List of finite element software packages

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This is a list of notable software packages that implement the finite element method for solving partial differential equations.

SoftwareFeaturesDeveloperVersionReleasedLicensePricePlatform
Abaqus FEA, Multi-physics, Implict & Explict.TriMech Group20251979 Linux, Windows
Agros2D Multiplatform open source application for the solution of physical problems based on the Hermes libraryUniversity of West Bohemia3.22014-03-03 GNU GPL Free Linux, Windows
CalculiX It is an Open Source FEA project. The solver uses a partially compatible ABAQUS file format. The pre/post-processor generates input data for many FEA and CFD applicationsGuido Dhondt, Klaus Wittig2.202022-08-01 GNU GPL Free Linux, Windows
DIANA FEA General purpose finite element package utilised by civil, structural and geotechnical engineers.DIANA FEA BV, The Netherlands10.12016-11-14 Proprietary commercial software Paid Windows, Linux
deal.II Comprehensive set of tools for finite element codes, scaling from laptops to clusters with 100,000+ cores. Written in C++, it supports all widely used finite element types, serial and parallel meshes, and h and hp adaptivity.Wolfgang Bangerth, Timo Heister, Guido Kanschat, Matthias Maier et al.9.62024-08-11 LGPL Free Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows
DUNE Distributed and Unified Numerics Environment, written in C++DUNE Developer team2.4.12016-02-29 GPL Version 2 with Run-Time Exception Free Linux, Unix, Mac OS X
Elmer FEM Open source multiphysical simulation software developed by Finnish Ministry of Education's CSC, written primarily in Fortran (written in Fortran90, C and C++) CSC 8.22021-03-04 GPL Free Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
FEBio Finite Elements for BiomechanicsUniversity of Utah (MRL), Columbia University (MBL)3.7June, 2022 MIT Free Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
FEniCS Project Software package developed by American and European researchers with the goal to enable automated solution of differential equationsFEniCS Team1.6.02015-07-29 LGPL (Core) & GPL/LGPL (Non-Core) [1] Free Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows
FEATool Multiphysics MATLAB FEM and PDE multiphysics simulation toolboxPrecise Simulation1.102019-05-17 Proprietary EULA Free for personal use [2] Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Unix
FreeFEM [3] FreeFEM is a free and open-source parallel FEA software for multiphysics simulations. The problems are defined in terms of their variational formulation and can be easily implemented using FreeFEM language. Written in C++. Sorbonne University [4] and Jacques-Louis Lions Laboratory [5] 4.2.12019-06-06 LGPL Free Linux, MacOS, Windows, Solaris
GOMA GOMA is an open-source, parallel, and scalable multiphysics software package for modeling and simulation of real-life physical processes, with a basis in computational fluid dynamics for problems with evolving geometry. Sandia National Laboratories, University of New Mexico 6.1Aug 28, 2015 GPL Version 2 Free Linux
GetFEM++ A generic finite element library written in C++ with interfaces for Python, Matlab and Scilab. It focuses on modeling of contact mechanics and discontinuities (e.g. cracks).Yves Renard, Julien Pommier5.4.22022-07 LGPL Free Unix, Mac OS X, Windows
Hermes Project Modular C/C++ library for rapid development of space- and space-time adaptive hp-FEM solvershp-FEM group3.02014-03-01 LGPL Free Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows
Mathematica [6] General purpose computation software. Wolfram Research 14.1.0 (July 31, 2024;55 days ago (2024-07-31)) [±] [7] Regularly Proprietary Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Raspbian, Online service.
MATLAB Partial Differential Equation ToolboxMATLAB Toolbox for solving structural, thermal, electromagnetics, and other general PDEs MathWorks 3.3 (R2019b)2019-09-11 Proprietary commercial software Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
MFEM MFEM is a free, lightweight, scalable C++ library for finite element methods that features arbitrary high-order finite element meshes and spaces, support for a wide variety of discretizations, and emphasis on usability, generality, and high-performance computing efficiency.MFEM team4.72024-05-07 BSD Free Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows
MoFEM JosePH Mesh Oriented hp-FE code, written in C++ University of Glasgow 0.6.82017-11-16 LGPL Free Unix, Mac OS X
