3.5

3.1

2.8

2.8

2.8 (Latest)

New features of AutoFEM Analysis 2.8
Support of AutoCAD 2016 and ShipConstructor 2016
Version 2.8, AutoFEM Analysis is compatible with the nine different versions of AutoCAD, namely: AutoCAD 2007-2010 and 2012-2016 which all work in the Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 environment

AutoFEM Analysis Installer is improved
An installation of compulsory program components (Microsoft Visual Studio redistributable packages) was added to the AutoFEM Analysis Installer, which was necessary to make the system work. The installer determines which version of AutoCAD and offers to the user the installation packages necessary to work with the given version of AutoCAD.

Dialogue of program launch
The application launcher was improved. In particular, on default, the mode of AutoFEM launch as "autoload" is installed now (i.e. the download of AutoFEM into AutoCAD together with the each AutoCAD launch).

Using  Progress bars when fulfilling operations of data processing
Most operations which take long time to be fulfilled in the case of large models (for instance, acquiring the model from AutoCAD in the process of creating the set of bodies for FEA) now use Progress bars which visualize the current stage of the program work and allow one to estimate the remaining scope of work before the end of the operation. The Progress bar reflects the number of the already worked-through objects and allows one to indirectly estimate the time necessary to complete the current stage.

Dialogue of the command " Set of Objects for FEA" is improved
The ability to manage the smoothness of the imaging of cylindrical and spherical surfaces in the Preprocessor window is now added at the primary acquisition of the 3D model geometry from AutoCAD. The special slider allows the user to set a desirable minimum accuracy of approximation of curved elements of the 3D model.

Improvement of commands in creating sensors and user-oriented coordinate systems
The commands for creating sensors and user-tailored coordinate systems now have the ability to create several sensors or coordinate systems while the command is retrieved once. The dialogue has a new button,  , which allows one to save the current definition of the object and go on to the creation of the next object, not dropping out of the dialogue. It significantly accelerates the work, especially concerning large models.

Group of sensors
This new command allows one to create a group of sensors, positioned along one right line, in one click. So the created sensor group can be used to construct a graph of the result. The user must specify the total number of sensors and limits of the model or coordinate systems, in-between which the sensors are located.

New dialogue of the result “Safety Factor"
The logic of work of the result tuning command "Safety factor " was radically reorganised. This dialogue allows one to flexibly manage and produce a visual of the levels of permissible stresses, used to test the designs for strength. In the dialogue, the level of permissible stress is shown for each part. The user can exclude separate parts from the computation, set user values of permissible stresses and change units of measurement.

Improvement of the User Interface
The button F1 calls reference for the command from the AutoFEM ribbon. The possibility of opening the context reference using the button F1 (the mouse is directed to the button) in the ribbon of AutoFEM Analysis basic commands.
 

2.5

New features of AutoFEM Analysis 2.5

Support of AutoCAD 2015

Starting with the version 2.5, AutoFEM Analysis is compatible with eight different versions of AutoCAD, namely: AutoCAD 2007-2010 and 2012-2015 which work in the Windows XP/Vista/7/8 environment.

AutoFEM interface language selection

Starting with the version 2.5, the user can arbitrarily launch the software in one of five European languages: English, German, French, Italian or Spanish. On default, the system uses the language of AutoCAD in which it is being launched. If AutoFEM hasn’t a language interface (for example, Turkish), The English version is used. The user can select and set the AutoFEM interface language by pressing the button "AutoFEM Language Settings" and select the  desired language. The selected language is assigned for all available AutoCAD versions and reflected in the corresponding column of the start dialogue. It is possible to simultaneously launch several instances of AutoCAD/AutoFEM with different language interfaces, running the AutoCAD/AutoFEM, then  to change the language settings and run the next AutoCAD/AutoFEM instance.


Improved dialogue box of the command “Set of Objects for FEA”

Measurement units of length. Now, the user can set the length units of the 3D model not only in the document settings but also directly in the process of creating a set of objects for FEA, extremely convenient. In the same dialogue, the user can change the units. On default, the units coincide with AutoCAD units of the current DWG file. The user is able to change these units not only while a set of objects is being created but at any time later in the same dialogue or in the Settings | Document page.

New iterative frequency / buckling solver

In AutoFEM 2.5, a new frequency and buckling solver is presented. Now the user can select between two methods of solving these problems - Direct (Lanczos algoritm) and Iterative.

Direct (Lanczos algorithm) uses a full inversion of the matrix to find the frequencies, therefore, it usually requires more random memory than the iterative method. It works fairly quickly to solve relatively small problems on powerful computer systems.

Iterative solver has lower memory requirements than the direct method because the inversion of the matrix is not needed. Therefore, it allows you to solve  large frequency/buckling problems. The volume of studies is limited only by the calculation capabilities of the computer system, (first of all, available RAM and ROM).

