Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Calculix VS CFDTool

Compare Calculix VS CFDTool and see what are their differences

Calculix logo Calculix

Calculix is a free and open-source finite-element analysis application that uses an input format...

CFDTool logo CFDTool

An Easy to Use MATLAB Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD Simulation GUI Toolbox
  • Calculix Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-23
  • CFDTool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-20

Calculix features and specs

  • Open Source
    CalculiX is open-source software, meaning it is free to use and can be customized to meet specific user needs. Users can access and modify the source code, promoting transparency and flexibility.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The software comes with comprehensive manuals and user guides, which can be helpful for beginners to apply the software effectively and understand its various features.
  • High Compatibility
    CalculiX is compatible with several operating systems and integrates well with other open-source tools, offering versatility in different computing environments.
  • Robust Solving Capabilities
    It offers powerful finite element analysis (FEA) capabilities, including thermal, static, and dynamic analyses, which can handle complex structural problems efficiently.
  • Active Community Support
    There is an active online community and forums where users can share experiences, seek help, and collaborate on improvements to the software.

Possible disadvantages of Calculix

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users without a background in finite element analysis or software programming, the learning curve can be quite steep, as the interface is less intuitive compared to commercial FEA tools.
  • Limited Graphical User Interface (GUI)
    CalculiX lacks a full-featured GUI, which may require users to rely on command-line inputs or additional third-party software for pre- and post-processing tasks.
  • Resource Intensive
    The software can be resource-intensive, requiring significant computational resources for large-scale simulations, which might limit usage on less powerful hardware.
  • Limited Marketing and Awareness
    Being open-source, the project lacks the marketing and visibility of commercial counterparts, which may result in less documentation for niche applications or newer updates.
  • Complex Installation Process
    The installation procedure can be complicated, especially for users who are not familiar with compiling software from source, posing a barrier to entry for some potential users.

CFDTool features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    CFDTool offers a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users without requiring extensive CFD knowledge.
  • Integrated with MATLAB
    The integration with MATLAB allows users to leverage powerful MATLAB capabilities for pre-processing, post-processing, and further analysis, enhancing productivity and broadening application scope.
  • Multiphysics Simulation
    CFDTool supports multiphysics simulations, which enables users to solve coupled heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and structural mechanics problems in a single environment.
  • Built-in Geometry and Mesh Generation
    The tool comes with built-in features for geometry creation and mesh generation, simplifying the setup of simulation models and reducing preparation time.
  • Extensive Documentation and Tutorials
    Extensive documentation along with tutorials and examples are available which can help users to quickly learn how to use the software and understand best practices.

Possible disadvantages of CFDTool

  • Limited Standalone Functionality
    CFDTool heavily relies on MATLAB, meaning users must have an appropriate MATLAB license, which could limit standalone use and increase costs.
  • Performance for Complex Simulations
    For highly complex simulations and large-scale problems, CFDTool might not perform as efficiently compared to more specialized CFD software packages.
  • Feature Limitations
    Although capable of handling a variety of simulations, it may not offer the depth of features for extremely specialized CFD tasks when compared to industry-standard solutions.
  • Cost
    While relatively affordable, the costs associated with necessary MATLAB licenses can make it a less attractive option for users looking for completely standalone and cheaper alternatives.

Calculix videos

Mecway / Calculix - simple check and review results

More videos:

  • Review - CalculiX - Swivel Tie Down Ring (w plastic)

CFDTool videos

No CFDTool videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Calculix and CFDTool)
Numerical Computation
17 17%
83% 83
Technical Computing
19 19%
81% 81
CFD
30 30%
70% 70
Simulation Software
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Calculix seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Calculix mentions (1)

  • What is the model used for nonlinear material in Freecad?
    Under the hood CalculiX is used for this. It appears the FreeCAD nonlinear material object does use a plastic model from CalculiX. Here are two forum threads I found discussing the matter:. Source: over 4 years ago

CFDTool mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of CFDTool yet. Tracking of CFDTool recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Calculix and CFDTool, you can also consider the following products

elmer - Elmer is an open-source software package that solves partial differential equations. Combined with its ability to run various equations in parallel, it is an effective tool for running multiphysical simulations. Read more about elmer.

ANSYS Fluent - ANSYS engineering simulation and 3D design software delivers product modeling solutions with unmatched scalability and a comprehensive multiphysics foundation.

COMSOL Multiphysics - COMSOL is the developer of COMSOL Multiphysics software, an interactive environment for modeling and simulating scientific and engineering problems.

FEATool Multiphysics - FEATool Multiphysics is a fully integrated Finite Element FEM CAE simulation toolbox for Matlab.

Code_Aster for Windows - Code_Aster is a free software for numerical simulation in structural mechanics.

Simscale CFD - SimScale CFD is a cloud-based leading CAE platform that offers access to CFD, FEA, and thermodynamics simulation capabilities 100% via a standard web browser.