FEM Install: Difference between revisions

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In order to create a [[FEM Mesh]], FreeCAD uses [https://sourceforge.net/projects/netgen-mesher/ Netgen] as the default mesher. For this to work, FreeCAD needs to be compiled against the Netgen libraries. Another common mesher that can be used is GMSH, which needs to be installed separately. See [[FEM Mesh]] for various possibilities of obtaining a mesh.
In order to create a [[FEM Mesh]], FreeCAD uses [https://sourceforge.net/projects/netgen-mesher/ Netgen] as the default mesher. For this to work, FreeCAD needs to be compiled against the Netgen libraries. Another common mesher that can be used is GMSH, which needs to be installed separately. See [[FEM Mesh]] for various possibilities of obtaining a mesh.


== Installation of external FEM Module Software == <!--T:4-->
== Installation of external software == <!--T:4-->
=== Windows ===
=== Windows ===
The FreeCAD packages available from the [[download]] page already include Netgen and CalculiX, so no additional software needs to be installed.
If either a stable or development version from [[Download]] is used no further software needs to be installed. Netgen and CalculiX are included in the FreeCAD download package.


=== Linux === <!--T:5-->
=== Linux === <!--T:5-->

Linux distributions package software in their own repositories. Look for the packages {{incode|netgen}} and {{incode|calculix-ccx}} or {{incode|ccx}} in your package manager.

==== Ubuntu PPA ====
==== Ubuntu PPA ====
The [https://launchpad.net/~freecad-maintainers/+archive/ubuntu/freecad-stable freecad-stable] and [https://launchpad.net/~freecad-maintainers/+archive/ubuntu/freecad-daily freecad-daily] personal package archives (PPA) provide a more recent version of FreeCAD than is available in the Ubuntu repositories. These PPAs include the most recent {{incode|netgen}} and {{incode|calculix-ccx}} packages as well. See [[Install on Unix]] for more information on setting up the repositories.
The easiest possibility to get an working FEM Workbench on Linux is the use of the Ubuntu PPA Version. Check out [[Install on Unix#Daily PPA with console]]. The netgen FEM Mesh Generator is already included in the PPA version. CalculiX is an extra package provided by the Ubuntu PPA Version as well. If the Ubuntu PPA repository is already added to your package manager install CalculiX by

</translate>
If the PPA is already added to your system, install the packages as follows
apt-get install ccx
</translate>
{{Code|code=
sudo apt-get install netgen
sudo apt-get install calculix-ccx
}}
<translate>
<translate>


The [https://launchpad.net/~freecad-community/+archive/ubuntu/ppa freecad-community] PPA also provides {{incode|netgen}} and {{incode|calculix-ccx}} packages for testing. If they are stable enough, they will be migrated to the daily or stable builds.
<!--T:6-->
The following FreeCAD Ubuntu PPA packages have Netgen and CalculiX:
* Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty Tahr)
* Ubuntu 14.10 (Utopic Unicorn)
* Ubuntu 15.04 (Vivid Vervet)


<!--T:7-->
<!--T:7-->
For Developers: There is a huge [http://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10393 forum thread] in which the creation of the Ubuntu PPA packages was discussed. It may be useful if the Ubuntu PPA packages needs to be updated. On Launchpad there are more than one CalculiX packages. Only one CalculiX package should be installed and any of them should work. There is a simple reason for not taking the one which was already on Launchpad. We did not know about it (see http://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10393&start=90#p85498)
For developers: the thread [http://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10393 Ubuntu Repository] discusses the creation of the Ubuntu PPA packages. At the time it was written, CalculiX was not included in the Debian repositories, so there were several personal packages in Launchpad. Only one package should be installed at one time.


==== Other ==== <!--T:8-->
==== Other ==== <!--T:8-->

Revision as of 17:34, 4 April 2019

Introduction

To be able to do a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using the FEM Workbench FreeCAD makes use of two external programs: one is used for generating the FEM Mesh and the other for solving the system of equations. You can test if your FreeCAD installation is ready for FEA by loading and analyzing the FEM CalculiX Cantilever 3D example which is included with every installation since FreeCAD 0.17.

FEM solver

For solving the system of equations, CalculiX is the default solver. FreeCAD writes a CalculiX input file, starts the solver, and reads the output. This means the CalculiX binary is standalone and independent from FreeCAD. Because of this and since there are more possibilities to get a mesh it is recommended to install the solver first.

FEM mesh generator

In order to create a FEM Mesh, FreeCAD uses Netgen as the default mesher. For this to work, FreeCAD needs to be compiled against the Netgen libraries. Another common mesher that can be used is GMSH, which needs to be installed separately. See FEM Mesh for various possibilities of obtaining a mesh.

Installation of external software

Windows

The FreeCAD packages available from the download page already include Netgen and CalculiX, so no additional software needs to be installed.

Linux

Linux distributions package software in their own repositories. Look for the packages netgen and calculix-ccx or ccx in your package manager.

Ubuntu PPA

The freecad-stable and freecad-daily personal package archives (PPA) provide a more recent version of FreeCAD than is available in the Ubuntu repositories. These PPAs include the most recent netgen and calculix-ccx packages as well. See Install on Unix for more information on setting up the repositories.

If the PPA is already added to your system, install the packages as follows

sudo apt-get install netgen
sudo apt-get install calculix-ccx

The freecad-community PPA also provides netgen and calculix-ccx packages for testing. If they are stable enough, they will be migrated to the daily or stable builds.

For developers: the thread Ubuntu Repository discusses the creation of the Ubuntu PPA packages. At the time it was written, CalculiX was not included in the Debian repositories, so there were several personal packages in Launchpad. Only one package should be installed at one time.

Other

On other Linux distributions you need to make sure to get the appropriate software and libraries installed yourself before using FEM workbench.

CalculiX

Since CalculiX is a standalone software you either can install a CalculiX binary or compile CalculiX yourself. Any CalculiX version from 2.7.X works with FreeCAD. Since there hasn't been much changes in CalculiX resently lower versions than 2.7.X might work as well.

Install CalculiX Binary

There are only a few Linux Distributions which are known to have CalculiX Packages in their Repositories. Following a list:

Compile CalculiX

Compiling CalculiX is not as easy as it is with many OpenSource software. There are many different resources at FreeCAD forum and the internet. Check out the following:

Netgen

There have been mixed results with the Netgen mesher and the compilation of FreeCAD with Netgen support.

  • ToDo

Further Informations

The FreeCAD forum is a very good resource for informations in this regard. Check out google search on FreeCAD forum page by :

OSX

The OSX development packages of FreeCAD 0.17.xxxxx do include Netgen [1] but they do not include CalculiX.

CalculiX

See this forum post FreeCAD Fem on OSX how to install CalculiX on OSX Following informations might be outdated: