The Best Program for 3-D design and Stress Analysis?

[reades]

To all,

I have taken the initiative to find a software program, which would be better suitable for my companies needs in performing more cost affectively in their current/future projects. The only problem, I'm not sure what programs are on the market that will meet/perform to the necessary tasks.

The software must meet 3 criteria: The ability to perform 3-D Design layouts, Pipe Stress Analysis, and Structural Support Analysis.

As you all know Pipe Stress and Structural Support Analysis software do not easily cross from analysis to 3-D design software or vice versa, as an example, AutoCAD and PipePlus.

You can easily find a software package that performs 3-D design or Pipe Stress Analysis or Structural Analysis alone, but is there a program that will perform all three?

What I would like to find is a software program, which will be able to meet all three needs and be able to produce either an individual output of each criteria or a combined output of all 3 criteria. Can anyone suggest such a program or does anyone know of programs that easily integrate with each other to give me the results I am looking for?


Thank you everyone for your time and efforts.
Fellow Engineer,
Steve Reade
Northstar Ind.

 

[MadMango]

I don't think you will be able to find a stand alone program that can meet all 3 criteria as stated. I think you'll have to look into 2 seperate programs, one for the 3D CAD modeling and one for the FEA analysis.

With that said, you might want to look into SolidWorks 2003 and COSMOSWorks. The FEA software integrates seamlessly into the CAD. Both are mature products, but be prepared to spend $6k+ USD.

http://www.solidworks.com

"The attempt and not the deed confounds us."

 

[JamesBarlow]

Just like MadMango said, you will have a difficult time finding something to do all three.

The only thing I know of would be Pro-Engineer, but that was not a cost effective solution(kind way of say outrageously expensive).

The system we came up with was to use SolidEdge w/ Cosmos.

The most improtant thing to do is find the modeling software that you like and then the FEA part will be decided from that. There are other programs that could work with SolidEdge, but Cosmos integrates better then any I have used.

 

[mloew]

JamesBarlow,

PTC's prices for Pro/ENGINEER and many of the addition modules have been dropping substantially over the last few years. In fact, there was an independent study that indicates that cost of ownership with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire will be 20% less than with SolidWorks.

http://www.tenlinks.com/NEWS/PR/PTC/020403_costofown.htm

Keep an open mind! Best regards,

Matthew Ian Loew

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