Find the Right Simulation Software for Your Application

CAD File Formats Expand/Collapse all	COMSOL Multiphysics^®	Module CAD Import	Module Design	Module ECAD Import	File Import for CATIA^® V5	LiveLink™ for AutoCAD^®	LiveLink™ for Inventor^®	LiveLink™ for Revit^®	LiveLink™ for Solid Edge^®	LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS^®

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Associative Read via Linked CAD System
AutoCAD® (.dwg, 3D only) 2024, 2025
Inventor® (.ipt, .iam) 2024, 2025
PTC® Creo® Parametric™ (.prt, .asm) 7.0-11.0
Revit® (.rvt) 2024, 2025
Solid Edge® (.par, .asm) 2023, 2024
SOLIDWORKS® (.sldprt, .sldasm) 2021-2024
Modify via Linked CAD System
AutoCAD® (.dwg, 3D only) 2024, 2025
Inventor® (.ipt, .iam) 2024, 2025
PTC® Creo® Parametric™ (.prt, .asm) 7.0-11.0
Revit® (.rvt) 2024, 2025
Solid Edge® (.par, .asm) 2023, 2024
SOLIDWORKS® (.sldprt, .sldasm) 2021-2024
Read from File, CAD¹
3MF (.3mf)
ACIS® (.sat, .sab, .asat, .asab) up to 2024 1.0
AutoCAD® (.dwg) versions 2.5-2025
AutoCAD® DXF (.dxf, 2D) up to R14
AutoCAD® DXF (.dxf, 3D) versions 2.5-2025
CATIA® V5 (.CATPart, .CATProduct) versions R8-2024²
COMSOL Native Format (.mphtxt, .mphbin)
IGES (.igs, .iges) up to version 5.3
Inventor® assemblies (.iam) versions 11-2025
Inventor® parts (.ipt) versions 6-2025
NX® (.prt) versions 11-2406
Parasolid® (.x_t, .xmt_txt, .x_b, .xmt_bin) up to V37.0
PLY (.ply)
PTC® Creo® Parametric™ (.prt, .asm) versions 1.0-11.0
PTC® Pro/ENGINEER® (.prt, .asm) versions 16 to Wildfire 5.0
SOLIDWORKS® (.sldprt, .sldasm) versions 98-2024
STEP (.step, 3D geometry only) AP203, AP214, AP242
STL (.stl)
VRML, v1 (.vrml, .wrl)
Read from File, ECAD
GDSII (.gds)
IPC-2581 (.cvg, .xml)
ODB++® (.zip, .tar, .tgz, .tar.gz)
Read from File, Geographic Information System (GIS)
Digital Elevation Map (DEM)
Write to File
ACIS® (.sat, .sab) R4, R7, and 2016 1.0
COMSOL Native Format (.mphtxt, .mphbin)
DXF (.dxf, 2D only)
IGES (.igs, .iges) version 5.3
OASIS revision SEMI P39-0416
Parasolid® (.x_t, x_b) V37.0
STEP (.step, 3D geometry only) AP203
STL (.stl)

