How to Do a Simple Thermal Analysis in SOLIDWORKS

A thermal analysis in SOLIDWORKS Simulation estimates temperature distribution through a part or assembly. It can help evaluate heat sources, conduction paths, convection conditions, and whether a design may run too hot under expected use.

Define the thermal question

Start by deciding what the study needs to answer. You may need to know the maximum temperature, compare cooling options, check a heat sink, or estimate whether a component reaches a temperature limit.

A clear question helps you choose the right assumptions. Thermal studies can look precise, but the result depends heavily on heat loads, contact assumptions, and boundary conditions.

Decide whether the study is steady-state or transient. A steady-state study estimates final temperature after conditions settle, while a transient study looks at temperature over time.

Assign materials

Thermal analysis needs material properties such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, and density. Confirm that each part has the correct material and that the material contains usable thermal data.

If a material value is approximate, document the assumption. Thermal conductivity can change significantly between plastics, metals, alloys, and filled materials.

For assemblies, check every part that participates in heat transfer. One missing or incorrect material can distort the temperature result across the whole model.

Apply heat loads and boundary conditions

Add heat power, temperature, heat flux, convection, radiation, or other thermal conditions as needed. Use values that match the real operating case as closely as possible.

Convection assumptions are especially important. A still-air condition, forced-air condition, and liquid-cooled condition can produce very different temperatures.

Thermal contact also matters. If two parts touch in the model but are separated by grease, air, insulation, fasteners, or surface roughness in real life, the heat path may not behave like perfect contact.

Mesh and solve the study

Create the mesh and solve the thermal study. Refine the mesh around small heat sources, contact regions, thin walls, and areas where high gradients are expected.

Do not overtrust a coarse mesh near critical features. If the maximum temperature changes significantly after refinement, continue improving the setup before using the result.

Use local mesh controls near heat sources, small contact regions, and thin conductive paths. These are often the locations where thermal gradients are highest.

Review the results

Look at temperature plots, heat flow, and critical locations. Compare maximum temperatures to material limits, component ratings, comfort limits, or safety requirements.

Use probes at important points instead of relying only on the color scale. Color plots are useful, but numerical values make the result easier to compare and document.

Compare the result to a simple hand estimate when possible. Even a rough heat-balance check can reveal a load, unit, or convection mistake before the study is used for decisions.

Troubleshooting

If results look unrealistic, check units, heat load magnitude, material properties, contact conditions, and convection values. A wrong heat input or missing thermal contact can dominate the entire study.

Thermal analysis should be supported by engineering judgment and, when needed, testing. Use the study to compare design choices and identify risk, then validate important assumptions before release.

Save the study setup and assumptions with the model revision so future users understand how the result was produced.

If the design is safety-critical or temperature-sensitive, use simulation as one input alongside test data, supplier ratings, and engineering review.

When reporting the result, include the heat load, ambient temperature, convection value, material assumptions, and mesh notes. Those details make the thermal result reviewable instead of just a colored plot.

If a cooling change is made, rerun the same baseline study so the comparison is fair. Changing several assumptions at once makes it difficult to know what actually improved the temperature.