yacpro13
Mechanical
- Oct 14, 2012
- 17
Hi everyone,
I've been looking for an FEA software for some time now.
I do 3D design work in Solidworks (PRO, without the simulation add on - actually it has a lite 'express' version).
So far I've been checking my designs by hand, and I have used the trial version of Solidworks simulation and it was nice to get additional info like stress distribution etc etc, plus be able to validate my hand calculations by comparing reactions forces, for example, and then be able to check design improvements much faster by re-running the analysis.
I have been doing hand calculations on a simplified geometry, then quickly model that geometry in 3D to run the FEA. If the results matched, then I would run the same FEA analysis on the more complex shape.
Now I'm looking for an affordable FEA software I'd like the company I work at to purchase.
We're a small company and there's no way we can afford a $35K seat for ANSYS or the like.
So I started looking for alternative solutions and stumbled on FEMDesigner (basic version @ $300 and pro verison @ $900).
It seems like it could be a nice tool to use - plus, my critical requirements would be met by the $300 basic version (the Pro features would only be 'nice-to-haves').
I've seen elsewhere on the interwebs that it seems to provide similar results as leading FEA software.
I'm wondering if any of you have actually used it, or know someone who did/does?
Keep in mind that this would be used in a production design environment (ie. not a for hobby purposes, for example.).
Thanks in advance.
I've been looking for an FEA software for some time now.
I do 3D design work in Solidworks (PRO, without the simulation add on - actually it has a lite 'express' version).
So far I've been checking my designs by hand, and I have used the trial version of Solidworks simulation and it was nice to get additional info like stress distribution etc etc, plus be able to validate my hand calculations by comparing reactions forces, for example, and then be able to check design improvements much faster by re-running the analysis.
I have been doing hand calculations on a simplified geometry, then quickly model that geometry in 3D to run the FEA. If the results matched, then I would run the same FEA analysis on the more complex shape.
Now I'm looking for an affordable FEA software I'd like the company I work at to purchase.
We're a small company and there's no way we can afford a $35K seat for ANSYS or the like.
So I started looking for alternative solutions and stumbled on FEMDesigner (basic version @ $300 and pro verison @ $900).
It seems like it could be a nice tool to use - plus, my critical requirements would be met by the $300 basic version (the Pro features would only be 'nice-to-haves').
I've seen elsewhere on the interwebs that it seems to provide similar results as leading FEA software.
I'm wondering if any of you have actually used it, or know someone who did/does?
Keep in mind that this would be used in a production design environment (ie. not a for hobby purposes, for example.).
Thanks in advance.