MOOSE Object Oriented FE framework, written in C++ Idaho National Laboratory regularly LGPL Free Unix, Mac OS X
OOFEM Object Oriented Finite EleMent solver, written in C++Bořek Patzák2.52017-12-30 GPL Version 2 Free Unix, Windows
OpenSees Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation3.3.02021-05-24Non CommercialFree Unix, Linux, Windows
SESAM (FEM) Software suite for structural and hydrodynamic analysis of ships and offshore structures DNV GL regularly Proprietary, SaaS Windows, Web browser
Z88/Z88AuroraFreeware finite element package; The present version Z88Aurora V5 offers, in addition to static strength analysis modules such as non-linear strength calculations (large displacements), simulations with non-linear materials, natural frequency, static thermal analysis and a contact module.Frank RiegZ88 V15, Z88Aurora V52017-07-17, 2019-04-01GNU GPL, CustomFree Linux, Windows, Mac OS X
Abaqus Advanced Franco-USA software from SIMULIA, owned by Dassault Systemes Abaqus Inc.20232022-11 Proprietary commercial software Free learning edition available, up to 1000 nodes [8] Linux, Windows
CONSELF CAE simulation from your browserCONSELF SRL2.92015-10 SaaS Freemium Web browser
FreeCAD Parametric 3D modeler with a FEM workbench allowing it to use external solvers like CalculiX, Z88, Elmer, and OpenFOAM FreeCAD Team0.20.110 August 2022 LGPL 2 Free Linux, Windows, Mac OS X
ADINA Finite element software for structural, fluid, heat transfer, electromagnetic, and multiphysics problems, including fluid-structure interaction and thermo-mechanical couplingAdina R&D Proprietary commercial software
Autodesk Simulation Finite Element software of Autodesk Autodesk Proprietary commercial software Windows
ANSYS US-based and -developed full CAE software packageAnsys Inc.2022 R22022-07-28 Proprietary commercial software Free student version available, up to 32,000 nodes/elements [9] Windows, Linux
COMSOL Multiphysics COMSOL Multiphysics Finite Element Analysis Software (formerly FEMLAB)COMSOL Inc.6.12022-11-01 Proprietary EULA Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Web browser
CosmosWorks Part of SolidWorks Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. Proprietary commercial software Windows
Quickfield EM, Heat Transfer and Stress Analysis [10] Tera Analysis Ltd6.4 [11] 2020-04-17 Proprietary EULA Free Student Edition available [12] Windows
Pam Crash Best used for explicit dynamics / crash analysisESI15.5.12020-03-05 Proprietary commercial software Linux, Windows
LS-DYNA Best known for explicit dynamics / crash analysisLSTC - Livermore Software Technology CorporationR10.12020 Proprietary commercial software Linux, Windows
Mecway Structural, heat transfer, electrostatic, acousticMecway Limited20.02023-07 Proprietary commercial software Free edition available, up to 1000 nodes [13] Windows
Nastran Originally developed for NASA, now available commercially from several software companiesMSC NASTRAN, Siemens PLM NX Nastran [14] 20142014 Proprietary EULA Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
RFEM 3D finite element analysis softwareDlubal Software6.04.00052023-10-30 Proprietary commercial software Free student license available [15] Windows
SimScale German 100% web-based CAE platformSimScale GmbH142013-07 SaaS Free community version available [16] Web browser
VisualFEA Finite element software for structural, geotechnical, heat transfer and seepage analysisIntuition Software5.112016-01 Proprietary software Free educational version available [17] Mac OS X, Windows
JCMsuite Finite element software for the analysis of electromagnetic waves, elasticity and heat conductionJCMwave GmbH5.4.32023-03-09 Proprietary EULA Linux, Windows
Radioss Best known for explicit dynamics simulations Altair Engineering Proprietary commercial software; OpenRadioss: AGPL-3.0 Open-source version (OpenRadioss) available Linux, Windows
JMAG 2D and 3D finite element analysis software for electromagnetic field, thermal, structural JSOL 18.12019-06 Proprietary commercial software Education pack available Linux, Windows, Web browser
SDC Verifier An extension for Ansys Mechanical, Femap and Simcenter with out of the box predefined standards on fatigue, stiffener and plate buckling, beam member checks, joint checks and weld. Such as AISC 360-10, API 2A RP, ISO 19902, Norsok N004, DIN15018, Eurocode 3, FEM 1.001, ABS 2004, ABS 2014, DNV RP-C201 2010, DNV CN30/1995, FKM etc.SDC Verifier2021 R.22021-11 Proprietary commercial software Student version available Windows