Geometric Modeling

Booleans and Partitions
Advanced Boolean Operations
Boolean Operations using the Parasolid® Kernel
Compose
Difference
Intersection
Partition Domains
Partition Edges
Partition Faces
Partition Objects
Union
CAD Defeaturing, 3D
Delete Fillets
Delete Holes
Delete Short Edges
Delete Sliver Faces
Delete Small Faces
Delete Spikes
Detach Faces
Detect Interferences
Replace Faces
CAD Repair, 3D
Check
Knit to Solid
Repair
Constraints and Dimensions, 2D
Angle
Coincident
Concentric
Directed Distance
Distance
Equal Distance
Equal Radius
Horizontal
Parallel
Perpendicular
Position
Radius
Smart Constraint
Smart Dimension
Tangent Constraint
Total Edge Length
Vertical
x-Distance
y-Distance
Conversions
Convert to COMSOL Native Geometry Representation from Parasolid® Representation, 3D
Convert to Curve
Convert to Point
Convert to Solid
Convert to Surface
Midsurface
Split
Thicken, 2D
Thicken, 3D
Geometric Primitives, 2D
Circle
Circular Arc
Cubic Bézier Polygon
Ellipse
Interpolation Curve
Line Segment
Parametric Curve
Point
Polygon
Quadratic Bézier Polygon
Rectangle
Square
Geometric Primitives, 3D
Block
Cone
Cubic Bézier Polygon
Cylinder
Eccentric Cone
Ellipsoid
Helix
Hexahedron
Interpolation Curve
Line Segment
Parametric Curve
Parametric Surface
Parasolid® Based Geometric Primitives, 3D
Point
Polygon
Pyramid
Quadratic Bézier Polygon
Sphere
Tetrahedron
Torus
Geometry Cleanup, 3D
Automatic Geometry Cleanup
Cleanup Log
Cleanup Wizard
Mesh-Based Cleanup
Cleanup of Gaps and Narrow Domain Regions
By Boolean Operations
By Merging Faces with Imprints
By Merging Matching Faces
By Mesh-Based Cleanup
Geometric Detail Detection
Gaps
Narrow Domain Regions
Narrow Face Regions
Short Edges
Sliver Faces
Small Faces
Thin Domains
Geometry Operations, 2D
Chamfer
Cross Section of 3D Model
Delete Entities
Edit Object
Extract
Fillet
Import Contour Plot as Interpolation Curve
Offset
Projection of 3D Model
Tangent
Geometry Operations, 3D
Cap Faces
Chamfer
Delete Entities
Extract
Extrude
Loft
Offset Faces
Project to Faces
Revolve
Sweep
Transform Faces
Fillet
Constant Radius
Constant Width
Variable Radius
Work Plane
Interactive Drawing of Lines and Curves
Interactive Drawing using 2D Geometry Operations
Interactive Editing of Objects
Geometry Sequences and Programming
Construction Geometry Objects
Delete Sequence
Grouping of Feature Nodes
Insert Sequence
Programming
If, Else If, Else, End If
Parameter Check
Interactive Sketch Mode, 2D
Circle
Circular Arc
Cubic Bézier Polygon
Delete
Ellipse
Fillet
Interpolation Curve
Point
Polygon
Quadratic Bézier Polygon
Rectangle
Square
Measurements
Centroid Measurement
Distance Measurement
Parts
Create Part
Load Part
Part Libraries
Selections
Adjacent Selection
Ball Selection (3D)
Box Selection
Complement Selection
Cumulative Selection
Cylinder Selection
Difference Selection
Disk Selection (2D)
Explicit Selection
Intersection Selection
Logical Expression Selection
Union Selection
Transforms
Array
Copy
Mirror
Move
Rigid Transform
Rotate
Scale
Virtual Operations
Collapse Edges
Collapse Face Regions
Collapse Faces
Form Composite Domains
Form Composite Edges
Form Composite Faces
Ignore Edges
Ignore Faces
Ignore Vertices
Merge Edges
Merge Vertices
Mesh Control Domains
Mesh Control Edges
Mesh Control Faces
Mesh Control Vertices
Automatic Removal of Details
Narrow face regions
Short edges
Sliver faces
Small faces
Thin domains
Vertices with continuous tangent
Merge Faces
Create Imprints to Match Faces
Faces Correspond One-to-One

Geometric Modeling Kernel

COMSOL Multiphysics Native Kernel
Parasolid® Kernel (CAD Kernel)

LiveLink™ Interface

General Functionality
Associative Read of 3D Geometry via Linked CAD System
Automatically Keep Track of Synchronized File
Generate Selections Based on Layers in CAD File
Generate Selections in Model Based on Architectural Elements in CAD File
Generate Selections in Model Based on Material Settings in CAD File
Generate Selections in Model Based on User Defined Selections in CAD File
Modify Geometry via Linked CAD System
Offline Synchronization
Synchronization of Curve and Point Geometric Objects
Synchronization of Mass Elements
Synchronization of Material Properties Defined in CAD File
Turn on/off Associativity for Faces/Edges/Vertices
Turn on/off Synchronization of Object Types
Link CAD Parameters to COMSOL Model
GUI for Parameter Selection in CAD Software
One Window Interface
Create COMSOL Models in CAD System's User Interface
Open Native COMSOL (.mph) Files (3D only) in CAD System
Save COMSOL (.mph) files from CAD System
Embed CAD File into Linked COMSOL File
Embed Link to COMSOL File into CAD File
Supported CAD Systems
AutoCAD® 2024, 2025
Inventor® and Inventor® Professional 2024, 2025³
PTC® Creo® Parametric™ 7.0-11.0
Revit® 2024, 2025
Solid Edge® 2024, 2025
SOLIDWORKS® 2021-2024

