Simulation Mechanical Flex Installation

Overview

The system requirements for installing the Simulation Mechanical Flex software are the same as for the desktop version.

Autodesk SimStudio Tools is installed along with Simulation Mechanical Flex, just like it is for the desktop version. Use SimStudio Tools to construct, repair, and modify solid models. Consult the Help provided with SimStudio Tools for information regarding its usage. Click the question mark icon () near the top-right corner of the SimStudio Tools window to access the program Help.

The installation process for Simulation Mechanical Flex is very similar to that of the desktop product, with the exceptions outlined below:

• No serial number or key code is required to complete the installation.
• There is no option to specify a floating license server or to install the license server software. This feature is only applicable to the desktop product.
• A different version of the Simulation Job Manager is installed with Simulation Mechanical Flex, as compared to the desktop version.
• An active service account is required for you to use Simulation Mechanical Flex. The first time you launch the program, you will be prompted for your login credentials (Autodesk ID and password).
  Note: You must have a sufficient cloud credit balance to perform simulation solutions in the cloud. However, solving locally does not require or consume any cloud credits.

Installation Procedure

1. Prepare for Installation:
   • Confirm that your computer meets the minimum system requirements. If in doubt, click System Requirements at the bottom of the installer window, or click here.
   • Ensure that you have administrator privileges for installing applications on your computer. If not, ask a network administrator to perform the installation for you.
   • Install all Windows updates that are pending for your machine, then restart the computer.
   • Close all running programs.
2. Locate your Autodesk software installer. Either you will receive a product installation disk (DVD), or you can download the installer from the Autodesk Account portal. After purchasing the product, you will receive a welcome email, user ID, and temporary password along with instructions for accessing the Autodesk Account portal. You have three choices when downloading your software:
   • Install Now: Download the desired software quickly and efficiently, and install it in one integrated operation using the Install Now option. The Akamai NetSession Interface is used to accomplish these tasks. This option is applicable to single workstation software installations, not network deployments or installation to a shared network drive.
   • Download Now: Install and launch the Autodesk Download Manager, which provides the following features:
     • Automatic download resumption after connection interruptions
     • Installation of your software on this or other computers without further connection to the Internet
     • The ability to create deployments for installing Autodesk products on a different computer or at a different time.
   • Browser Download: The built-in file save mechanism of your web browser is used to deliver a complete stand-alone installation package. Once the package has downloaded, you must extract it, then begin the software installation. This method is typically less efficient and less reliable when downloading large files. Browsers do not compress the data as well as the Download Now or Install Now methods, and they cannot automatically resume interrupted downloads.
   Note: You can find installation troubleshooting and software uninstallation instructions for the Akamai Netsession Interface and DLM by following the preceding Install Now and DLM links.
3. If a pre-release version of the product is installed on your computer, you must uninstall it before proceeding with this installation.
   Note: Different major releases of Simulation Mechanical can coexist on the same computer. In addition, the desktop and Flex version can coexist on the same computer. For example, you could install Simulation Mechanical 2015, Simulation Mechanical 2016, and Simulation Mechanical Flex 2016 all on the same computer. However, do not attempt to install two different versions to the same folder. For more information, see the Side-by-Side Installation topic on the Advanced Windows Installation Topics page.
4. Install the Simulation Mechanical Flex software, following the prompts from the installer to complete the process.
5. Launch the Simulation Mechanical Flex program. You will be prompted for your Autodesk ID and password to log into your cloud services account. If you have not yet registered, please go to the Autodesk Account website.