„CALCULIX (windows executables)
A Free Software Three-Dimensional Structural Finite Element Program (Getting started with CalculiX)
CalculiX is a package designed to solve field problems. The method used is the finite element method.
Features:
- Static analysis (linear, geometric and material nonlinearities)
- Modal (frequency) analysis
- Export mesh to ANSYS, NASTRAN, Code-Aster, OpenFOAM
- Dynamic analysis (transient, steady state dynamics), nonlinear (implicit, explicit)
- Buckling
- Heat transfer (steady state, transient)
- Coupled thermomechanical analysis (steady state, transient)
- Steady-state networks
- Laplace and Helmholtz problems by analogy
- Kinematic behavior (Rigid body motion, etc)
- Wide range of element types and nonlinearities.
With CalculiX Finite Element Models can be build, calculated and post-processed. The pre- and post-processor is an interactive 3D-tool using the openGL API. The solver is able to do linear and non-linear calculations. Static, dynamic and thermal solutions are available. Both programs can be used independently. Because the solver makes use of the abaqus input format it is possible to use commercial pre-processors as well. In turn the pre-processor is able to write mesh related data for nastran, abaqus, ansys, code-aster and for the free-cfd codes dolfyn, duns, ISAAC and OpenFOAM. A simple step reader is included. In addition external CAD interfaces like vda_to_fbd are available. The program is designed to run on Unix platforms like Linux and Irix computers but also on MS-Windows.
The CalculiX package was developed by a team of enthusiasts in their raw spare time. They are employees of MTU Aero Engines in Munich, Germany which granted the publication.
For a quick overview of the capabilities of CalculiX the results of an investigation of a small jet engine are presented. The jet engine was build around a turbo-charger rotor in the early 90’s by Andreas Funke and Klaus Wittig. The FE-model was build from scratch with CalculiX and the compressor- and turbine models together with solver input files can be found in the distribution. The calculations were done to determine the burst-speed and the highest allowable rotational speed concerning low cycle fatigue and creep. In addition the eigenfrequencies were calculated to determine possible resonances with the vanes. The models are meshed with 20 noded brick elements with reduced integration. The right and left side of the disks are connected by cyclic symmetry equations which allow to calculate eigenvalues and mode-shapes for certain nodal diameters of a rotational symmetric volume based only on a segment of the structure. The compressor is made of casted aluminum alloy (AlSi – C355) and the turbine of a high temperature alloy (Inco 713C) and both are loaded by pure centrifugal force.”
Click here to get information on below subjects:
- a quick overview of the pre– and postprocessor.
- a quick overview of the finite element capabilities of CalculiX
- an overview of scheduled extensions of CalculiX
- an overview of new features in Version 2.6.1 of CalculiX
- some example problems showing you the kind of problems you can solve with CalculiX.
- some benchmark results for large problems.
Available downloads for the graphical interface (CalculiX GraphiX: cgx):
- a short installation guide (ASCII)
- the source code, documentation (tex) and examples
- a Linux executable
- the documentation (pdf)
- the documentation (html)
- examples
- a tutorial (ASCII)
- for a Windows executable: look at www.bconverged.com/calculix and sourceforge.net/projects/calculixforwin.
Available downloads for the solver (CalculiX CrunchiX: ccx):
- a short installation guide (ASCII)
- the source code
- the integer*8 source code
- a Linux executable
- the documentation (tex)
- the documentation (html)
- the documentation (postscript)
- the documentation (pdf)
- test examples
- large fluid test examples
- a correction to SPOOLES.2.2 for large input decks
- for a Windows executable: look at www.bconverged.com/calculix.