineers to transition from rapid design exploration to detailed validation using flagship solvers without rebuilding models.
Mechanical Integration
Transfer CHT results to Mechanical for more accurate simulations.
Fluent and Icepak Workflows
Extend fluid and thermal studies with high-fidelity CFD analysis.
Optimization with optiSLang
Perform sensitivity analysis, parametric studies, and design optimization.
Applications & Use Cases
Real-Time Simulation for Smarter Design Decisions
Design, test, and refine ideas faster with real-time multiphysics simulation. From improving thermal performance in electronics to optimizing lightweight structures, Discovery accelerates validation, reduces prototyping costs, and drives innovation.
Explore Ansys Discovery resources-including videos, presentations, white papers, case studies, customer success stories, and application briefs-to see how engineers innovate faster with real-time simulation.
Discovery innovations include enhanced physics capabilities, smarter meshing tools, and AI-powered guidance, making it easier than ever for engineers to simulate complex scenarios, accelerate design exploration, and make informed decisions in real-time.
Start your free trial of Ansys Discovery and unlock real-time multiphysics simulation. Reduce rework, explore more design options, and make confident decisions earlier in development.
Ansys Discovery delivers live simulation feedback as you design. Engineers can instantly visualize stress, flow, and thermal performance changes with every geometry edit — accelerating design iteration, reducing rework, and driving better engineering decisions in real time.
Real-Time Physics That "Just Work"
Discovery's GPU-accelerated solvers compute structural, fluid, and thermal simulations in seconds-no meshing or preprocessing required. Engineers see immediate visual updates as they modify designs, revealing how each change affects performance.
Live Design Exploration and Validation
By coupling modeling and simulation in one environment, Discovery provides instant cause-and-effect feedback. Teams can experiment freely, test multiple ideas, and converge on optimal solutions earlier in the design process.
Accelerate Decision-Making and Reduce Rework
Instant visual feedback eliminates the traditional delay between design and analysis. Engineers can catch issues early, validate feasibility instantly, and minimize the costly cycle of waiting for results from downstream simulation experts.
Visualize Multiphysics Interactions in Real Time
Discovery lets users observe structural deformation, heat distribution, or flow behavior simultaneously within a unified interface. This provides a more complete understanding of product performance across physics domains.
Empower Every Engineer to Simulate Confidently
Discovery's guided workflows and visual clarity make complex physics approachable. Even non-simulation specialists can interpret results instantly, encouraging broader simulation adoption and faster innovation.
Ansys Discovery enables engineers to explore, compare, and optimize multiple design configurations in real time. With built-in parametric controls and topology optimization, teams can automatically refine geometry for lightweight, high-performance, and manufacturable designs.
Explore Multiple Design Variations Instantly
Discovery's parametric capabilities allow engineers to modify geometry and material properties interactively. Real-time simulation feedback helps visualize how changes affect performance-reducing iteration time from hours to minutes.
Automate Design Refinement with Topology Optimization
Engineers can automatically remove excess material and uncover efficient load paths using Discovery's topology optimization engine. The software intelligently balances weight reduction with structural strength to deliver manufacturable, high-performance designs.
Integrate Multiphysics for True Design Insight
Discovery enables parametric and topology studies across structural, thermal, and fluid domains in a single environment. This ensures optimized designs perform well under real-world multiphysics conditions-critical for aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications.
Drive Lightweighting and Sustainability
By optimizing material distribution and minimizing mass, Discovery helps teams achieve sustainability goals while maintaining durability and safety. These optimizations reduce material costs and energy consumption in production.
Ansys Discovery is built as a GPU-native solver, delivering instant simulation results without relying on traditional CPU workflows. By natively leveraging modern GPU architecture, it processes complex structural, thermal, and fluid analyses in real time. This fully parallel, GPU-first design provides immediate feedback, empowering engineers to explore more ideas, iterate faster, and innovate with confidence.
Real-Time Simulation Powered by GPU Performance
Discovery's GPU solvers leverage parallel processing to deliver results in seconds. Engineers can see performance changes immediately as they modify geometry or materials-dramatically reducing design iteration time.
Multiphysics Speed Without Compromise
Unlike CPU-based solvers, Discovery's GPU architecture handles structural, thermal, and fluid domains simultaneously. This ensures accurate, real-time multiphysics feedback during early-stage design exploration.
Enable Complex Simulations on Everyday Hardware
GPU acceleration makes high-fidelity analysis accessible without specialized HPC systems. Engineers can perform detailed simulation and visualization on standard workstations, democratizing simulation across the organization.
Iterate Faster and Validate Earlier
The solver's speed enables teams to run more design studies in less time, identify performance trends instantly, and validate feasibility earlier in the product lifecycle-reducing rework and accelerating time-to-market.
Designed for Scalability and Future Growth
As GPU technologies evolve, Discovery scales with them-supporting next-generation NVIDIA and AMD hardware for even greater performance gains and energy efficiency in simulation workloads.
Ansys Discovery automatically handles mesh generation and contact detection, eliminating the manual prep work required by traditional tools. Engineers can simulate directly on complex, imperfect geometry — reducing setup time and accelerating design iteration.
Simulation That "Just Works"
Discovery removes the need for manual meshing or geometry cleanup. Its automated meshing engine intelligently adapts to complex shapes, assemblies, and imported CAD models-so engineers can start simulating immediately.
Instant Contact Recognition Between Parts
Automatic contact detection identifies how components interact under load, thermal, or motion conditions. This ensures accurate results without the need for tedious manual definition or interface setup.
Handle Complex and Imperfect Geometry Seamlessly
Discovery's solver technology allows users to analyze real-world geometry as-is-including faceted, incomplete, or non-manifold models-without defeaturing. Engineers can work faster without compromising fidelity.
Reduce Setup Time, Increase Iteration Speed
By removing manual meshing and contact definition steps, Discovery reduces preparation time from hours to minutes. Engineers can iterate through design variations faster and spend more time optimizing performance.
Reliable, High-Quality Meshes for Accurate Results
Discovery's automated meshing ensures consistency and precision, balancing element quality and performance for structural, thermal, and fluid simulations-all optimized for GPU acceleration.
Ansys Discovery enables engineers to perform real-time topology optimization to create innovative, lightweight designs early. By combining interactive modeling with GPU-native simulation, users can reduce material usage, cut costs, and improve performance-without waiting for traditional analysis cycles.
Transform Early Ideas Into Performance-Driven Designs
Design Lighter, Stronger Parts
Immediate feedback reveals the optimal balance between stiffness, strength, and material use.
Shorten Prep Work
Automatic handling of contacts, loads, and geometry lets teams start optimizing sooner.
Capture Multiphysics Effects Early
Account for thermal or fluid influences during the concept phase.
Scale Optimization Across Teams
An intuitive interface helps more engineers participate in early innovation.
Ansys Discovery enables engineers to simulate performance in real time, even in complex assemblies. With integrated multiphysics and instant feedback, Discovery helps designers manage temperature, reduce overheating risks, and improve product reliability early in the development process.
Understand and Optimize Heat Transfer in Real Time
Gain Instant Thermal Feedback
See how geometry or material changes influence temperature distribution.
Improve Accuracy With Multiphysics
Evaluate conduction, convection, and flow effects in a unified environment.
Cut Down Prep Time
Skip manual meshing and tedious setup steps.
Empower More Engineers
Discovery's intuitive workflows make thermal analysis easier to adopt across teams.
Visualize and enhance fluid behavior in real time. With integrated multiphysics and instant feedback, teams can quickly assess flow efficiency, pressure drop, and cooling effectiveness-accelerating design validation.
Evaluate Flow Behavior as You Design
Instant Flow Insight
See how fluids move through or around geometry at any stage.
Simplify Complex Flow Evaluation
Built-in CFD handles a range of flow regimes with minimal setup.
Optimize Efficiency Early
Iterate quickly to reduce pressure drops and improve flow uniformity.
Expand CFD Usage
More team members can run fluid studies without advanced training.
Discovery enables quick evaluation of stress, deformation, and material response, helping teams identify risks and refine concepts without waiting for traditional FEA workflows.
Validate Strength and Performance Early in Design
Instant Structural Insight
Understand how loads, constraints, and material choices affect stress, deformation, and safety factors in real time. Instantly visualize design behavior as you model, helping teams identify potential issues and evaluate performance without waiting for traditional simulation workflows.
Faster Design Validation
Evaluate structural performance directly on early-stage concepts without extensive geometry cleanup, meshing, or solver setup. Validate design feasibility sooner, reduce engineering bottlenecks, and move confidently toward detailed development.
More Alternatives, Less Rework
Quickly compare multiple design concepts and investigate the impact of design changes on structural performance. Explore a broader design space, reduce costly iteration cycles, and converge on stronger solutions faster.
Cross-Domain Accuracy
Incorporate thermal, fluid, and structural interactions within a unified simulation environment. Capture real-world operating conditions earlier in development to make more informed engineering decisions and improve design confidence.
Discovery's modeling tools make it easy to edit or simplify CAD geometry, enabling faster iteration and cleaner simulation workflows. Engineers can fix issues, remove detail, and adapt models quickly — without waiting on external CAD teams.
Streamline Model Prep and Iteration
Fast, Flexible Editing
Make changes instantly using direct modeling.
CAD-Agnostic Workflows
Bring in files from various systems and refine them seamlessly.
Run rapid parametric studies by testing multiple design variables in real time. Instantly visualize how geometry or material changes affect performance, helping teams identify the best design direction faster.
Make Better Decisions With Rapid Design Exploration
Instant Exploration
Instantly evaluate how geometry, material properties, and operating conditions influence performance. Visualize design trends in real time and identify high-performing concepts before investing in detailed engineering effort.
Automated Testing
Run multiple design variations with minimal setup and automatically compare key performance metrics. Reduce manual analysis effort while accelerating the evaluation of design alternatives and engineering trade-offs.
Holistic Optimization
Assess structural, thermal, and fluid performance together to understand system-level behavior. Balance competing requirements and uncover designs that deliver the best overall product performance.
Avoid Late-Stage Redesigns
Identify design trade-offs, performance limitations, and potential failures early in the development process. Resolve issues before they become costly engineering changes, helping reduce risk, delays, and rework downstream.