I can't vouch for any of them, as I haven't used them. I've used the open source electromagnetic FEA solver FEMM and I've been pleasantly surprised with it.
A word of caution, do you know failure theories and structural stress analysis? Just asking, it seems that you’re field is Automotive. However, if you just need a simple FEA program, you should be able to do the analysis by hand.
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”
"People get promoted when they provide value and when they build great relationships"
Anyone with a Mech Eng degree should be able to write their own FEA (or FD) program as a weekend hobby. While the ex-wife spends your earnings taking the kids to theme parks.
As rb1957 said most major companies offer trial or student versions. I believe Abaqus offers the student version for $100 and it is not limited to student's use. The only constraint is on the number of nodes. I would go this route with what ever software you are familiar with or want to become familiar with. I hope this helps.
I wonder if an engineering manager with a huge backload might view a resume stating "good working knowledge of Abaqus/Nastran" differently than one claiming " I can run the 1000 node FEA program I wrote after I got the Gauss points right and 3 of my 4 element types passed a patch test."
If you got to an actual engineer, it might matter that you knew and understood the ins and outs of FEA that came from building your own program. If your resume were only read by an HR flunky, they would go with the person with expertise in the commercial software.
Patricia Lougheed
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So how many close to 60 year old mechanical engineers program in C++ and assembly? Or can you write these fea programs in visual basic? Gosh if its that easy then why do the outfits charge so much for the software?
At least she doesn't drive the kids to the theme park in her BMW X5. It could be worse big guy!
But to topic, I say invest in something supported by industry. SolidWorks is well worth that investment. Probably the best professional advice I could give, absolutely a solid, functional platform.
