Posts

PrePoMax FEA Tutorial: Free CalculiX GUI Guide (2026)

Home › FEA › PrePoMax FEA Tutorial By Vikas Sharma , M.Tech (MNIT Jaipur) · CFD and FEA trainer · Updated 18 October 2026 PrePoMax FEA software gives engineers, researchers and PhD scholars a free, auditable path to publication-grade finite element analysis. It is an open-source pre- and post-processor for the CalculiX solver, developed at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor (Slovenia), and released under the GNU GPL v3 licence. This PrePoMax tutorial treats the software as a research instrument, not a button-clicking exercise. It covers the architecture, the governing FEA theory, a reproducible 10-step workflow, a verification and validation (V&V) protocol with the Grid Convergence Index, and research applications in mechanical, civil, biomedical and management studies. If you are still choosing a solver, start with our round-up of the best open-source FEA simulation software . Table of Contents Why PrePo...

ANSYS Mechanical - Structural, Modal, Explicit & Harmonic (2026)

Image
ANSYS Mechanical · FEA · 2026 ANSYS Mechanical: Structural, Modal, Explicit & Harmonic Four analysis types, four different questions. A clear, plain-language guide to when to use static structural, modal, explicit dynamics and harmonic response — so you pick the right tool every time. Open ANSYS Mechanical and you're faced with a long list of analysis types — and choosing the wrong one wastes hours or gives misleading results. The good news: four analysis types cover the vast majority of structural simulation work, and each answers a very different engineering question. This 2026 guide explains static structural, modal, explicit dynamics and harmonic response in simple terms — what each one solves, when to use it, and a real example — so both beginners and practising engineers can choose confidently. What This Guide Covers The Four Analysis Types Static Structural Modal Analysis Explicit Dynamics Harmonic Response Sid...

CFD Simulation of a Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger in ANSYS Fluent

CFD simulation of a shell and tube heat exchanger lets you see exactly how heat moves between the hot and cold streams and where the design can be improved. In this free tutorial you will simulate a shell and tube heat exchanger with a baffle and multiple inlets and outlets in ANSYS Fluent , across three video parts covering geometry import, solver setup and results post-processing. Table of Contents 1. Introduction and Working Principle 2. Part 1 — Geometry Import and Domain Setup 3. Part 2 — Solver Setup and Boundary Conditions 4. Part 3 — Results and Post-Processing 5. Evaluating Heat Exchanger Performance 6. Frequently Asked Questions Introduction and Working Principle A shell and tube heat exchanger transfers heat between two fluids: one flows through a bundle of tubes (the tube side) while the other flows around those tubes inside a cylindrical shell (the shell side). Heat conducts through the tube walls from the hotter stream to the c...

CFD Analysis of a Double Slope Solar Still in ANSYS Fluent (Free)

CFD analysis of a double slope solar still lets you predict freshwater yield before building any hardware. In this free tutorial you will simulate a double slope solar still in ANSYS Fluent using the VOF multiphase model and the solar load model, across four short video parts covering geometry, meshing, physics setup and post-processing. Table of Contents 1. Introduction and Governing Physics 2. Part 1 — Geometry and Domain Setup 3. Part 2 — Meshing and Mesh Quality 4. Part 3 — Physics, VOF and Solar Load Model 5. Part 4 — Solution and Post-Processing 6. Validation and Further Work 7. Frequently Asked Questions Introduction and Governing Physics A double slope solar still is a shallow basin of saline water enclosed by two inclined transparent glass covers in a symmetric gable arrangement. Solar radiation passes through the glass and is absorbed at the blackened basin, heating the water. Vapour rises from the free surface, condenses on the...