What's available in Low Cost FEA Softtware?

[45North]

I recently quit the "big firm" and now am a sole practitioner. One of the things I still need to pick up is a cheap FEA program. Back in the 80's I had several that ran in Basic but even if I find the discs I probably can't find a 5 1/4 inch drive to put them in.

My budget is under $1,000 for this software with annual fees a couple of hundred or less. I'm not all that interested in design software but need something that will allow me to use basic beam, shell and plate elements. A graphical pre-processor would be nice but I can still remember how to hand code batch input files if necessary. (Don't laugh, I started out using punch cards)

Thanks

 

[hondaknight1]

You want calculix, its free and good:

http://www.bconverged.com/calculix/

 

[GregLocock]

calculix doesn't do beam elements from memory.



Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[johnhors]

Calculix is excellent for 3D solid elements and for static linear, thermal, modal and buckling analyses it compares more than favourably with expensive commercial solvers. In my experience it solves quicker, but is more memory hungry.

For shell elements, it automatically "inflates" them into solid elements. For beam elements as Greg said it doesn't do them "properly" but also rather bizarrely also inflates them in two directions to create a solid as well.

Therefore good that Calculix is, its probably not the best choice for the OP. Instead I would recommend FemDesigner, this I think meets all the OP's requirements.

Out of curiosity, where have you been since the 80's ? If you are prepared to "hand crank" input files then you could probably find text books with code listings of basic FEA solvers.

 

[hondaknight1]

Greg you must be getting old, your memory has failed you..

Indeed calculix does do beam elements, have a look at the capapbilities listed here:

http://www.dhondt.de/ov_calcu.htm

it shows beam elements and composite beam elements. If you do decide to go down the calculix route there is a great pre and post processor

http://WWW.ROSHAZ.COM,

its bit out of your price range but worth remembering if you do decide you need a bit more.

You could also look at the Internet Finite Element Resources page (IFER)

http://homepage.usask.ca/~ijm451/finite/fe_resources/

packed full of lists of possible FE sources free, cheap and commercial. Frpom this list I have used use SLFEA which was very effective and another FEAP which was a product of R L Taylor at Berkley, I've done good things on residual stresses with this.

I forgotten to tell you about a great cheap package which I use all the time, FEMdesigner

http://www.femdesigner.com/.

It can do cad import or simple text files to set up and describe models, quick to learn, quick to operate and V-effective. Also small enough to care, a few yers ago I asked them why it couldnt present results in a certain way, 48 hrs later they released an update with that change in it.

In all honestly given the listings in IFER, unless you are doing stacks of non linear with assemblies and contact then the possibilites for free/cheap are enormous.

 

[hondaknight1]

Ahh I will defer to johnhors on the calculix matter...

 

[45North]

Thanks folks.

Johnhors, As for where have I been since the 80's; Nastran, PAL, SAP (several flavors) FEMAP, STAAD, ... I'm old, I forget the rest.

Then of course there was the in house pre/post software that Generous Motors had Structural Modeling Using Graphics AKA: SMUG

SMUG and nastran running on a Cray-YMP. Yup, those were the good old days...

Thanks again folks. It sounds like my biggest problem will be finding the one that I like the best.

 

[45North]

Any comments on LISA ?

3000 node version is free and unlimited version is very inexpensive; $50 Canadian. Includes a pre/post and looks like it has all the basic feature. Has some nice features like templates for meshing standard presure vessel heads.

Oh yeah. I found that old PC software AND a 5 1/4 inch drive to load it from. I always wondered what was in those boxes...