Algor Interfaces with other FEA packages
ALGOR DOS has limited capabilites.. Files can be imported as:
ALGOR 95 has better capabilites
In SD3, Files can be imported as:
Houdini - solid mesh enhancement Houdini is a modeling environment where engineers can access Algor's surface and solid mesh enhancement/generation tools while exchanging files with popular CAD and FEA software programs. It is a convenient, one-stop workshop for performing multiple mesh-related operations on a model to prepare it for FE analysis. Important Houdini components include:
Component
Function
Merlin
Prepares surfaces before solid mesh construction with Hexagen is performed.
Non-IGES surface remeshing.
TSMesh
Used in construction and preparation of surface meshes for FE surface analysis.
IGES surface meshing.
Elefix
Used to fix special problems in surface meshes and improve mesh quality.
Hexagen
Three-dimensional solid mesh generation.
More than a collection of engineering software, Houdini guides users through correct pre-analysis modeling procedures. Users import, build, revise, enhance and analyze models in a prescribed order that assures the correctness of their work.
Houdini automates conversions of CAD solid models or FEA meshes into high-quality solid meshes of 8-node "bricks" for high-accuracy finite element analysis. Houdini takes care of much of the housekeeping work that is normally generated from these operations.
Houdini is compatible with most FEA software products and most major CAD products; Houdini works off STL and IGES files. This revolutionary interface is the first and only software that enables engineers to automatically generate eight-node "brick" finite elements directly from virtually any CAD solid modeling source with a few mouse clicks. CAD solid modeling systems produce FEA models with low-grade tetrahedral elements, as well as files for stereo lithography, which is a method for making inexpensive versions of the products or parts. Houdini has always worked from theSTL files of CAD programs. Houdini 3.0 now also offers automatic generation of finite element models with IGES trimmed
surface files of CAD programs.
Supporting CAD Models include
Supporting FEA Models include
Houdini 3.0 performs meshing and processing options for solid models, 3-D plate/shell models using quadrangular or triangular elements representing the surface of the model and 3-D finite element models from CAD and FEA sources that use tetrahedral elements. Another new feature of Houdini 3.0 is enhanced user control over the geometric properties of the generated solid brick mesh. Users can now control internal angles of quadrilaterals and quadrilateral warpage, adapting to requirements of some FEA systems. At the lowest interface level, Houdini retrieves an existing solid model for FEA processing from another source such as a CAD solid modeler or another finite element program. With other options, the engineer can automatically improve the mesh, leading to more accurate and faster FEA results. At the highest level, the engineer can intervene to enhance the model, including adding feature lines.
TSMesh — FEA Surface Mesh Generation
TSMesh is designed to create a surface FEA mesh from a trimmed surface IGES file. Trimmed surface models are stored as surfaces with trimming curves associated with each surface. The trimming curves represent the edges between surfaces. If the surface represents the boundary of a solid, each edge should connect exactly two surface patches. TSMesh first tries to identify each pair of trimming curves that represent the same physical edge. Each physical edge is segmented the same way so that the meshes on both surfaces meeting at that physical edge will match. After matching and segmenting the edges, TSMesh generates the interior mesh for each surface.
Elefix — Surface Mesh Reconstruction and Troubleshooting
Elefix is designed to be used with Houdini and Merlin to improve mesh quality. One of the ways it does this is by removing thin triangle and quad elements. It has the ability to do this with user-specified interior angles, i.e., "thin removal angle" (-a) and does so without changing important feature lines of the model. Elefix also locates and fixes other problems in the mesh and has been found to be particularly effective on STL files when used before Merlin surface mesh enhancement.
Merlin — Surface Mesh Preparation for Hexagen
Merlin is used to enhance the surface mesh prior to creating a solid, 8-node "brick" finite element model with Hexagen. Merlin also provides automatic surface mesh enhancement for plate/shell models; two or three days worth of manually meshing plate/shell models, for example, can be performed with Merlin in just minutes.
Hexagen — Solid Mesh Generation
Hexagen builds/rebuilds solid mesh from the outside in, a technique that places regular elements on the surface. In analysis, most action occurs on the outer surface, where loads and boundary conditions are applied and where product failures typically begin. This unique "outside-in" meshing that places the most regular elements on the surface, provides for the most accurate results.
Some FEA Packages
|
Grade |
Name |
Ver |
Capabilities |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
$ |
|
A |
ANSYS |
5.4 |
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H, O |
F, MOST POPULAR |
G |
$109,000 |
|
B |
ALGOR |
95 |
A,B,C,D,G,H,K,L,M,O |
B, G |
F |
$17,000 |
|
C |
COSMOS/M |
? |
A,B,C,D,F,G,H,J,M, O |
D |
G |
$43,500 |
|
A |
ADINA |
? |
A,B,C,D,E,I,J,M,N |
A,N,M |
- |
$98,000 |
|
C |
NASTRAN |
4.? |
A,D,O,G |
G |
B (NONE) |
$50,000 |
|
A |
ABAQUS |
5.7 |
A,B,I,J,K |
B,J |
G, COST |
$190,000 |
|
A |
MARC |
6.3 |
A,B,K |
K |
- |
$110,000 |
A = LINEAR
B = NON LINEAR
C = HEAT TRANSFER
D = VIBRATIONS
E = CRASH DYNAMICS
F = OPTIMIZATION
G = MODELING
H = ELECTROMAGNETICS
I = FRACTURE MECHANICS
J = FATIGUE
K =HYPERELASTIC MODELING
L = PIPING PACKAGE
M = FLUID FLOW - LAMINAR
N= FLUID FLOW - TURBULANT
O = COMPOSITES
