What Free Software Programs do you like?
What Free Software Programs do you like?
(OP)
What free Mechanical Engineering-related software programs have you used? It could be software that you use for a very specific job-related purpose or for a very general one, but it *must* be absolutely free.
Thanks,
-Christine
Thanks,
-Christine





RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Chris, Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
IRstuff (Aerospace)
But why *must* it be free?
2
mrMikee (Structural)
The following site is interesting to browse through.
2
rmw (Mechanical)
Harvey Katmar, a respected member of this forum, has some good freeware available on his site www.katmarsoftware.com which I use often, both the turbine steam flow program, and the Uconeer units conversion program as well as the WASP limited use program, too (I guess it is still free).
2
quark (Mechanical)
There is an excellent pipe pressure drop calculator at http://www.xs4all.nl/%7Ekostermw/dP/ which I use regularly apart from the excellent conversion tool suggested by rmw.
tp://www.e t.dtu.dk/C oolPack/Do wnload/Dow nload.html
www.mcquay .com/epris e/main/mcq uaycom/des ignsolutio ns/designt ools/MQC_d esigntools
scarecrow55 (Mechanical)
I have use these gear programs, they seem OK
mrainey (Industrial)
I like this one for general machining calculations and more (okay, I wrote it).
ainey.free servers.co m/Download s/MEConsul tant20.zip
drawoh (Mechanical)
Christine74,
3
fastasleep (Mechanical)
One of the best freeware programs I've ever used, and take everywhere I go, is one called Convert by Joshua Madison.
katmar (Chemical)
My favorite free psychrometric calculator is from G&P Engineering at http://www.gpengineeringsoft.com
4
Allen (Mechanical)
My favorite unit converter : http://www.katmarsoftware.com/uconeer.htm
Allen (Mechanical)
sorry I hit the "enter" accidentally,
p://www.op enchannelf oundation. org/discip line/Engin eering_App lications/ w.supercra wler.com/S cience/Tec hnology/Me chanical_E ngineering /Software/ /www.direc tory.net/S cience/Tec hnology/Me chanical_E ngineering /Software/ ttp://www. tenlinks.c om/CAD/pro ducts/indu strial.htm
mrainey (Industrial)
Nice list, but mostly not free.
stanier (Mechanical)
If you are designing pipe networks then Epanet is fabulous. It can be used for extended period simulation, power determination and kinetic reactions (chlorine disinfection decay). Haestad methods use the same engine to drive thier Watercad.($15,000 for an unlimited license.)
corus (Mechanical)
Other than the unit conversion program mentioned previously, the finite element program FEAPPv is very useful when used in conjunction with another free program geompack for creating the mesh.
Eltron (Mechanical)
IntelliCAD is a pretty good free CAD program. You should be able to find it easy enough on the web.
cadcoke5 (Mechanical)
IntelliCAD is not free. In the past, they had a fully working timed demo, but I don't know the current status of the timed demo.
smcadman (Mechanical)
MDSolids (Mechanics of Deformable Solids) 1.5 is a great free tool that can be googled, but 3.0 isn't very expensive.
bme0319 (Bioengineer)
Has anyone seen the X-CAD promo? I've heard rumors that maybe Alibre is behind the mysterious marketing campaign. If so, that would be a decent package to receive for free.
RPstress (Aerospace)
Here's a couple of FE-related websites:
ttp://www. engr.usask .ca/~macph ed/finite/ fe_resourc es/fe_reso urces.html
GregLocock (Automotive)
www.scilab.org
smcadman (Mechanical)
This site has several links to interesting spreadsheets and programs.
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Almost all of the engineering programs that are of any serious utility cost something, precisely because it's too expensive to develop for freeware.
TTFN
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://www.freebyte.com/cad/
This page is part of that site.
http://www.freebyte.com/cad/fea.htm#fea
The FEA page has a program (CADRE) that I had used, although I knew about it before I found the freebyte site. I did eventually buy the full version, so I know at least one of these programs is good quality. The rest, who knows?
-Mike
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Graham at www.graham-mfg.com has a free jet and LRVP sizing software called Vacworks II, which also has some good mollier programs, gas data, and conversions too.
