The parametric solver supports two algorithms, continuation and no continuation (plain sweep). To use continuation you need to select the Auxiliary Sweep check box as well as select one of the parameters as the continuation parameter from the list under Study Extensions on the Stationary or Frequency Domain node’s Settings window. Continuation can only be used for one parameter; the others are run as a plain sweep outside the continuation sweep. Note that a sweep that is using specified parameter combinations is considered a plain sweep if the secondary (noncontinuation) parameter varies.

When you add a Stationary or Frequency Domain study, a parametric continuation solver is used to find the solution to a sequence of stationary PDE problems that arise when you vary some parameter of interest. This can be any parameter that defines an equation, boundary condition, material property, or similar property of the physics but not parameters that, for example, vary the geometry or mesh (for such a parameterization, use a Parametric Sweep). The parametric solver can also prove useful when it is difficult to get convergence in a nonlinear model. You can then introduce a parameter such that the solution is easy if the parameter is small. Then, to obtain the solution for the desired value of the parameter, slowly increase its value. This way, the nonlinear solver gets a good initial guess based on the solution for the previous parameter value.

A parametric sweep is used analyze a set of different parameters, while the auxiliary sweep is used to trace a nonlinear solution (in a contact simulation, for example).