Pros and Cons of 5 CFD Software Categories

Infographic: What to consider before choosing CFD software.

One of the most difficult tasks an engineer must complete is choosing the right tool for the job. This is just as true for engineers purchasing nuts and bolts as it is for those picking out computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software.

There is a vast number of CFD options for the engineering community, but not everyone needs or can afford the metaphorical Ferrari. On one hand, if an open-source or simulation-in-CAD solution meets all of your needs, then you won’t want to spend more money than necessary. On the other, if you need to perform high-end simulations, then you’ll need CFD software with serious horsepower.

To help engineers narrow down their CFD options, this infographic outlines the pros and cons of the five categories: open-source, open-source wrapper, CAD-integrated, specialized CFD and complete CFD.

Written by

Shawn Wasserman

For over 10 years, Shawn Wasserman has informed, inspired and engaged the engineering community through online content. As a senior writer at WTWH media, he produces branded content to help engineers streamline their operations via new tools, technologies and software. While a senior editor at Engineering.com, Shawn wrote stories about CAE, simulation, PLM, CAD, IoT, AI and more. During his time as the blog manager at Ansys, Shawn produced content featuring stories, tips, tricks and interesting use cases for CAE technologies. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Guelph and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.