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OpenFOAM VS Inventor

Compare OpenFOAM VS Inventor and see what are their differences

OpenFOAM logo OpenFOAM

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

Inventor logo Inventor

Inventor is a 3D CAD software that lets you quickly create 3D models with embedded intelligence, intuitive workflows, and optimized performance.
  • OpenFOAM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-02
  • Inventor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-22

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    Although community-driven, the documentation can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, making it challenging for new users to find reliable and up-to-date instructions and tutorials.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

Inventor features and specs

  • Comprehensive 3D Modeling
    Autodesk Inventor offers powerful, extensive 3D modeling capabilities, including parametric, direct, and freeform modeling, which allow for intricate and detailed designs.
  • Advanced Simulation Features
    The software features robust simulation and analysis tools, allowing users to perform stress tests, dynamic simulations, and optimize designs for performance and durability.
  • Integrated Collaboration
    Inventor facilitates seamless team collaboration with tools that support data sharing, version control, and integration with other Autodesk products, enhancing workflows and reducing errors.
  • High Customizability
    Users can highly customize their interface and workflow in Inventor to suit specific project needs, improving user efficiency and project management.
  • Extensive Documentation and Support
    Autodesk provides comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and customer support for Inventor, helping users to quickly learn the software and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of Inventor

  • High Cost
    Autodesk Inventor is a premium software with a high subscription cost, which may not be feasible for small businesses or independent designers working on a tight budget.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The software's extensive features and capabilities can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring significant time and training to master.
  • Resource Intensive
    Inventor demands high computing resources, which can slow down performance on less powerful hardware and increase the cost of maintaining suitable workstations.
  • Complex Licensing
    Autodesk's licensing and subscription models can be complex and difficult to navigate, which can be frustrating for users trying to ensure compliance or manage expenditures.
  • Update Issues
    New versions and updates can sometimes introduce bugs or compatibility issues, which can disrupt workflows and potentially cause project delays.

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

Inventor videos

Fusion 360 vs inventor which is Better

More videos:

  • Review - Autodesk Inventor Overview - What is Autodesk Inventor?
  • Review - Autodesk Inventor Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenFOAM and Inventor)
Technical Computing
64 64%
36% 36
3D
0 0%
100% 100
Numerical Computation
67 67%
33% 33
Simulation Software
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OpenFOAM and Inventor

OpenFOAM Reviews

We have no reviews of OpenFOAM yet.
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Inventor Reviews

Alternatives to SketchUp: Check out 10 free programs
Seen as a rich-featured system, Inventor has both 2D and 3D mechanical design software and provides a large amount of post-modeling tools for rendering, simulation, visualization, and documentation of projects. The program works with direct, parametric, and free-form modeling, meeting the needs of professionals in the area. Even though it doesn’t have SketchUp’s simplicity,...
Source: solidface.com
Looking for a SketchUp alternative? Check out the 10 best options
Rhino is a CAD program that sits in the middle of artistry and engineering. Unlike Fusion 360 or Inventor which are best suited for parametrically described models, Rhino allows more flexibility in the shapes you can create with curves and organic patterns. Many users prefer to model with its Grasshopper tool, which defines each model with commands and programs to create...
Source: all3dp.com

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

Inventor mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenFOAM and Inventor, 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 Fusion 360 - Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation.

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

Solid Edge - Solid Edge is an industry-leading mechanical design system with exceptional tools for creating and...

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.

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