Feature comparison

This table is contributed by a FEA-compare [18] project, which provides an alternative view of this table with the first row and Feature column being fixed for ease of table exploration.

Feature COMSOL Multiphysics MFEM GetFEM++ deal.II Elmer MOOSE FEniCS Project FEATool Multiphysics
license:ProprietaryBSDLGPLLGPLGNU (L)GPLLGPLGNU GPL\LGPLProprietary
GUI:YesNoNoNoYes, partial functionalityYesPostprocessing onlyMatlab and Octave GUI
Documentation:user guides, reference manuals, API documentation, application libraries with solved examples, online tutorialsexamples, miniapps, Doxygen, online documentationUser doc, tutorials, demos, developer's guideextensive tutorials, video lectures, DoxygenElmerSolver Manual, Elmer Models Manual, ElmerGUI Tutorials, etc. LaTeX documentation available in PDFsDoxygen, Markdown, example codes, test inputsTutorial, demos, bookOnline FEATool documentation, tutorials, and model examples
Mesh
mesh elements:intervals (1D); triangles, quadrilaterals (2D and 3D boundaries); tetrahedra, pyramids, prisms, hexahedra (3d)segments, triangles, quadrilaterals, tetrahedra, hexahedra, prisms, pyramidsintervals, triangles, tetrahedra, quads, hexes, prisms, some 4D elements, easily extensible.intervals (1D); triangles, quadrilaterals (2D and 3D boundaries); tetrahedra, pyramids, prisms, hexahedra (3d)intervals (1d), triangles, quadrilaterals (2d), tetrahedra, pyramids, wedges, hexahedra (3d)Tria, Quad, Tetra, Prism, etc.intervals, triangles, tetrahedra (quads, hexes - work in progress)intervals, triangles, tetrahedra, quads, hexes
mesh high-order mapping:Any? Second-order is the default for most cases.arbitrary-order meshes and NURBS meshesany orderYes, for Lagrange elements(Any - work in progress)
mesh generation:Built-inmeshing miniapps and target-matrix mesh optimizationexperimental in any dimension + predefined shapes + Extrusion.external mesh generators via mesh exchange files, internally generated meshes for simple shapes, internal interfaces to gmshLimited own meshing capabilities with ElmerGrid and netgen/tetgen APIs. Internal extrusion and mesh multiplication on parallel level.Built-inYes, Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) supported via mshr (CGAL and Tetgen used as backends)Integrated DistMesh, Gmsh, and Triangle GUI and CLI interfaces
mesh adaptive-refinement:Yes, full adaptive mesh refinement (h-refinement); no p-refinement but several higher-order elements are included. Mesh adaptation on the whole or parts of the geometry, for stationary, eigenvalue, and time-dependent simulations and by rebuilding the entire mesh or refining chosen mesh elements.conforming and non-conforming adaptive refinement for tensor product and simplex meshesOnly hh-, p-, and hp-adaptivity for both continuous and discontinuous finite elementsh-refinement for selected equationsh, p, mached hp, singular hpOnly h
mesh input/output:STL, PLY, NASTRAN, 3MF, VRML (import only), native formatVTK, Gmsh, CUBIT, NETGEN, TrueGrid, and MFEM formatgmsh, GiD, AnsysDB, XDA, GMSH, Tecplot, UNV, UCD, Abaqus, VTK, Assimp, ExodusIIExodusII, Nemesis, Abaqus, Ensight, Gmsh, GMV, OFF, TecPlot TetGen, etc.XDMF (and FEniCS XML)FeatFlow, FEniCS XML, GiD, Gmsh, GMV, Triangle
mesh check:Avoids inverted and degenerated elements; various mesh quality measures ?intersections (collision testing)
CAD files support:STEP, IGES, others.No IGES, STEP (with OpenCascade wrapper)Limited support via OpenCASCADE in ElmerGUI
mesh operation:Merge, copy, refine; convert; boundary layers; extrude, revolve, sweep, loft for 3D geometriesExtrude, rotate, translation, refineExtrude, rotate, translation, refineMerge, join, extrude, modular mesh modifier systemMerge, join, extrude, and revolve operations
Parallel possibilities
automatic mesh partitioning:METIS and space-filling curve partitioningYes (METIS)yes, shared (METIS/Parmetis/Zoltan) and distributed (p4est)partitioning with ElmerGrid using Metis or geometric division, internal partitioning in ElmerSolver using ZoltanMetis, Parmetis, Hilbert (shared and distributed meshes)Yes (ParMETIS and SCOTCH)
MPI:YesYesYesYes (up to 310k processes)YesYesYes
threads:Supports multithreadingUsing OpenMP, RAJA, or OCCA backends Threading Build Blocks threadsafe, some modules threaded and vectorized.Yes
