What’s New in the Latest Version of CST Studio Suite?

Dassault Systèmes released the latest version of their 3D electromagnetic simulation software, CST Studio Suite 2026, in November 2025. The latest release brings performance enhancements and new features, allowing researchers and engineers to push the boundaries of their devices using electromagnetic simulations.

Know-how and training

To support users in setting up accurate simulations, CST comes with a component library that contains more than 500 ready-to-run simulation models. Dassault Systèmes also provides a Knowledge Base where they continuously publish articles on how to use CST Studio Suite. They suggest workflows, but also share tips and tricks for setting up your simulations.

If you need further assistance, TECHNIA provides Dassault Systèmes-certified CST Studio Suite training and support.

SIMULIA ULM (unified licensing model)

The SIMULIA unified licensing model allows you to have a shared pool of compute licenses across all your SIMULIA products, allowing companies to share their simulation licenses between, e.g., structural and electromagnetic simulation software.

However, there are benefits for customers even if they just operate in the electromagnetic domain. The same tokens are used whether you’re solving multiple jobs, using multiple CPUs, or multiple GPUs. This ensures that regardless if your future simulation need is more parallel jobs or more GPU compute power, you’re on the right path.

When it comes to efficient workflows, the unified licensing also brings important benefits. It includes licenses for EDA import (e.g., ODB++ or IPC-2581 file formats), as well as add-on modules such as Antenna Magus and Filter Designer 3D. Antenna Magus is a library of almost 400 parameterized antennas which can be exported to CST for further optimization. Using this workflow will save you a lot of time as you import a parameterized antenna instead of building your antenna model from scratch.

Filter Designer 3D is a tool for filter synthesis, speeding up your filter design workflow, regardless if you are designing cavity filter or planar filters. In this workflow, it’s not just the modelling and assembly that is sped up, but also the convergence when running the full wave optimization as it uses a space-mapping routine, based on data from the eigenmode analysis and the coupling matrix.

Another benefit for ULM customers is that non-parametric optimization is enabled in CST. While a new feature in CST, the non-parametric optimization technology has been a part of the SIMULIA brand for a long time, found in a software known as Tosca.

Python scripting

In the last couple of years, there has been major enhancements in the CST Python interface. It’s possible to run Python scripts within CST, but it’s also possible to control CST from an external Python console or IDE. It’s possible to set up all parts of a simulation project using Python, including modelling, starting the solver and exporting results. The major Python feature for this year is that Post-processing templates within CST can be written in Python. These post-processing results can then be used as optimization goals in CST.

There are also enhanced customization capabilities for the Python Menu in the CST Frontend. It is now possible to use a custom Python interpreter when you run your scripts directly from the Python Menu. This allows you to create virtual environments or utilize your own Python installation to manage third-party packages without the risk of breaking the bundled Python interpreter. You can explore these customization options and other benefits in the tutorials within the CST Help documentation.

Additional highlights

• Non-parametric optimization enabled for ULM customers
• Template Based Post-Processing: Can now be written in Python
• High Frequency Simulations with Hexahedral Mesh: New models use an electric conductivity-based prioritization scheme to resolve intersections when geometric objects overlap each other. (Models created in previous CST releases remain unchanged)
• High Frequency FIT Solver: Plane Wave Port Pin in Schematic for Combine Results.
• High Frequency TLM Solver: Energy Based Mesh Adaptation
• High Frequency Simulations with Tet Mesh / Surface Mesh:
  • Connectivity Check
  • Option ‘Optimize order of Boolean operations’ to enhance performance and robustness
• Hybrid Simulation; View and control the Source domain simulation size
• EMC-button, Signal Generation: Now supports Spread Spectrum, PWM, AC Envelope
• Virtual Reverberation Chamber Tool
• Low Frequency Time Domain Solver: Litz wires now supported
• Linear Actuators workflow; 2D/3D Results including motion
• Modelithics device library is supported in the CST Schematic.

Previous release highlights

CST Studio Suite 2025 (Released November 2024)

Antennas, RF Components, and High-Frequency Solvers

• Time Domain Solvers (T-solver): Floquet boundary condition, sequential excitations, and faster discretizer/solver initialization.
• F-solver: Improvements in tetrahedral meshing, curvature handling, and adaptive refinement.
• F-solver DDM: Faster performance and automatic detection of similar domains.
• Array Task: New time-delay excitations, subarray model support, and “simulation by zones.”
• I-solver: Adds adaptive surface mesh refinement.
• A-solver: Higher-order UTD; field source ports introduced for IP protection and schematic workflows.

Additional Design Tools

• Installer now includes Antenna Magus, Filter Designer 3D, FEST3D, etc.
• WASP‑NET integrated under SIMULIA ULM.
• FEST3D gains a new CAD primitive export mode to CST Microwave Studio.

EMC and EDA

• Faster PCB imports with more detail control (etch factor, solder mask, via models).
• More flexible Python import and quicker tetrahedral meshing.
• New line impedance colormap plot for quick board evaluation.
• Thermal solver improvements for fans, heat pipes, and field monitors.
• pRLC solver now supports dispersive magnetic permeability.

Low Frequency

• Enhancements for Litz wire modeling.
• TD-solver supports non-periodic linear motion (e.g., actuators).