FEM Solver

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Revision as of 05:04, 5 April 2019 by Vocx (talk | contribs) (More information on the solvers)

Preface

This page collects information on the finite element solvers used by the FEM Workbench. The interface between a solver and FreeCAD in pre-processing as well as post-processing is done through text files. This means that in theory any solver which can be configured and controlled by means of text files is able to work together with FreeCAD.

Available solvers in various Linux distributions

The page FEM.md tracks the different open source FEA solvers that could be used by the FEM Workbench, and shows the version of that solver that is available in the repositories of a particular Linux distribution. This information is useful to know if a particular solver is out of date in a distribution and should be updated before trying to use it together with FreeCAD.

The information is also discussed in the forum supported and not supported Solver.

Solvers with an interface in FreeCAD

These solvers have buttons in the FEM Workbench toolbar to setup a simulation project.

CalculiX

This is the first solver that was integrated to work with the FEM Workbench. CalculiX is designed principally for static, thermo-mechanical, and modal analyses. Information on it is in FEM CalculiX.

Elmer

The Elmer multiphysics solver was integrated into FreeCAD as a Google Summer of Code 2017 project: Elmer Integration (GSoC) - Activity Log, main website, code repository.

Z88

The Z88 solver is designed for linear static simulations with an emphasis in teaching, and was integrated into FreeCAD as a Google Summer of Code 2017 project: main website, download page, source code repository (and precompiled binaries for Win, Linux, and OSX).

Help: How to use Z88 in FEM?

Release: Z88os V15 released 17.07.2017, Z88os V13 released 20.05.2009 (Version in Debian Jessie, Stretch, Buster),

Solver implemented as separate Macro or Module (Workbench) in FreeCAD

OpenFoam

Dualsphysics

Solver not implemented but some development is going on

Fenics

Solver not implemented but of interest in any kind

List on Wikipedia

Agros2D

Code Aster

Felt

Frame3dd

Impact FEM

Modelica

Mumps

Nastran

OOFEM

OpenSees

Technog

XC