OpenMP:YesYesYesYes (vectorization only)Yes, partiallyYes
OpenCL:NoThrough OCCA backendsNoNoNo
CUDA:NoYesNosince 9.1, see step-64 for matrix-free GPU+MPI examplePreliminary API for sparse linear algebra
Solver
Dimension:0D, 1D, 2D, 3D (can coexist)1D/2D/3DAny, possibility to mix and couple problem of different dimension1/2/3D1D/2D/3D (dimensions may coexist)1/2/3D1/2/3D1/2/3D
FE:Lagrange (order 1-7), Hermite (order 3-7), discontinuous Lagrange (order 0-7), bubble, Gauss point, serendipity, NedelecArbitrary-order Lagrange elements (continuous and discontinuous), Bernstein basis, Nedelec and Raviart-Thomas elements, support for NURBS spaces (IGA)Continuous and discontinuous Lagrange, Hermite, Argyris, Morley, Nedelec, Raviart-Thomas, composite elements (HCT, FVS), Hierarchical elements, Xfem, easily extensible.Lagrange elements of any order, continuous and discontinuous; Nedelec and Raviart-Thomas elements of any order; BDM and Bernstein; elements composed of other elements.Lagrange elements, p-elements up to 10th order, Hcurl conforming elements (linear and quadratic) forLagrange, Hierarchic, Discontinuous Monomials, NedelecLagrange, BDM, RT, Nedelic, Crouzeix-Raviart, all simplex elements in the Periodic Table (femtable.org), anyLagrange (1st-5th order), Crouzeix-Raviart, Hermite
Quadrature:Gauss-Legendre, Gauss-Lobatto, and uniform quadrature rules.Gauss-Legendre, Gauss-Lobatto, midpoint, trapezoidal, Simpson, Milne and Weddle (closed Newton-Cotes for 4 and 7 order polynomials), Gauss quadrature with logarithmic or 1/R weighting function, Telles quadrature of arbitrary order.Gauss-Legendre (1D and tensor product rules in 2D and 3D) tabulated up to 44th-order to high precision, best available rules for triangles and tetrahedra to very high order, best available monomial rules for quadrilaterals and hexahedra.
Transient problems:Yes, BDF, Runge-Kutta (RK34, Cash-Karp 5, Dormand-Prince 5), and generalized alpha time steppingRunge-Kutta, SSP, SDIRK, Adams-Bashforth, Adams-Moulton, Symplectic Integration Algorithm, Newmark method, Generalized-alpha methodAny user implemented and/or from a set of predefined. Explicit methods: forward Euler, 3rd and 4th order Runge-Kutta. Implicit methods: backward Euler, implicit Midpoint, Crank-Nicolson, SDIRK. Embedded explicit methods: Heun-Euler, Bogacki-Shampine, Dopri, Fehlberg, Cash-Karp.implicit-euler explicit-euler crank-nicolson bdf2 explicit-midpoint dirk explicit-tvd-rk-2 newmark-betaBE, CN, and Fractional-Step-Theta schemes
Predefined equations:Incompressible Navier-Stokes, heat transfer, convection-diffusion-reaction, linear elasticity, electromagnetics, pressure acoustics, Darcy's law, and support for custom PDE equationsMiniapps and examples for Laplace, elasticity, Maxwell, Darcy, advection, Euler, Helmholtz, and othersThe tutorial provides examples for many different equationsAround 50 predefined solversPhase Field, Solid Mechanics, Navier-Stokes, Porous Flow, Level Set, Chemical Reactions, Heat Conduction, support for custom PDEsIncompressible Navier-Stokes, Heat transfer, convection-diffusion-reaction, linear elasticity, electromagnetics, Darcy's, Brinkman equations, and support for custom PDE equations
Automated assembly:YesYesYes
Visualization:Built-inIn situ visualization with GLVis. Export to VisIt and ParaView.External or with the Scilab/Matlab/Python interface. Possibility to perform complex slices.External (export to .vtk/.vtu and many others)ElmerGUI comes VTK based visualization tool (but Paraview is recommended)Yes, VTK-based GUI, Python visualizatuion libraryBuil-in simple plotting + ExternalBuilt-in with optional Plotly and GMV export
Output format:Text and unstructured VTK-file for data. BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF, JPEG, glTF, Windows clipboard, Microsoft PowerPoint (for images). GIF, Flash, AVI, WebM (for animations). Touchstone data (for networks).VisIt, ParaView (VTU), GLVis formatvtk, gmsh, OpenDX.*.dx *.ucd *.gnuplot *.povray *.eps *.gmv *.tecplot *.tecplot_binary *.vtk *.vtu *.svg *.hdf5Several output formats (VTU, gmsh,...)ExodusII, Xdr, etc.VTK(.pvd, .vtu) and XDMF/HDF5GMV and Plotly
