I use Cosmos/M with the GeoStar console. Not real sure what you want to hear. Using SolidWorks and AutoCAD, we don't import our models. It has plenty of options for a wide range of analyses. I haven't used any other FEA package, so I don't have anything to compare it to. Their technical support has helped on several occasions.
Let me know if you have any specific questions. DimensionalSolutions@Core.com
While I welcome e-mail messages, please post all thread activity in these forums for the benefit of all members.
I ran the demo of Cosmos/Works that runs inside of SolidWorks. Very fast and easy to use. Dangerous to someone who has done little to no FEA because it is so easy to use (model the geometry, add boundary conditions and loads, BINGO -- garbage in, garbage out... very fast). I was impressed with the speed of the solver and ease of use of the GUI. But, like dsi said, let us know if you have more specific questions.
I've used Ansys, Cosmos/Works and Cosmos/M. We just sent Cosmos /M back and purchased Ansys for the following reasons:
1. Poor Technical support
2. Convergence difficulties with non-linear contact
3. Difficult if not impossible geometry manipulation after CAD geometry import.
It's my view that FEA packages that imbedded within CAD packages are not very useful. At this time you cannot create FEA model with multiple element types, i.e. shell and solids. It's either all shells or all solids. Also, they have no beam capability. They only work well for small number of applications -- small widgets and short blocky models. And finally which is most scarey of all as Swertel says, "you can always get answers".
I've played with DesignStar to evaluate it. Really nice for solid objects, but I tried to do a .09" thick sheet with angles welded to it as stiffeners with shell elements. I tried several diffent approaches but never got what I wanted. What I don't like about is if it doesn't mesh your geometry like you want, for instance in my case it left out the surface immediately adjacent to the angle, you can't go in and generate elements your self.
I agree with swertel, when it does work it's so easy a monkey could use and I'm not sure I would trust a monkey with FEA.
By the way, you said "COSMOS/M for Pro/E". I just assumed you really meant DesignStar. That's the package that you can import a geometry from a solid modeler like Pro/E and it will automatically mesh it and associate nodes with surfaces, edges, etc. You can import geometry into COSMOS/M but generating the model is much more "manual" than DesignStar.
Sorry guys I have been in the forest for quite some time, but this thread brought me back here
Does this stuff you are talking about(Cosmos/Abaqus/I-deas whatsoever) help someone model cables. I have to master modelling cable supported roofs.
Most of the time we have rods(slender) attached to both the top and bottom of a roof. And wind is such that some rods get in tension some in compression. Modelling them is a mess.
Someone told me I will have to do some non-linear analysis.
IJR, you should start a new thread on this subject.
A great refresher is Cable Supported Structures by Max Irvine.
There are also more general programs that will handle non-linear analysis of cables that you should investigate before heading to one of these monster programs. Check out the usual suspects: SAP2000, GTSTRDL, etc.
