If you are working with a geometry that has already been fully built, reducing its size can help you reach solutions for the model equations more quickly. The symmetry exhibited in the model geometry is used to reduce the computational domain. The complete (left), half (center), and cross-sectional (right) geometry for a heat sink. The cross-sectional geometry of the top half of a heat sink in 2D.

From there, you can continue to expand the scope of your simulation and increase complexity. If you are starting a model from scratch, by using a reduced, simplified version of your design, you can take less time to set up and build your model and reach results. It is also beneficial regardless of the phase of model development that you are currently working in. These savings can be significant when working with large models and multiphysics models. Reducing the size of your model is advantageous because of the amount of computational time and memory that can be saved when solving the equations for your model.

In this article, we will explain how you can take advantage of symmetry in your simulation to reduce its size and discuss the functionality in the software that enables you to easily do so. Whether you are building the geometry natively in COMSOL Multiphysics ® or importing a design from an external file, there are modeling strategies as well as features in the software that you can use to take advantage of such symmetries. One of the ways you can simplify and reduce the size of a finite element model is by using any symmetries present in your model.

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