Boundary elements solver:YesNoYesExisting but without multipole acceleration (not usable for large problems)No
Use multiple meshes:Yes including different dimensions and taking account of any transformation.Yes, autorefined from same initial mesh for each variable of a coupled problemContinuity of non-conforming interfaces ensured by mortar finite elementsYes, including non-matching meshes
Linear algebra
Used libs:MUMPS, PARDISO, SPOOLES; ARPACK, BLAS, BLIS, Intel MKL, LAPACKBuilt-in and integrated with hypre. Optional integrations with PETSc, Ginkgo, SuperLU, Suite Sparse, libCEED, and moreSuperLU, MUMPS, Built-in.Built-in + Trilinos, PETSc, and SLEPcBuilt-in, Hypre, Trilinos, umfpack, MUMPS, Pardiso, etc. (optional)PETSc, Trilinos, LASPack, SLEPcPETSc, Trilinos/TPetra, Eigen.Matlab/Octave built-in (Umfpack), supports integration with the FEniCS and FeatFlow solvers
Iterative matrix solvers:GMRES, FGMRES, BiCGStab, conjugate gradients, TFQMR, or any precoditioner. Algebraic and geometric multigrid. Domain decomponsition (Schwarz, Schur)Krylov methods (CG, MINRES, GMRES, BiCGStab)All KrylovAll Krylov (CG, Minres, GMRES, BiCGStab, QMRS)Built-in Krylov solvers, Krylov and multigrid solvers from external librariesLASPack serial, PETSc parallelMatlab/Octave built-in
Preconditioners:Direct preconditioner, Krylov, SOR, SSOR, SORU, SOR line, SOR gauge, SOR vector, Jacobi, incomplete and hierarchical LU, SAI, SCGS, Vanka, AMSAlgebraic, Geometric, and p-multigrid. Block ILU preconditioning. Support for hypre's AMS and ADS preconditioners for H(curl) and H(div).Basic ones (ILU, ILUT)Many, including algebraic multigrid (via Hypre and ML) and geometric multigridBuilt-in preconditioners (ILU, diagonal, vanka, block) andLASPack serial, PETSc parallel, algebraic multigrid (via Hypre)Matlab/Octave built-in
Matrix-free
matrix-free:YesYesNoYesExperimental implementation
matrix-free save memory:YesNoYes
matrix-free speed-up:YesNoYes
Used language
Native language:Primarily C++ and JavaC++C++C++Fortran (2008 standard)C++C++Matlab / Octave
Bindings to language:Full API for Java and Matlab (the latter via add-on product)PyMFEM (Python)Python, Scilab or MatlabPython bindings to some functionalityPython
Other
Predefined equations:Yes, many predefined physics and multiphysics interfaces in COMSOL Multiphysics and its add-ons.A large number of Bilinear and Linear formsModel bricks: Laplace, linear and nonlinear elasticity, Helmholtz, plasticity, Mindlin and K.L. plates, boundary conditions including contact with friction.
Coupled nonlinear problems:YesYesYes
Binary:Windows, Linux, macOSYes, via OpenHPC. Also available as part of Spack, xSDK, E4S, FASTMath, RADIUSS and CEED.Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)Linux, Windows, MacWindows, Linux (launchpad: Debian/Ubuntu), Mac (homebrew) (all with MPI)Linux (Debian\Ubuntu), MacWindows, Linux, Mac
fullname:Elmer finite element software
Testing:Comprehensive unit and regression tests. Continuous integration through Travis CI13,000+ testsMore than 700 consistency tests ensuring backward compatibility4300+ tests, Testing as a service for derived applications
scripting:Full API for Java and, through add-on product, MatlabRuntime parsed mathematical expression in input filesFully scriptable in as m-file Matlab scripts and the GUI supports exporting models in script format
automatic differentiation:YesYesYesForward-mode for Jacobian computation, symbolic differentiation capabilities
multiphysics:Yes, full custom and predefined multiphysics couplings between all kinds of physicsArbitrary multiphysics couplings are supportedYesArbitrary multiphysics couplings are supportedArbitrary multiphysics couplings are supported
Optimization Solvers:With the Optimization Module add-on: Coordinate search, Nelder-Mead, Monte Carlo, BOBYQA, COBYLA, SNOPT, MMA, Levenberg-MarquardtIntegration with HiOp. Built-in SLBQP optimizerSupport for TAO- and nlopt-based constrained optimization solvers incorporating gradient and Hessian information.
HIP:Yes
Symbolic derivation of the tangent system for nonlinear problems:YesYes
Support for fictitious domain methods:YesYes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided engineering</span> Use of software for engineering design and analysis

