Thermo-Calc 2026a Available Now

Webinar on Thermo-Calc 2026a Release

Sign up for our upcoming release webinar to explore the exciting new features and databases included in Thermo-Calc 2026a. Hear directly from several of the developers who contributed to this release as they share insights into these significant advancements.

New User-friendly Common Phase Names

Thermo-Calc now offers the option to display common phase names in plots and tables when using certain databases, making the software more intuitive for users unfamiliar with CALPHAD phase naming conventions. Thermo-Calc has long used the traditional naming method, in which phases are named using crystallographic standards like FCC_A1 or BCC_A2, but now common names such as ferrite will appear by default, when available, alongside the standard names, making results easier to interpret and improving overall usability.

Common phase names are available in Graphical Mode, Console Mode, and in TC-Python for plots and tables when using a newer, larger database that includes the common phase names file. Databases that do not include the common phase names file will continue to display only the traditional phases names, as before.

Create Custom Phase Name Files

Common phase names are available when using one of our newer, larger databases in Thermo-Calc 2026a or newer. If you are using a database that doesn’t include a common phase names file, such as a custom database or an older database, you can create your own custom phase name list and read it into the software.

To learn more about this new feature, which databases include a common phase names file, and how to create a custom phase names file, read the Release Notes.

Improved Installation Process for Windows Users: Install Without Admin Rights

It is now possible to install Thermo-Calc without admin rights for most Windows users. Previously, you had to right-click on the installation file and select Run as Administrator. You were then required to enter your user credentials. Now most Windows users can simply double click on the program to launch the installation wizard, simplifying the process and saving time. Mac and Linux users still require Admin credentials.

New Aqueous Calculator for Easy Set-up of Corrosion Calculations

A new Aqueous Calculator has been added to the Graphical Mode, making it easy to set up advanced corrosion calculations, including Pourbaix Diagrams. Previously, these calculations were mainly available in Console Mode and required complex setup.

Expanded Plotting Options

The Plot Renderer now includes a new category specifically for the new calculator: Aqueous Properties, which includes nearly a dozen aqueous properties such as pH, electric potential (Eh), ionic strength, osmotic coefficient, and more. You can also define axes using newly added quantities such as Eh relative to SHE and pH of the aqueous phase, as shown in the image above.

Optimized for the New TCAQ4 Database

The new Aqueous Calculator works best with the new Aqueous Solution Database (TCAQ4), which was greatly expanded in this release to be fully optimized for the Aqueous Calculator. When using TCAQ4, there’s no need to append databases with gas, solid phases, and oxide phases because they are all included in the TCAQ4 database and available by default. While you can still use AQS2 or the free PAQ2 database, TCAQ4 delivers the most accurate results

Change Phase Status in Equilibrium Calculator

Users can now suspend phases or set them to dormant directly in the Equilibrium Calculator. Previously, this required navigating back to the System Definer, changing them there, and then re-loading the database, which often took a long time. With this update, changes can be made directly in the Equilibrium Calculator and without reloading the database, saving time and improving workflow efficiency.

This enhancement is particularly valuable for meta-stable calculations.

Phase Energy Additions in Equilibrium Calculators and the Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA)

Thermo-Calc 2026a introduces a way to add phase energy additions to phases in the Equilibrium Calculator, including the new Aqueous Calculator (see image above). This helps you fine-tune phase stability, which is useful when you want to slightly adjust transformation temperatures or equilibrium amounts.

It is also useful for precipitation simulations. Although this was already possible in the Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA), it was difficult to see how the energy contributions were affecting the property diagram and solvus temperature. With this new functionality, you can now calculate this in the Equilibrium Calculator and use those results to fine-tune calculations in the Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA), for example to adjust a solvus temperature that is close but not quite correct. The following Figure illustrates how phase energy additions change the predicted dispersion and property diagram, respectively.

Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) Receives Time-Saving Improvements

The Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) includes two new settings to speed up simulation time and boost performance, in addition to the Phase Energy Additions discussed directly above.

New Save Frequency to Reduce File Size and Speed Up Post-Processing

Note that if you are modeling grain growth or doing CCT or TTT simulations, these new save frequencies are not available, and the program uses the older save frequency, known as Original.

Improved Interpolation Scheme for CCT and TTT Performance Boost

The Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) now offers an advanced interpolation scheme that reuses information from previous steps whenever possible, reducing the time needed for complex simulations. The advantage of using interpolation is mainly realized when doing CCT and TTT calculations, where the same matrix compositions are revisited repeatedly.

This new feature can make some simulation types slower, so we have not turned it on by default. It is recommended for cases using the simple growth rate model and scenarios where the temperature does not exceed the solvus, or the matrix does not get severely depleted from precipitate forming elements, particularly CCT and TTT diagrams that meet these criteria.

Electron Beam Melting Added to the AM Module

The Additive Manufacturing Module (AM Module) now supports Electron Beam Melting (EBM). Previously, the module was only applicable to the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process, but with the 2026a release, all the functionality of the AM Module extends to the EBM process as well. This is done by adding Electron Beam as a heat source with Gaussian energy distribution and calculating the absorptivity as a function of chemical composition, acceleration voltage, and incident angle.

As with the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process, users can choose between quick steady-state simulations for fast melt pool estimates or detailed transient simulations to see how melt pools and heat distribution evolve during single or multi-track builds. Note that spot melting (point melting) is not supported in the AM Module.

A major advantage of EBM over Laser Beam is its ability to process crack prone materials while reducing residual stress and increasing build rates. The high build temperature, vacuum conditions, and efficient energy absorption of the electron beam make EBM suitable for alloys that are difficult to print with lasers, such as gamma titanium aluminides and certain nickel-based superalloys.

A parity plot comparing experimental and calculated melt pool width and depth using the Electron Beam heat source for an IN718 alloy. The Root Mean Square (RMS) error can also be seed as a dashed line.

AM Module Now Allows Separate Powder Properties with Fluid Flow

Users can now select to use both Fluid flow and Separate material properties options at the same time when running AM simulations, enabling simulations that more closely reflect real-world conditions.

Previously, users had to choose between these two options, but with our latest release, we’ve improved the model to include a gradual shift in material properties to account for sudden changes in properties in the powder bed. This improves simulation accuracy when both features are selected. Both options are now enabled by default, streamlining the simulation setup process.

AM Module Default Settings Updated to Better Match Machine Settings

Now that the option Use separate material properties for powder has been improved and turned on by default, several default settings in the AM Module have been updated to more closely match common machine settings.

The updated default settings are as follows:

Temperature Definitions Standardized in the Property Models

Temperature fields in the Property Models have been fully standardized to improve clarity and usability. Previously, the global Temperature field was used inconsistently between models, regardless of the specific temperature type, such as quenching, annealing, start, or end temperature. In addition, definitions for similar temperature types varied between models, and their placement within the interface was inconsistent.

With this update, the global temperature field has been removed, and all required temperature fields now use consistent definitions and descriptive names across every model. These changes also apply to plot quantities and any other areas where temperature fields appear in relation to the Property Models, ensuring uniformity and simplifying the setup process for users.

This standardization has also been implemented in TC-Python, which now uses the same names and definitions.

To see a complete list of the new temperature names and definitions, read the Release Notes.

Diffusion Module (DICTRA) Adds Mobility Adjustment

The Diffusion Module (DICTRA) adds a new configuration option, Mobility Adjustment, to the Graphical Mode. This new option allows users to adjust the mobility of individual phases to give more precise simulation results. Mobility can be set per element or for all elements in the phase. Previously, this feature was only available in Console Mode.

The new option is disabled by default but can be enabled in the new Mobility Adjustment section on the Diffusion Calculator Configuration window.