How to run a model including Simscape blocks in a Simulink environment without a Simscape license?

I want to run a model including Simscape blocks in a non-Simscape environment.

The main objective here is to share my model with a person who needs to use this model without a Simscape license. This person just wants to run the model and does not need to modify the model. Is there a way to do this?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

Option 1: Protected Model

If the goal is simulation only, the best way to share your model with colleagues that do not have a Simscape license is to use a protected model. To do so :

1. Make sure that your model does not have any Physical ports for the interface (i.e. only Simulink inputs and outputs).
2. Go to File / Export Model to / Protected model. You can leave the default option (simulation) and save it.
3. Your colleagues can use it as a referenced model.

An example that shows how to create a protected model and use it in simulation is available in protected model capabilities documentation.

If you want to enable rapid acceleration simulation or code generation for a Simscape protected model, the recipient the recipient requires a Simscape installation (but no Simscape license) as of R2025b.

Note that the creator needs to have a Simulink Coder license to be able to protect a model.

Option 2: Standalone FMU

Another option is to export your Simscape model as a standalone Functional Mock-up Unit (FMUs), which allows the model to simulate independently in any FMI-compliant environment, including Simulink. However, note that the creator needs to have a Simulink Compiler license to be able to export a model as an FMU.

For more information, see Export Simulink Models to Functional Mock-up Units.

If you want to enable code generation for grt.tlc targets for an FMU, the FMU creator requires an additional Simulink Coder license in order to package the model source code into the FMU. The .fmu package will also include Simscape runtime sources, so in contrast to the protected model approach, the recipient requires no Simscape installation to generate code from the FMU.