Computer-aided engineering (CAE) is the general usage of technology to aid in tasks related to engineering analysis. Any use of technology to solve or assist engineering issues falls under this umbrella.

NASTRAN is a finite element analysis (FEA) program that was originally developed for NASA in the late 1960s under United States government funding for the aerospace industry. The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation (MSC) was one of the principal and original developers of the publicly available NASTRAN code. NASTRAN source code is integrated in a number of different software packages, which are distributed by a range of companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ansys</span> American technology company

Ansys, Inc. is an American multinational company with its headquarters based in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. It develops and markets CAE/multiphysics engineering simulation software for product design, testing and operation and offers its products and services to customers worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NEi Nastran</span>

NEi Nastran was an engineering analysis and simulation software product of NEi Software. Based on NASA's Structural Analysis program NASTRAN, the software is a finite element analysis (FEA) solver used to generate solutions for linear and nonlinear stress, dynamics, and heat transfer characteristics of structures and mechanical components. NEi Nastran software is used with all major industry pre- and post-processors, including Femap, a product of Siemens PLM Software, and the in-house brands NEi Nastran in-CAD, NEi Fusion, and NEi Works for SolidWorks. This software was acquired by Autodesk in May 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solid Edge</span> Computer-aided design software

Solid Edge is a 3D CAD, parametric feature and synchronous technology solid modeling software. It runs on Microsoft Windows and provides solid modeling, assembly modelling and 2D orthographic view functionality for mechanical designers. Through third party applications it has links to many other Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) technologies.

