Thermo-Calc 2026b: Thermodynamic & Phase Diagram Calculation Software

Thermo-Calc 2026b is the latest release from Thermo-Calc Software AB It focuses on improving calculation workflow usability, performance, and materials coverage.

Key New Features

Property Navigator

The most significant addition in 2026b is the Property Navigator, which dramatically simplifies Property Model setup. Users can quickly select desired calculation properties through a graphical interface instead of manually entering string parameters, reducing input errors and dependence on documentation. The navigator supports material category and process selection, with all subsequent properties selectable (a valid database license is still required to run calculations).

Significantly Faster Loading

Template and project file loading times are substantially reduced. Benchmarks show Thermo-Calc 2026b opens projects on average 2.2× faster than 2025b, depending on calculation type.

Additive Manufacturing: Evaporation Prediction

A new Evaporation with Steady-state calculation type simulates evaporation of volatile alloying elements in high-energy processes such as laser or electron beam melting. It supports composition evolution prediction across multi-track, multi-layer builds, outputting average compositions per track and for the final part. Three new plot quantities visualize printed and vaporized gas compositions, with a Composition History tab for results.

New Function: Switch Matrix Phase

The new Switch Matrix Phase function allows users to simulate inoculation (nucleation of a new precipitate on existing dispersed phases), GP zone transformation to different precipitates, complex phase sequences involving multiple metastable phases, and co-precipitation (e.g., γ″ nucleating on γ′ in nickel-based superalloys). Available in TC-Python via .set_nucleation_upon_precipitates().

New & Updated Databases

Nine new databases are released in 2026b: