Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FEATool Multiphysics VS OpenFOAM

Compare FEATool Multiphysics VS OpenFOAM and see what are their differences

FEATool Multiphysics logo FEATool Multiphysics

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

OpenFOAM logo OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM® - Official home of The Open Source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Toolbox.
  • FEATool Multiphysics Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-30
  • OpenFOAM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-02

FEATool Multiphysics features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    FEATool Multiphysics offers an intuitive and easy-to-use graphical user interface, making it accessible for beginners and non-experts in computational modeling.
  • Multiphysics Capabilities
    The software supports a wide range of physics including fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, heat transfer, and more, allowing for comprehensive multiphysics simulations.
  • MATLAB/Octave Integration
    FEATool can be seamlessly integrated with MATLAB and GNU Octave, offering flexibility for users who are familiar with these environments to customize and extend simulations.
  • Predefined Models and Examples
    It includes a variety of predefined models and tutorial examples, which can help users quickly learn how to set up and solve different types of problems.
  • Mesh Generation and Visualization
    The software offers robust mesh generation and post-processing tools, aiding users in the visualization and analysis of simulation results.

Possible disadvantages of FEATool Multiphysics

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to some high-end simulation software, FEATool may lack certain advanced features and functionalities required for highly specialized or complex simulations.
  • Performance Constraints
    The performance of FEATool may not match that of more specialized or expensive simulation tools, particularly for very large-scale or computationally intensive problems.
  • Dependency on MATLAB/Octave
    While integration with MATLAB and Octave is a plus, it also means that users need access to these platforms, which could be a barrier for some.
  • Limited Community Support
    Being a more niche tool, FEATool may not have as large a community or as extensive third-party support and resources as some of the more popular simulation software.

OpenFOAM features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenFOAM is free to use and its source code is openly available under the GPL license, allowing for extensive customization and transparency in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
  • Extensibility
    Users can extend and modify the functionality of OpenFOAM to suit specific needs or integrate new algorithms, making it highly adaptable to various projects and research requirements.
  • Community and Support
    A robust community of users and developers contributes to forums, documentation, and collaboration, providing substantial peer support and shared knowledge.
  • Versatility
    OpenFOAM supports a wide range of physical models and simulation types, from simple incompressible flow to complex multiphase flows and chemical reactions, making it suitable for diverse applications.
  • Parallel Computing
    Optimized for parallel processing, OpenFOAM can run efficiently on high-performance computing systems, thereby handling large-scale simulations effectively.

Possible disadvantages of OpenFOAM

  • Steep Learning Curve
    OpenFOAM requires a significant investment of time to learn and master, as it involves understanding complex physics, programming concepts, and software-specific syntaxes.
  • Limited GUI
    Unlike some commercial CFD software, OpenFOAM lacks a sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI), necessitating users to rely on command-line input and scripting for setup and execution of simulations.
  • Documentation Quality
    Although community-driven, the documentation can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, making it challenging for new users to find reliable and up-to-date instructions and tutorials.
  • Performance Variation
    Performance and stability can vary depending on the specific simulation setup and hardware used, which may require users to conduct extensive testing and optimization.
  • Dependency Management
    Installing and maintaining OpenFOAM and its dependencies can be complex, often requiring specific versions of libraries and compilers to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

FEATool Multiphysics videos

Fluid-Structure Interaction MATLAB CFD Simulation | FEATool Multiphysics

More videos:

  • Tutorial - MATLAB CFD Simulation Tutorial - Flow Around a Cylinder | FEATool Multiphysics

OpenFOAM videos

What is OpenFoam? | Skill-Lync

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to run your first simulation in OpenFOAM® - Part 1 - tutorial
  • Tutorial - CFD tutorial for beginners | What is OpenFOAM? | SKILL-LYNC

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FEATool Multiphysics and OpenFOAM)
Numerical Computation
32 32%
68% 68
Technical Computing
29 29%
71% 71
Simulation Software
43 43%
57% 57
CFD
34 34%
66% 66

User comments

Share your experience with using FEATool Multiphysics and OpenFOAM. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenFOAM seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times 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.

FEATool Multiphysics mentions (0)

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

OpenFOAM mentions (19)

  • OpenFOAM on Debian 12
    In openfoam.org, there is not compiled binaries for Debian (any version). So one should install it using docker (I prefer to do not use it) or by compiling the code from the source. I consider compiling from source, but I do prefer binaries. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Please help me get running OpenFOAM
    Hello I am a mechanical engineering student in my last year. So I made the wisest decision to learn OpenFOAM. But there is the catch. I have no idea how to use Linux or how to emulate Linux on Windows 10. I found a lot of videos on Youtube how to download an start OpenFOAM but every one of them was using different methods each time so I got confused. Can anyone please help or direct me? Thank you for your answers... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Step by Step (Written not Video) Tutorial for FEM with Air
    As far as air flow simulation, I got slightly farther with Open Foam than I did in FreeCAD directly. Still, I got in way over my skill level and stopped before getting anything useful. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Open source FEA tools instead of ANSYS Workbench and APDL
    There are two versions of openfoam, one closed source (which is the one I linked to in my original comment, my apologies about that) and the open source version. But what you're describing makes it sound like fenics might be your best option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • command not found and looping
    I suggest you install per the instructions at openfoam.com or openfoam.org instead of using apt. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing FEATool Multiphysics and OpenFOAM, you can also consider the following products

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

Autodesk Fluid Flow - Autodesk Fluid Flow is an industry-leading fluid dynamics software that helps to enhance product performance and reliability.

MATLAB - A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming

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.

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processing—and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

CFDTool - An Easy to Use MATLAB Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD Simulation GUI Toolbox