Mesh File Formats

File Export
3MF (.3mf)
COMSOL Native Format (.mphtxt, .mphbin)
NASTRAN (.nas, 2D and 3D)
PLY (.ply)
Sectionwise (.txt, .csv, .dat)
STL (.stl)
File Import
3MF (.3mf)
COMSOL Native Format (.mphtxt, .mphbin)
NASTRAN (.nas, .bdf, .nastran, .dat, 2D and 3D)
PLY (.ply)
Sectionwise (.txt, .csv, .dat)
STL (.stl)
VRML, v1 (.vrml, .wrl)

Meshing

Finite Element Geometrical Shapes
Hex
Line/Curve
Prism
Pyramid
Quad
Tet
Triangle
General Functionality
Combine Geometry with Imported Mesh
Geometry for Mesh Control
Higher-Order Meshing
Ignore Selected Geometry (Meshing on Virtual Geometry)
Incremental Mesh Build
Meshing Sequence
Multiple Meshes
Physics-Controlled Meshing
Edit Physics-Controlled Mesh
Sizing Based on Geometric Detail
Operations, 2D
Convert to Triangular Mesh
Copy Domain Mesh
Copy Edge Mesh
Copy from Other Mesh
Edge Meshing
Mapped Meshing
Mesh Adaptation
Mesh Coarsening
Mesh Refinement
Reference Meshing Sequence
Unstructured Quad Meshing
Unstructured Triangular Meshing
Boundary Layer Meshing
Boundary Layer Properties
Corner Properties
Operations, 3D
Combine Hexahedral/Prismatic Mesh with Tetrahedral Mesh
Convert to Tetrahedral Mesh
Copy Domain Mesh
Copy Edge Mesh
Copy Face Mesh
Copy from Other Mesh
Edge Meshing
Mapped Surface Meshing
Mesh Adaptation
Mesh Coarsening
Mesh Refinement
Reference Meshing Sequence
Swept Meshing
Unstructured Quad Meshing
Unstructured Tetrahedral Meshing
Unstructured Triangular Meshing
Boundary Layer Domain Meshing
Boundary Layer Properties
Corner Properties
Boundary Layer Surface Meshing
Boundary Layer Properties
Corner Properties
Operations, Imported Meshes 2D
Convert to Triangular Mesh
Create Edges
Create Geometry from Mesh
Create Vertices
Delete Entities
Import
Import Mesh from Results
Intersect with Line
Join Entities
Mapped Meshing
Mesh Adaptation
Mesh Coarsening
Mesh Refinement
Partition by Expression
Partition with Ball
Partition with Box
Remesh Edges
Remesh Domains
Fixed Mesh
Operations, Imported Meshes 3D
Collapse Entities
Convert to Tetrahedral Mesh
Create Domains
Create Edges
Create Faces
Create Geometry from Mesh
Create Vertices
Delete Entities
Detect Faces
Fill Holes
Finalize
Import
Import Geometry to Mesh
Import Mesh from Results
Imprint
Intersect with Plane
Join Entities
Mapped Surface Meshing
Merge Entities
Mesh Adaptation
Mesh Coarsening
Mesh Refinement
Partition by Expression
Partition with Ball
Partition with Box
Partition with Cylinder
Reconstruction of Curved Surfaces
Remesh Edges
Swept Meshing
Transform: Move, Rotate, and Scale
Union
Unstructured Quad Meshing
Unstructured Tetrahedral Meshing
Unstructured Triangular Meshing
Boundary Layer Meshing
Boundary Layer Properties
Corner Properties
Remesh Faces
Fixed Mesh
Parts
Create Part
Selections
Adjacent Selection
Explicit Selection
Sizing
Corner Refinement
Distribution
Identical Mesh
Scale of Referenced Sizes
Size
Size Expression
Visualization and Statistics
Mesh Plot
Quality Measures
Statistics
Not all file formats are supported on all operating systems; for details, see the system requirements. The File Import for CATIA® V5 add-on is available for the CAD Import Module, Design Module, or LiveLink™ products for CAD. The One Window interface functionality is supported only with 2024 versions of the Inventor® software.

CAD Specification Chart

CAD File Formats

Geometric Modeling

Geometric Modeling Kernel

LiveLink™ Interface

Mesh File Formats

Meshing