# Ansys Icepak vs Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Comparison --- ## AI Generated Summary - **G2 reviewers report** that Simcenter STAR-CCM+ excels in handling complex multiphysics simulations, with users appreciating its ability to manage everything in a single workflow. This integration allows for efficient preprocessing, solving, and post-processing, which many find saves significant time compared to using multiple software solutions. - **Users say** that Ansys Icepak is particularly effective for thermal analysis, offering a fast and straightforward approach to structural, thermal conduction, and convection analysis. Reviewers highlight its accuracy, noting that the temperature gradients in their PCB models closely matched real-world measurements, demonstrating its reliability in thermal simulations. - **According to verified reviews** , Simcenter STAR-CCM+ has a higher overall satisfaction score, reflecting a more positive user experience. With a G2 Score of 77.69 and a total of 153 reviews, it shows a strong market presence and user trust compared to Ansys Icepak's score of 45.14 from just 22 reviews. - **Reviewers mention** that both products offer similar ease of use, with scores indicating that users find them manageable. However, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ users particularly appreciate its automated meshing capabilities, which help eliminate manual geometry repair, a feature that can be a significant time-saver for complex models. - **Users highlight** that while Ansys Icepak provides a good range of options for creating or importing PCBs, it may not offer the same level of comprehensive tools for 3D modeling and editing as Simcenter STAR-CCM+. The latter's higher ratings in 3D modeling and editing tools suggest a more robust feature set for users needing detailed design capabilities. - **According to recent user feedback** , Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is praised for its quality of support, with a score of 8.6, indicating that users feel well-supported in their endeavors. In contrast, Ansys Icepak's support quality is slightly lower at 8.5, suggesting that while both provide good assistance, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ may have a slight edge in customer service satisfaction. | | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Star Rating** | 4.4 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | | **Total Reviews** | 25 | 181 | | **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (50.0% of reviews) | Small-Business (39.0% of reviews) | | **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | --- ## Top Pros & Cons ### Ansys Icepak **Not enough data** ### Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Pros: - Ease of Use (7 reviews) - Meshing Techniques (7 reviews) Cons: - Learning Curve (5 reviews) - Expensive Licensing (3 reviews) --- ## Ratings Comparison | Rating | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (18 reviews) | 8.5 (117 reviews) | | **Ease of Use** | 8.1 (19 reviews) | 8.1 (146 reviews) | | **Ease of Setup** | Not enough data | 7.9 (57 reviews) | | **Ease of Admin** | Not enough data | 7.1 (18 reviews) | | **Quality of Support** | 8.5 (18 reviews) | 8.6 (123 reviews) | | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | Not enough data | 8.6 (17 reviews) | | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.4 (19 reviews) | 8.3 (118 reviews) | --- ## Pricing ### Ansys Icepak #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available ### Simcenter STAR-CCM+ #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial Yes --- ## Features Comparison By Category ### Simulation & CAE | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Ansys Icepak** | 7.4/10 | 21 | | **Simcenter STAR-CCM+** | 7.7/10 | 109 | #### Design | Feature | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **3D/solid modeling Tools** | 6.9 (18 reviews) | 7.7 (86 reviews) | | **Drawing Tools** | 6.1 (17 reviews) | 7.5 (78 reviews) | | **Editing Tools** | 6.9 (18 reviews) | 8.0 (82 reviews) | | **Rendering tools** | 6.8 (16 reviews) | 8.3 (77 reviews) | #### Tools | Feature | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Fluid analysis** | 8.2 (18 reviews) | 9.1 (92 reviews) | | **Finite element analysis** | 8.2 (17 reviews) | 7.2 (60 reviews) | | **Multibody dynamics** | 6.4 (12 reviews) | 7.2 (50 reviews) | #### Work | Feature | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Discrete event modeling** | 7.6 (13 reviews) | 7.2 (44 reviews) | | **Continuous event modeling** | 7.6 (13 reviews) | 7.2 (48 reviews) | | **Mechanical event simulation** | 8.2 (14 reviews) | 7.3 (40 reviews) | | **Manufacturing process simulation** | 6.9 (12 reviews) | 6.8 (39 reviews) | | **Integrate** | 7.8 (15 reviews) | 7.0 (49 reviews) | #### Environment | Feature | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Hardware support** | 7.8 (13 reviews) | 8.0 (67 reviews) | | **Task** | 7.8 (13 reviews) | 7.9 (61 reviews) | | **Manage Multiple