FEM Workbench

Introduction
The FEM Workbench provides a modern finite element analysis (FEA) workflow for FreeCAD. Mainly this means all tools to make an analysis are combined into one graphical user interface (GUI).



Workflow
The steps to carry out a finite element analysis are:
 * 1) Preprocessing: setting up the analysis problem.
 * 2) Modeling the geometry: creating the geometry with FreeCAD, or importing it from a different application.
 * 3) Creating an analysis.
 * 4) Creating a finite element mesh for the geometrical model, or importing it from a different application.
 * 5) Adding simulation constraints such as loads and fixed supports to the model.
 * 6) Adding a material to the analysis model.
 * 7) Solving: solving a system of equations using an external solver from within FreeCAD.
 * 8) Postprocessing: visualizing the analysis results from within FreeCAD.

As of FreeCAD 0.15 the FEM Workbench can be used on Linux, Windows, and Mac OSX. Since the workbench makes use of external solvers, the amount of manual setup will depend on the operating system that you are using. See FEM Install for instructions on setting up the external tools.

Menu: Model

 * [[Image:Fem-analysis.svg|32px]] Analysis container: Creates a new container for a mechanical analysis. If a solid is selected in the tree view before clicking on it, the meshing dialog will be opened next.

Materials

 * [[Image:Fem-material.svg|32px]] Material for solid: Lets you select a material from the database.


 * [[Image:Fem-material-fluid.svg|32px]] Material for fluid: Lets you select a material from the database.


 * [[Image:Fem-material-nonlinear.svg|32px]] Nonlinear mechanical material: Lets you select a material from the database.


 * [[Image:Arch_Material_Group.svg|32px]] Material editor:: Lets you open the material editor to edit materials

Element Geometry

 * [[Image:Fem-beam-section.svg|32px]] Beam cross section:


 * [[Image:Fem-beam-rotation.svg|32px]] Beam rotation:


 * [[Image:Fem-shell-thickness.svg|32px]] Shell plate thickness:


 * [[Image:Fem-fluid-section.svg|32px]] Fluid section for 1D flow:

Electrostatic Constraints

 * [[Image:fem-constraint-electrostatic-potential.svg|32px]] Constraint electrostatic potential:

Fluid constraints

 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-initial-flow-velocity.svg|32px]] Constraint initial flow velocity:


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-fluid-boundary.svg|32px]] Constraint fluid boundary:


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-flow-velocity.svg|32px]] Constraint flow velocity:

Mechanical constraints

 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-fixed.svg|32px]] Constraint fixed: Used to define a fixed constraint on point/edge/face(s).


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-displacement.svg|32px]] Constraint displacement: Used to define a displacement constraint on point/edge/face(s).


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-planerotation.svg|32px]] Constraint plane rotation: Used to define a plane rotation constraint on a planar face.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-contact.svg|32px]] Constraint contact: Used to define a contact constraint between two faces.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-transform.svg|32px]] Constraint transform:


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-force.svg|32px]] Constraint force: Used to define a force in [N] applied uniformly to a selectable face in a definable direction.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-pressure.svg|32px]] Constraint pressure: Used to define a pressure constraint.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-selfweight.svg|32px]] Constraint self weight: Used to define a gravity acceleration acting on a model.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-bearing.svg|32px]] Constraint bearing: Used to define a bearing constraint.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-gear.svg|32px]] Constraint gear: Used to define a gear constraint.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-pulley.svg|32px]] Constraint pulley: Used to define a pulley constraint.

Thermal constraints

 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-InitialTemperature.svg|32px]] Constraint initial temperature: Used to define the initial temperature of a body.


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-heatflux.svg|32px]] Constraint heatflux: Used to define a heat flux constraint on a face(s).


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-temperature.svg|32px]] Constraint temperature: Used to define a temperature constraint on a point/edge/face(s).


 * [[Image:Fem-constraint-heatflux.svg|32px]] Constraint body heat source:

Menu: Mesh

 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-netgen-from-shape.svg|32px]] FEM mesh from shape by Netgen:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-gmsh-from-shape.svg|32px]] FEM mesh from shape by GMSH:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-boundary-layer.svg|32px]] FEM mesh boundary layer:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-region.svg|32px]] FEM mesh region:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-from-shape.svg|32px]] FEM mesh group:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-create-node-by-poly.svg|32px]] Nodes set: Creates/defines a node set from FEM mesh.


