Free Engineering Simulation Tutorial - Opensource Software & Simulation Guides

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 · 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...

Ever sat in a project meeting where the HVAC consultant rattles off "we need 120 TR, 40,000 CFM at 2 inches static" — and half the room quietly nods without a clue? HVAC is full of jargon that MEP consultants use daily but owners, architects and clients rarely understand. This guide fixes that: a plain-English glossary of the most important HVAC terms so everyone can follow the conversation — plus a free HVAC Unit Converter for the conversions consultants do constantly (TR ↔ kW, CFM ↔ m³/hr, inWG ↔ Pa, and more). Table of Contents The HVAC Unit Converter Why These Terms Matter Cooling Capacity Terms Airflow & Pressure Terms Equipment Terms (AHU, FCU, VAV…) Efficiency & Heat Terms Quick Conversion Table FAQ The HVAC Unit Converter Pick a category, type a value, and get the converted result instantly. Built for the imperial↔metric conversions MEP consultants use every day.  HVAC Unit Converter C...

Every metre of wire quietly steals a little voltage. As current pushes through a conductor's resistance, some voltage is lost as heat before it ever reaches the load — that's voltage drop . Too much of it and lights dim, motors overheat, and sensitive electronics misbehave. This free Voltage Drop Calculator tells you exactly how much voltage you'll lose for a given current, wire size, length and material — for single-phase, three-phase or DC — and checks it against the NEC 3% and 5% recommendations so you know whether to upsize your conductor. Table of Contents The Voltage Drop Calculator What Is Voltage Drop? The Voltage Drop Formula NEC 3% & 5% Limits Single-Phase vs Three-Phase Copper vs Aluminium How to Reduce Voltage Drop Worked Examples Common Mistakes FAQ The Voltage Drop Calculator Choose imperial (AWG) or metric (mm²), enter the circuit details, and get the voltage drop in volts and pe...