Profiles** | 7.4 (13 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Command Clarity** | 7.4 (15 reviews) | 8.5 (68 reviews) | --- ## Categories **Shared Categories (1):** [Simulation & CAE Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/simulation-cae) --- ## Reviewer Demographics ### By Company Size | Segment | Ansys Icepak | Simcenter STAR-CCM+ | |---|---|---| | **Small-Business** | 50.0% | 39.0% | | **Mid-Market** | 13.6% | 31.4% | | **Enterprise** | 36.4% | 29.6% | ### By Industry #### Ansys Icepak - **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 31.8% - **Consumer Electronics:** 13.6% - **Automotive:** 13.6% - **Semiconductors:** 9.1% - **Telecommunications:** 4.5% - **Research:** 4.5% - **Information Technology and Services:** 4.5% - **Higher Education:** 4.5% - **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 4.5% - **Design:** 4.5% - **Other:** 4.5% #### Simcenter STAR-CCM+ - **Automotive:** 26.8% - **Aviation & Aerospace:** 12.8% - **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 12.2% - **Higher Education:** 9.8% - **Oil & Energy:** 8.5% - **Airlines/Aviation:** 4.3% - **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 2.4% - **Semiconductors:** 2.4% - **Research:** 1.8% - **Maritime:** 1.8% - **Other:** 17.1% --- ## Alternatives ### Alternatives to Ansys Icepak - [SolidWorks Simulation](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks-solidworks-simulation/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (60 reviews) - [MATLAB](https://www.g2.com/products/matlab/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (770 reviews) - [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (643 reviews) - [SolidWorks Flow Simulation](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks-solidworks-flow-simulation/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (35 reviews) - [SimScale](https://www.g2.com/products/simscale/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (282 reviews) - [Inventor](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (440 reviews) - [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews) - [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (606 reviews) - [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 reviews) - [CATIA](https://www.g2.com/products/catia/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (255 reviews) ### Alternatives to Simcenter STAR-CCM+ - [Ansys Fluent](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-fluent/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (122 reviews) - [COMSOL Multiphysics®](https://www.g2.com/products/comsol-multiphysics/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (36 reviews) - [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews) - [Ansys Mechanical](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-mechanical/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (92 reviews) - [Altair Inspire](https://www.g2.com/products/altair-inspire/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (76 reviews) - [MATLAB](https://www.g2.com/products/matlab/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (770 reviews) - [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (643 reviews) - [SimScale](https://www.g2.com/products/simscale/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (282 reviews) - [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 reviews) - [Inventor](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (440 reviews) --- ## Top Discussions ### Ansys Icepak - Title: [Ansys Icepak still has issues like it can't simulate inclined PCB why are these issues not sorted out?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/32209-ansys-icepak-still-has-issues-like-it-can-t-simulate-inclined-pcb-why-are-these-issues-not-sorted-out) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "Hi Kula Segara.. Have you tried the advanced PCB modeling with Icepak in Ansys Electronics Desktop yet? Inclined PCBs are supported there. Please feel free..." - Title: [What is the best way of modeling two-phase immersion cooling?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/31935-what-is-the-best-way-of-modeling-two-phase-immersion-cooling) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "Hi Jimil, Icepak does not support multi-phase modeling. Ansys Fluent would be a better fit. Please feel free to connect with Ansys Support via..." ### Simcenter STAR-CCM+ - Title: [What is Simcenter STAR-CCM+ used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-simcenter-star-ccm-used-for) — 1 comment > **Top comment:** "STAR CCM+ is used for the simulation of Fluid, Thermal, Reactive, Multiphase flow problems." - Title: [What is Star CD?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-star-cd) — 1 comment > **Top comment:** "STAR CD is the old branding of the software when it was owned by CD-Adapco. Some people still refer to the current software as STAR or STAR CD or STAR-CCM+...." --- **Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/ansys-icepak-vs-simcenter-star-ccm)