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-to-mesh.svg|32px]] FEM mesh to mesh: Convert the surface of a FEM mesh to a mesh.

Menu: Solve

 * [[Image:Fem-solver.svg|32px]] Solver Calculix CCX tools: Creates a new solver for this analysis. In most cases the solver is created together with the analysis.


 * [[Image:Fem-solver.svg|32px]] Solver CalculiX:


 * [[Image:Fem-elmer.svg|32px]] Solver Elmer:


 * [[Image:Fem-solver.svg|32px]] Solver Z88:


 * [[Image:Fem-equation-heat.svg|32px]] Equation heat:


 * [[Image:Fem-equation-elasticity.svg|32px]] Equation elasticity:


 * [[Image:Fem-equation-electrostatic.svg|32px]] Equation electrostatic:


 * [[Image:Fem-equation-fluxsolver.svg|32px]] Equation fluxsolver:


 * [[Image:Fem-equation-flow.svg|32px]] Equation flow:


 * [[Image:Fem-control-solver.svg|32px]] Solver job control: Opens the menu to adjust and start the selected solver.


 * [[Image:Fem-run-solver.svg|32px]] Solver run calculation: Runs the selected solver of the active analysis.

Menu: Results

 * [[Image:Fem-purge-results.svg|32px]] Results purge: Deletes the results of the active analysis.


 * [[Image:Fem-result.svg|24px]] Result show: Used to display the result of an analysis.


 * [[Image:FEM_PostApplyChanges.png|32px]] Post Apply changes:


 * [[Image:Fem-data.svg|32px]] Post Pipeline from result:


 * [[Image:Fem-warp.svg|32px]] Post Create warp vector filter:


 * [[Image:Fem-clip-scalar.svg|32px]] Post Create scalar clip filter:


 * [[Image:Fem-cut.svg|32px]] Post Create cut filter:


 * [[Image:Fem-clip.svg|32px]] Post Create clip filter:


 * [[Image:Fem-DataAlongLine.svg|32px]] Post Create data along line filter:


 * [[Image:Fem-linearizedstresses.svg|32px]] Post Create linearized stresses:


 * [[Image:fem-post-filter-data-at-point.png|32px]] Post Create data at point filter:


 * [[Image:Fem CompPostCreateFunctions.png|48px]] Post Create functions:
 * [[Image:Fem-sphere.svg|32px]] :
 * [[Image:Fem-plane.svg|32px]] :

Menu: Utilities

 * [[Image:fem-clipping-plane-add.svg|32px]] Clipping plane on face:


 * [[Image:fem-clipping-plane-remove-all.svg|32px]] Remove all clipping planes:

Context Menu

 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-clear-mesh.svg|32px]] FEM mesh clear:


 * [[Image:Fem-femmesh-print-info.svg|32px]] FEM mesh print info:

Preferences

 * [[Image:Std_DlgParameter.svg|32px]] Preferences...: Preferences available in FEM Tools.

Tutorials
Tutorial 1 FEM CalculiX Cantilever 3D

Tutorial 2 FEM Tutorial

Tutorial 3 FEM Tutorial Python

Tutorial 4 FEM Shear of a Composite Block

Coupled thermal mechanical analysis tutorials PDF's

Video Tutorial 1 Forum post with you tube link

Video Tutorial 2 Forum post with you tube link

Further video Tutorials Forum post with you tube link


 * Extend FEM Module
 * Add FEM Equation Tutorial
 * Add FEM Constraint Tutorial

Links
FEM Install for a detailed description how to set up a working FEM Module.

FEM Mesh for further Information about the FEM Mesh in FEM Module.

FEM Solver for further Informations about FEM Solvers in FEM Module,

FEM CalculiX for further Information about CalculiX, the most used and best develop solver in FEM Module.

FEM Project for more detailed informations about the Units, Limitations and the Development of FEM Module.

FEM Concrete for informations about analysis's of concrete structures.