Abaqus

There are two separate Abaqus license programs at UCI Engineering

Teaching (instructional) license
1. 1. Download instructions and license server is below
Research license
1. 1. Contact Ramin Bostanabad in MAE for the license information.

Abaqus - Teaching License

This version is for instructional use only.
- DO NOT USE THIS VERSION FOR FUNDED RESEARCH
- Dassault has been effective at finding license compliance issues, don't do it.
Contact Ramin Bostanabad for the research license for funded research projects.

Limitations of the Abaqus teaching license:

Abaqus models up to 250,000 nodes
No user subroutines
Max of 4 CPU cores for parallel processing

For installation issues and questions, contact Lisa Preble, labs@eng.uci.edu

Abaqus - Help

Simulia Learning Community

Visit the Simulia Learning Community for support, learning, and tutorials

Abaqus Download

Download both items

1) License Files

2) Abaqus full installation files for all OS

How to unpack the installation files

The .tar download includes installation files for all OS's.

This video shows how to unpack the .tar files.

Abaqus Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Uninstall or pause third-party anti-virus software such as Avast, Norton, etc.
1. 1. For the HSSOE computer labs, I use the built-in Windows Defender because it doesn't cause issues with Engineering software installations.
  2. If you use Windows Defender, then don't pause or stop this software.
2. Connect to campus VPN

Abaqus installation

Unpacking

Connect to campus VPN or else installation won't work.
1. You need to connect to campus VPN during installation and whenever you use the software so that it can get a license.
Download each installation folder. You'll see folders 1-5.
Unpack all of the downloads using 7zip
1. 1. Select all of the .tar files, right-click, then select “7-Zip - Extract Here”
The installer will be in folder “1”, setup.exe.

Installation

Find setup.exe in folder "1". Right-click on it and select "Run as administrator"

2. You should see the welcome screen. Click Next.

3. Select the following products for installation

SIMULIA Established Products

4. Specify the installation path. Do not have any spaces in the path. Click Next.

5. Select the following components:

Abaqus/Standard Solver
Abaqus/Explicit Solver
Abaqus CAE
Abaqus Samples

6. License server configuration

Choose the option to skip license configuration

7. Specify the path for commands directory. No spaces in the path.

8. Specify path for external plugins.

12. Confirm products.

- - Look at the products and path names and make sure it all looks okay

13. You'll see installation progress. It'll take several minutes.

13. Click continue on the installation verification screen.

15 Click Close when installation is complete.

License Configuration

For Students (it's called their Teaching License)

1) Download the EstablishedProductsConfig.ini file.

2) Paste it into the following directory. You are replacing the existing file and you will be asked for Administrator access. Click Continue.

C:\Apps\SIMULIA\EstProducts\2026\win_b64\SMA\site

3) It'll look similar to the following screenshot:

4) Go to: C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystemes

5) Make a folder called "Licenses".

6) Place two license files in the Licenses folder.

7) It'll look similar to this, but the .lic file will have a different number.

Firewall configuration

Abaqus on the HPC

Abaqus is installed on the campus HPC

Getting started with Abaqus on the HPC

STEP 1

You'll need to create an environment file which contains license information.

Filename: abaqus_v6.env
Path: Place file in your home directory.
- The key setting is academic=RESEARCH (not TEACHING, which restricts solver jobs).
- Comment out the license server and server type

#----------------------------------

academic=RESEARCH

#license_server_type=FLEXNET

#abaquslm_license_file="27000@<LICENSE SERVER NAME>"

#----------------------------------

STEP 2

Obtain license files from Ramin

- There will be two license files
  1. <customer number>.lic
  2. DSLicSrv.txt

STEP 3

Place license files here:
UNIX computers: /var/DassaultSystemes/Licenses
Note: As of July 2, this has not been tested. Contact helpdesk@eng.uci.edu for support.

Abaqus Research License - 2026

As of July 1, 2026 we're using the Dassault cloud license servince

How to transition your research license:

Obtain license files from Professor Ramin Bostanabad.
1. 1. There will be two license files
    1. <customer number>.lic
    2. DSLicSrv.txt
Save the both license files to the license directory on your computer.
1. 1. Windows: C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystemes\Licenses folder.
    1. 1. You'll need to create the "Licenses" folder if it doesn't exist
  2. UNIX computers: /var/DassaultSystemes/Licenses
Optional: Set the DSLS_AUTH_PATHNAME environment variable.
1. 1. Consider doing this if you're having trouble getting a license.
  2. You can also set the following environment variable DSLS_AUTH_PATHNAME using a full pathname (UNC supported), if you decide to store the file in a different directory from the default one.
  3. Example (for a shared license file): DSLS_AUTH_PATHNAME=G:\Shared\MyAuth.LIC
  4. Example (to specify your local license file): DSLS_AUTH_PATHNAME= C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystemes\Licenses\<customer-number>.LIC
    1. If you do not set the DSLS_AUTH_PATHNAME variable, only the most recent file (among several authentication files in the default location) is used. : Make sure you only have one authentication file in the default location.
Optional:
1. 1. Clients will need to create firewall exceptions for the license server at port 443 for the following servers:
    1. 1. r1132104311430-usw1-licensing.3dexperience.3ds.com
      2. r1132104311430-usw1-licensing-1.3dexperience.3ds.com
      3. r1132104311430-usw1-licensing-2.3dexperience.3ds.com
If this is an existing installation, you need to edit SMA\site\EstablishedProductsConfig.ini.
1. 1. In the 2025 version, you'll find EstablishedProductsConfig.ini here: C:\Apps\SIMULIA\EstProducts\2025\win_b64\SMA\site
    1. 1. Open EstablishedProductsConfig.ini.
      2. Find the [EstablishedProducts] section and comment out the FlexNet lines by adding a #.
      3. Will look similar to below:
        
        [EstablishedProducts]
        # LICENSE_SERVER_TYPE=flex
        # FLEX_LICENSE_CONFIG=port@server

Page updated

Report abuse