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OpenFOAM VS CADSIM Plus

Compare OpenFOAM VS CADSIM Plus and see what are their differences

OpenFOAM logo OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM® - Official home of The Open Source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Toolbox.

CADSIM Plus logo CADSIM Plus

CADSIM Plus is a chemical process modeling and simulation software capable of simulating detailed furnace assemblies and associated equipment.
  • OpenFOAM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-02
  • CADSIM Plus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-27

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    Although community-driven, the documentation can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, making it challenging for new users to find reliable and up-to-date instructions and tutorials.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.

CADSIM Plus features and specs

  • Comprehensive Simulation Tools
    CADSIM Plus provides an extensive set of tools for process simulation, enabling detailed modeling of industrial systems and processes. This allows engineers to accurately simulate and optimize their processes to improve efficiency and productivity.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of creating and managing simulations. This can help reduce the learning curve for new users and improve workflow efficiency.
  • Integrated Chemical and Heat Balance
    CADSIM Plus integrates both chemical and heat balance calculations within its simulations. This ensures accuracy in modeling and assists in creating more realistic process scenarios.
  • Detailed Process Analysis
    It allows for detailed analysis of process dynamics which can help in troubleshooting and enhancing the performance of existing systems, reducing downtime and operating costs.
  • Support for Multi-disciplinary Engineering
    The software facilitates collaboration across different engineering disciplines by providing comprehensive tools and modules catering to various sectors, enhancing inter-departmental synergy.

Possible disadvantages of CADSIM Plus

  • High Cost
    The pricing for CADSIM Plus can be quite high, which might not be feasible for smaller firms or individual consultants, limiting its accessibility to larger organizations with substantial budgets.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic functionality is user-friendly, mastering advanced features and functionalities might require significant time and training, representing a barrier for some users.
  • Limited Third-Party Integration
    CADSIM Plus may have limitations in terms of integration with other third-party tools and systems, which can be a drawback for organizations relying on a suite of integrated software solutions for their engineering workflows.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running complex simulations in CADSIM Plus can be resource-intensive, requiring high-performance computing capabilities that might necessitate additional investment in IT infrastructure.

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

CADSIM Plus videos

Simulating pH Control using CADSIM Plus and OLI

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenFOAM and CADSIM Plus)
Numerical Computation
100 100%
0% 0
Simulation Software
62 62%
38% 38
Technical Computing
92 92%
8% 8
Monitoring Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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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.

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
View more

CADSIM Plus mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of CADSIM Plus yet. Tracking of CADSIM Plus recommendations started around Jan 2022.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenFOAM and CADSIM Plus, 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.

CHEMCAD - We equip chemical engineers with integrated and intuitive process simulation software to tackle projects large and small. Discover how CHEMCAD can help you design, analyze and measure simple and complex processes like never before.

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

Aspen HYSYS - Aspen HYSYS is a software solution for chemical process simulation and modeling.

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.

gPROMS - Oil and Gas Simulation and Modeling