Femap is an engineering analysis program sold by Siemens Digital Industries Software that is used to build finite element models of complex engineering problems ("pre-processing") and view solution results ("post-processing"). It runs on Microsoft Windows and provides CAD import, modeling and meshing tools to create a finite element model, as well as postprocessing functionality that allows mechanical engineers to interpret analysis results. The finite element method allows engineers to virtually model components, assemblies, or systems to determine behavior under a given set of boundary conditions, and is typically used in the design process to reduce costly prototyping and testing, evaluate differing designs and materials, and for structural optimization to reduce weight.

SAMCEF is a finite element analysis (FEA) software package dedicated to mechanical virtual prototyping. SAMCEF development started in 1965 at the Aerospace Laboratory of University of Liège. It was developed and sold by SAMTECH, a Belgian company, founded in 1986 and located in Liège, Belgium. SAMTECH s.a. was acquired by LMS in 2011.

The table below provides an overview of notable computer-aided design (CAD) software. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects. The table does not include software that is still in development. For all-purpose 3D programs, see Comparison of 3D computer graphics software. CAD refers to a specific type of drawing and modelling software application that is used for creating designs and technical drawings. These can be 3D drawings or 2D drawings.

NEi Software, founded as Noran Engineering, Inc. in 1991, is an engineering software company that develops, publishes and promotes FEA software programs including its flagship product NEi Nastran. The FEA algorithms allow engineers to analyze how a structure will behave under a variety of conditions. The types of analysis include linear and nonlinear stress, dynamic, and heat transfer analysis. MCT, PPFA, dynamic design analysis method, optimization, fatigue, CFD and event simulation are just some of the specialized types of analysis supported by the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klaus-Jürgen Bathe</span> German engineer

Klaus-Jürgen Bathe is a civil engineer, professor of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and founder of ADINA R&D, who specializes in computational mechanics. Bathe is considered to be one of the pioneers in the field of finite element analysis and its applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CD-adapco</span>

CD-adapco was a multinational computer software company that authored and distributed applications used for computer-aided engineering, best known for its computational fluid dynamics (CFD) products. In 2016 the company was acquired by Siemens Digital Industries Software.

ADINA is a commercial engineering simulation software program that is developed and distributed worldwide by ADINA R & D, Inc. The company was founded in 1986 by Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Bathe, and is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States. On April 7, 2022, Bentley Systems acquired ADINA R&D, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siemens NX</span> Computer-aided design software

NX, formerly known as "Unigraphics", is an advanced high-end CAD/CAM/CAE, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. In 2000, Unigraphics purchased SDRC I-DEAS and began an effort to integrate aspects of both software packages into a single product which became Unigraphics NX or NX.

Siemens Digital Industries Software is an American computer software company specializing in 3D & 2D Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software. The company is a business unit of Siemens, operates under the legal name of Siemens Industry Software Inc, and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Simcenter Amesim is a commercial simulation software for the modeling and analysis of multi-domain systems. It is part of systems engineering domain and falls into the mechatronic engineering field.

ACTRAN is a finite element-based computer aided engineering software modeling the acoustic behavior of mechanical systems and parts. Actran is being developed by Free Field Technologies, a Belgian software company founded in 1998 by Jean-Pierre Coyette and Jean-Louis Migeot. Free Field Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of the MSC Software Corporation since 2011. Free Field Technologies and MSC Software are part of Hexagon AB since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FEATool Multiphysics</span>

FEATool Multiphysics is a physics, finite element analysis (FEA), and partial differential equation (PDE) simulation toolbox. FEATool Multiphysics features the ability to model fully coupled heat transfer, fluid dynamics, chemical engineering, structural mechanics, fluid-structure interaction (FSI), electromagnetics, as well as user-defined and custom PDE problems in 1D, 2D (axisymmetry), or 3D, all within a graphical user interface (GUI) or optionally as script files. FEATool has been employed and used in academic research, teaching, and industrial engineering simulation contexts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simcenter STAR-CCM+</span>

Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is a commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based simulation software developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows the modeling and analysis of a range of engineering problems involving fluid flow, heat transfer, stress, particulate flow, electromagnetics and related phenomena.

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