steel design software 1

[paddyo1]

I'm searching about for a reasonably priced structural steel design program. One which I could purchase without the monthly payments . Are there any decent freeware programs available?

 

[KootK]

What's the range of what you need this software to do? 3D FEM? Just basic member design? UK codes?

 

[mfgenggear]

try freecad (3D) it works fairly well, inventor and mechanical auto cad lite, lt is very reasonable. you decide

 

[IDS]

I hadn't noticed FreeCAD before, or had assumed it was just a CAD program, but looking into their web site a little closer I find it does have an FEA package:

https://wiki.freecadweb.org/FEM_Module

Now downloading.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[paddyo1]

thanks all, ive downloaded freecad and tried it but id like something with which i enter the beam size,span and end connections . I had mechanical desktop a few years back an it might be suitable

 

[dauwerda]

Not sure what you are trying to do, but as far as I know, RISA-3D still provides a full functioning demo for free, it just doesn't allow you to save files with more than 40 nodes or members.

 

[CaliEng]

I am currently using SkyCiv. It is reasonably priced, super easy to use and does some basic design checks. it has its limitations but I would recommend. Awesome customer service as well.

 

[IDS]

Looking at the FreeCAD docs, it seems that the only FEA feature included is an interface to the Calculix package. That's a useful feature, but it isn't a "structural steel design program".

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/