Editor’s Pick: FEATool Multiphysics 1.4

Posted by: Anthony J. Lockwood in Editor's Pick of the Week March 9, 2016

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:

A key criterion when selecting a Pick of the Week is the purely empirical “that sounds cool.” Today’s selection fits the bill.

Precise Simulation recently released version 1.4 of its FEATool Multiphysics. As you no doubt surmise, this is a tool based on FEA (finite element analysis) for modeling and simulating multiphysics couplings — structural stresses, heat transfer, fluid flows and the like. A cool attribute of this tool is that it’s designed to work seamlessly with the MATLAB algorithm development, data analysis and visualization environment or the Octave interpreted language for numerical computing.

At a Glance: FEATool Multiphysics 1.4

FEA-based multiphysics toolbox for modeling and simulating physics and engineering applications.
Runs in MATLAB or Octave; imports/exports and converts data from a variety of engineering and scientific tools.
New physics modes for natural convection and radiation boundary conditions for heat transfers.
New temperature stress-strain couplings in structural mechanics modes.
New artificial and anisotropic streamline diffusion options for stabilization of convection.
Many enhanced post-processing and user interface features.
Complimentary Lite Edition for personal use available.

Learn more here.

What FEATool Multiphysics brings to your engineering toolkit is a suite of functions and subroutines for pre-processing, grid generation, FE model assembly, solvers, post-processing and visualization. It appears to have a non-threatening interface, and it can import/export and convert data with some of the more techie-crafted flow solvers, meshers, pre- and post-processors and 3D visualization tools out there. And you can edit the predefined equations or write your own. So, it’s an engineering collection that’s amenable to working with you and your preferred tools.

FEATool Multiphysics offers predefined physics modes that you can couple for multiphysics simulation jobs. In addition to the three physics types mentioned above, you can also delve into electrostatics, incompressible laminar fluid flow (Navier-Stokes), reaction and transport of mass and chemical species as well as linear elasticity and PDE (partial differential equation) problems that fascinated Siméon Poisson.

FEATool Multiphysics provides capabilities like 1D, 2D and 3D geometry modeling with linear, triangular/tetrahedral and quadrilateral/hexahedral cells. Its finite element library includes constant, first and second order conforming and non-conforming FEM shape functions. It supports automatic grid generation on complex geometries with triangular cells.

Version 1.4 FEATool Multiphysics sees enhancements in such areas as defining general data points, point sources and constraints. Image courtesy of Precise Simulation Ltd.

FEATool Multiphysics 1.4 sees some new physics modes, including natural convection and radiation boundary conditions for heat transfer physics modes and temperature stress-strain couplings in structural mechanics modes. Data import/export and conversion with tools like the GMV (General Mesh Viewer) 3D scientific visualization tool and the Gmsh 3D FE mesh generator have been enhanced. Its post-processing features see a bunch of enhancements as well.

You can read more about FEATool Multiphysics 1.4 in today’s Pick of the Week write-up. But what you might like to do is download the complimentary FEATool Lite Edition for personal use linked at the end of the write-up and see what’s happening here yourself. It sounds cool. Hit today’s Pick of the Week link to get started.

Thanks, Pal. — Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood
Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Learn about FEATool Multiphysics 1.4 here.