The next one is not freeware in the sense that I can down load it, but it is free in the sense I can use the software, and it is the multi-effect evaporator sizing station at www.sugartech.co.za. They have recently changed it to allow user selectable "K" values, and that makes it real nice. There are also a couple other handy softwares on this site that I use from time to time.
There is a good turbine sizing tool that I use frequently at http://www.dresser-rand.com/steam/calc/main.asp and http://www.processassociates.com/process/tools.htm has some real good tools available at this site.
These come to mind right now.
rmw
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Fellow member CARF has also got one excellent pipe pressure drop calculator at http://www.carf-engineering.com/
An steam properties calculator at http://www.chemicalogic.com/steamtab/downloads.htm
An elaborate cold storage calculation software at http://www.k-rp.com/calcrite/RTcalc1.htm
Good psychrometric property and refrigerant property calculators at http://www.pmilligan.net/pmtherm.htm
An excellent tool for R&AC at
ht
A duct sizer at http://
I use all these tools daily, more or less. But keep in mind the fundamental rule with either free or expensive software. It is always garbage out when garbage in.
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://uk.geocities.com/mikebull2001/green.html
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://mr
Manufacturing Freeware and Shareware
http://mrainey.freeservers.com
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
What do you mean by "free software"?
http://www.gnu.org ?
Richard Stallman emphasizes his definition of "Free as in Freedom of Speech" as opposed to "Free Beer".
Octave is a MathCAD clone: http://www.octave.org/
I am running Open Office on Linux at home, and it works fine. The only problem I have had with it so far is importing Microsoft Word files generated from the Calendar wizard.
I would gladly pay for a good Free Software mechanical CAD package. Pro/E is encrypting its files so that you can only access your data through their software. You do not really own your data.
Or did you must mean stuff that does not cost anything?
JHG
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://www.joshmadison.com/software/convert/
This is an incredibly simple, tiny and useful program....everytime I use it, I can hardly believe it was free.
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
And below is my bookmark collection of Mechanical Eng. softwares:
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/17/
http://www.MITcalc.com
http://www.drsoftware-home.com/
http://people.becon.org/~echoscan/software.htm
http://www.er-online.co.uk/s-analys.htm
http://www.engineering-software.com/index.htm
http://www.engsoftwarecenter.com/
http://www.engcen.com/software.htm
http://www.engineers.com/software/software.htm
http://www.fileheaven.com/003010-rating-1.htm
http://www.accutech2000.com.au/Selector.html
http://www.freebyte.com/cad/
http://www.goldson.free-online.co.uk/programs.htm
http://www.helixtech.com.au/
http://www.hexagon.de/
http://www.engineering-software.com/me/
http://www.mechsoft.com/en/downloads.asp?m=6
http://mechware.me.stevens-tech.edu/
http://www.designofmachinery.com/
htt
http://www.pdhonline.org/resources/software.htm
http://www.softech.com/
http://www.simtel.net/category.php[id]102[SiteID]simtel.net
http://www.softpile.com/Education/Science/
http://ww
http:/
http://drn.digitalriver.com/category.php[id]102[SiteID]softwareoasis
http://www.mecaenterprises.com/
http://www.teamset.com/
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http://www.uts.com/software.asp
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Manufacturing Freeware and Shareware
http://mrainey.freeservers.com
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
It is free as it can be downloaded for nothing. However no software is free as you have to invest time and effort in learning & applying the program to real applications. Thats why I use AFT's Fathom because it easier & quicker to learn & apply than Epanet.On top of that I get "silver service" back up when I need it. Small cost to pay in license and support fees .
If you are a student then using the free stuff is good but dangerous. Not necessarily bug free and few have announcements of bug fixes.
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
corus
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Joe Dunfee
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://www.mdsolids.com/
They have a 30 day demo for 3.0
Flores
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Check it out: www.x-cad.net
PP
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
h
http://www.mystran.com/
MYSTRAN seems quite reasonable if you know NASTRAN, and has worked reliably for me.
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: What Free Software Programs do you like?
http://www.structural-engineering.fsnet.co.uk/
Flores