PlastFEM is a finite element program that is easy to work with. Its main purpose is to learn the basics of the Finite Element Method. There are no practical limits concerning the maximum problem size, so it can be used in every-day work as well.
It features a mesh generator, graphical user support and deals with two-dimensional, plane stress, triangular elements for solving elasto-plastic sheet problems.
The manual is provided as Adobe Acrobat™ (.pdf) document.
PlastFEM runs on MacOS compatible computers with Color-QuickDraw and System 7 or newer. There are three versions:
PlastFEM for machines without coprocessor (68020 or higher), PlastFEM 881 for machines with numerical coprocessor and PlastFEM PPC for Power Macs and compatibles.
PlastFEM is shareware, so you can try it before buying. You should register after two weeks or delete it. The unregistered version is the plain one without PPC or coprocessor support. When you register, you will get the faster program versions and a printed manual (74 pages) that contains an extensive theory part.
The shareware fee for single user licenses currently is US $25. Schools, institutes or companys have to pay US $100 for a site license. Additonal manuals are available. Please see below for registering info.
Short Introduction To Program Usage
When you use PlastFEM the first time, it asks for a data folder before beginning calculations. You should supply a dedicated folder for that purpose, since PlastFEM generates up to 18 data files.
The "Input Files" folder contains a lot of example problems you can try. There are four different kinds of input files, which can be edited with a text editor.
You start with a mesh input file (generally named "Mesh") or a geometry file (named "Geometry") by selecting item one or two of the FEM menu. You can then calculate the stiffness matrix by selecting "Stiffness Matrix" from the FEM menu.
The "Support" files contain the support data (the constraints) which must be selected next, the "Load" files contain the load data (nodal forces). After solving the FE system of equations, PlastFEM will inform you wether the yield criterion is fulfilled. If so, you can proceed with nonlinear (plastic) calculations.
You can display the model for the first time when the mesh is generated or the geometry file is read in. Depending on the status of calculation you have several options: Drawing with node and/or element numbers, support, loads, deformed model, zone of plasticity or different stresses (normal stress in the coordinate directions Sxx and Syy, shear stress Sxy or effective stress Se, which depends on the selected yield criterion).
You can double-click on an element to get information about displacements, strain, main stresses etc.
If you have questions or suggestions, please contact me via email (see above).
Credits
Special thanks to
- Siegfried Kessel for making this program possible,
- Igor Mikolic-Torreira for proof-reading the English documentation and for his suggestions and
- the registered users for their suggestions and encouragement.
Version History
1.2
- English Documentation
- 1st principal stress direction can be drawn
- drawing without element borders when stresses are shown
- only one global stiffness matrix in memory
- pressure slack elements (simulation of foils)
- if the drawing area is changed, the FE-system gets redrawn automatically
- numbers of nodes can be found out by pressing command and selecting the nodes with the marquee
- when double-clicking on an element for information, the element changes its color
- new commands for support conditions: Ta, Translation in x and y direction restricted
- when restricted movements of nodes aren't zero, there is no dependancy from the order in the input data file any more
- Igor features
1.1.3
first English version
How To Register
PlastFEM has the following pricing: A single user license costs $25, a site license $100. A world-wide license costs $1000 and it covers all locations for your organization on the planet earth (Be the first to order this licence! ;-).
Paying for PlastFEM is fairly simple. Open the Register program that accompanies PlastFEM. Enter your name, your email address, and the number of single user licenses you desire for each program you wish to purchase (or Site or Word-Wide licenses). Save or Copy or Print the data from the Register program and send the data and payment to Kagi. Kagi handles my payment processing.
If paying with Credit Card or First Virtual, you can email or fax the data to Kagi. Their email address is sales@kagi.com and their fax number is +1 510 652-6589. You can either Copy the data from Register and paste into the body of an email message or you can Save the data to a file and you can attach that file to an email message. There is no need to compress the data file, it's already pretty small. If you have a fax modem, just Print the data to the Kagi fax number.
Payments sent via email are processed within 3 to 4 days. You will receive an email acknowledgement when it is processed. Payments sent via fax take up to 10 days and if you provide a correct internet email address you will receive an email acknowledgement.
If you are paying with Cash or USD Check you should print the data using the Register application and send it to the address shown on the form, which is:
Kagi
1442-A Walnut Street #392-T5
Berkeley, California 94709-1405
USA
You can pay with a wide variety of cash from different countries but at present if you pay via check, it must be a check drawn in US Dollars. Kagi cannot accept checks in other currencies, the conversion rate for non-USD checks is around USD 15 per check and that is just not practical.
If you have a purchasing department, you can enter all the data into the Register program and then select Invoice as your payment method. Print three copies of the form and send it to your accounts payable people. You might want to highlight the line that mentions that they must include a copy of the form with their payment. Kagi can not invoice your company, you need to act on my behalf and generate the invoice and handle all the paperwork on your end.