Searching for frequencies in the range

The possibility to seek resonance frequencies inside the defined frequency range by the user has been provided. The user should specify the lowest and highest frequencies and the number of them to be found. The system will seek resonance frequencies in the specified range.

Common finite element mesh for several studies

AutoFEM allows the user to copy existing studies and use a copy as a base for a new finite element study. Since version 2.5, the user has the opportunity to control whether the original study and its copy have a common (single) finite element mesh,  or if they are independent. On default, the system offers an independent finite element mesh for the copy of the original study.

New service command  "Physical properties”

This special command allows the user to get the values of the mass-volume properties of the selected objects (solids or surfaces). The command is available from the contextual menu on the selected object in the tree of studies or in the Preprocessor window. The command calculates volume / area / mass (if the material has been assigned) of the finite-element representation of the original objects and compares these original parameters with the same parameters calculated by AutoCAD functions for the original AutoCAD geometry. The difference between these values helps estimate the accuracy of finite-element representation of the simulated structure.

Depending on the geometry selected for the finite element study, three types of the result table are available.

New additional option of 3d model diagnostics

Mode Find suspicious geometry. This mode allows the user to find very small entities of the 3D model such as extremely small steps, fillets or chamfers, which can prevent the successful creation of the tetrahedral finite element mesh (the mesh generator cannot divide them into tetrahedrons). If the mesh is not created, you should modify these elements of geometry to eliminate errors. The aspect ratio defines the threshold value when the object may be considered as an erroneous object.

New access to the AutoFEM material library

Access to the AutoFEM material library has been facilitated. Now the user can open library of materials by three ways: using main AutoFEM menu, AutoFEM Ribbon or the button of a quick access on the top of the AutoFEM Palette.

AutoFEM Help in the Spanish language

Full text and context dependent help is now available in the Spanish language.

2.2

New possibilities of AutoFEM Analysis 2.2

Work with the AutoCAD blocks
The new version of AutoFEM Analysis allows the user to work more effectively with AutoCAD blocks. In the process of creating a set of objects for the finite-element analysis, the system analyzes the content of the block and processes each object contained in the block as the individual solid body. Then, each element of the block may have its own material, and one may even carry out an individual analysis for each solid contained in the unit. It is also possible to activate the single-body mode for the unit.  In this case, the collection of parts will be considered as one, and the selected material used for all the components (parts).

New utility of setting up "FEMA Tool"
Launch of AutoFEM Analysis from the Start menu. The AutoFEM Analysis utility "FEMA Tool" has been completely redeveloped, and AutoFEM can now be launched directly from the All Programs|Windows menu.  In the dialogue, the user chooses the AutoCAD version using which he or she wishes to launch AutoFEM Analysis.
In the "FEMA Tool" utilitydialogue, one selects the version of AutoCAD in which to run AutoFEM Analysis, and identifies the licence server by its network address.

Materials: new possibilities.
Material parameters shown in user defined units (other than SI).
The materials library now documents the physical properties of materials, in the user-selected system of units. The user-selected unit system is stored by the system and remains available thereafter.
Copying materials
Materials can be copied within the user library. The copies can then be edited to obtain new materials with new physical properties.

Using AutoCAD layers for grouping objects within the Study
Objects included in the Study are grouped by layer and identified in the list by the name and colour of the layer.

Assigning the material by layer
It is now possible to assign a material in one step to all solids placed in the same layers.

Assigning the thickness of plate parts by layer
I is now possible to assign a thickness to all structural shell parts located on the same layer.

New methods of creating coordinates systems
The command used to create a user coordinate system has been greatly improved.Along with the ability to import coordinate systems from AutoCAD, it is now possible to create and orient the coordinate systems, selecting vertexes of the 3D model in the Preprocessor window.

New boundary condition – Plane of Symmetry
This command allows to define the planes of symmetry of a structure, i.e. the planes relative to which the structure’s deformation is supposed to be symmetrical. As a rule, the planes of symmetry are used to cut the dimensionality of a problem being solved, at the expense of the possibility of analysing only one part of the structure. At that, the multiple (at least by 2 times) decrease in the number of algebraic equations (at the same level of discretization) is achieved.
 
New report generation dialogue
Working with the report generation dialog has been made much easier. Management of the outputresults lit has been streamlined, and the creation of the 3D VRML model used to display result as a function of the number of dimensions has been added. By default, the VRML model will not be created if the number of finite elements exceeds 50,000. The user is able to set the threshold value.


Creation of VRML models of results has been improved
Generating VRML models of results is now optimized as function of visibility.

Calculation info
A Study Properties page documenting the result of the latest successful calculation has been added, a very useful reference.

2.0

Support of Autodesk® AutoCAD® 2014 and Windows 8. New type of finite element modeling based on triangle finite elements.