Interconnect available State-of-the-art technologies in order to emphasize your CAE processes while performing advanced simulations.
APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) was formerly the only scripting language used with ANSYS. It is still the primary language used in Mechanical application to create input-decks for ANSYS MAPDL solver.
As ADPL and the ANSYS MAPDL environment (also known as ANSYS Classic) are based on different technology than ANSYS Mechanical products from Workbench/AIM platforms. Hence, ADPL offers in some cases very interesting and effective way of automation and customization the CAE simulation processes and tasks.
Typical applications
We help you to create APDL macros and scripts, which help you with automation of your CAE processes and set up of advanced models and simulations:
- Access to the FE-model and its modification on nodes and element level
- Custom and automated post-processing and result evaluation
- Manipulation with ANSYS results files and other binary data (access to matrices, databases)
- Support of commands and features which were not jet integrated into ANSYS Mechanical
Our services
Based on our long time experience with APDL and ANSYS MAPDL environment we develop for you APDL scripts and macros providing:
- Integration of APDL code into ANSYS Mechanical application using Command Blocks
- Seamless integration of your legacy APDL scripts into ACT Python scripts and ACT extensions,
- Support with using parametric models and customized analyses in ANSYS MAPDL
Frequently asked questions
Have legacy APDL scripts from past projects, or hitting the limits of standard ANSYS Mechanical? Below you’ll find answers on what APDL is actually good for, how we handle and modernise existing code, where it fits for automation and custom post-processing, and when APDL beats an ACT extension — and vice versa. Answered directly, without sales language.
What is APDL and why do companies still use it?
APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) is the original ANSYS scripting language and still the primary language of the ANSYS MAPDL environment. It provides access to the FE model at node and element level, advanced results post-processing, and features that the more modern ANSYS Mechanical doesn’t yet fully cover.
What this means in practice:
- Companies with existing APDL scripts from past projects don’t have to discard them — we can integrate them into a modern ANSYS workflow and continue deriving value from them
- APDL remains the most effective tool for specific types of calculations, parametric studies, and custom post-processing where Mechanical hits its limits
- People who genuinely master APDL are increasingly rare — we’re among them
This makes sense when:
- You need to automate repeated calculations and manual setup is taking too much time
- You need functionality or a level of model access that standard ANSYS Mechanical doesn’t offer
- You have existing APDL scripts you want to preserve, modernise, or extend
We have legacy APDL scripts from previous projects. Can you work with them?
Yes — integrating legacy APDL scripts into a modern ANSYS environment is something we do routinely.
What we do:
- Integrate existing scripts into ANSYS Mechanical via Command Blocks
- Refactor and modernise older APDL code — better readability, maintainability, extensibility
- Convert APDL scripts into ACT extensions, giving them a graphical UI and broader deployment options — see more info in ANSYS ACT Apps
Benefit for your project:
- Scripts are reusable, documented, and transferable between projects and team members
- You preserve the know-how and investment from past projects
What specifically do you use APDL scripts and macros for?
APDL covers areas where the standard ANSYS Mechanical workflow is insufficient or inefficient.
What we most commonly address:
- Automation of repetitive calculation processes — parametric studies, batch analysis runs, automatic geometry or load changes
- Custom post-processing and results evaluation — extraction of specific values, custom calculations from FEA data, table and report generation
- Access to ANSYS binary data files — result files (.rst), databases (.db)
- Connecting APDL with Python or external tools for extended post-processing
Your result:
- Repeated calculations run automatically and consistently.
- Every hour saved on manual setup is an extra hour for actual engineering work.
When is APDL better and when are ACT extensions better?
Both technologies have their place — in practice we often combine them.
What this means in practice:
- APDL is appropriate where you need rapid solver-level automation or are working in the ANSYS Classic environment
- ACT is the better choice if you want an extension with a graphical interface, deployable in ANSYS Workbench and distributable to other users
- The most common scenario — APDL code as the powerful core, ACT as the user-facing wrapper
What this means for you:
- Which approach — or combination — makes sense for your case will be assessed after reviewing the brief
Can you connect APDL with Python or other tools?
Yes — connecting APDL with external tools significantly extends automation and post-processing capabilities.
What we do:
- Connect APDL with Python for advanced post-processing, visualisation, or feeding data pipelines
- Integrate APDL calculation outputs into external systems or reporting tools
- Combine APDL with optimisation tools — optisLang, DesignXplorer — for automated parametric studies
Benefit for your project:
- APDL stops being an isolated tool and becomes part of a broader calculation workflow
- If this connection requires a custom software solution, this connects to our section Software Development
Not sure whether your case fits here? Describe it to us — we’ll assess it together. If it doesn’t make sense, we’ll tell you directly.
There are still people capable of APDL programming.
We are happy to be among them.