A conversion program/reader for .frd format file generated by CALCULIX
There is an open-source (also free) finite element software called CALCULIX which uses similar (almost identical) input-deck as ABAQUS FE code. In fact, many ABAQUS input decks can be directly submitted as it is to CALCULIX without any changes. The webpage and download link for this software is as follows:
CALCULIX output files come with an extension .frd. It can only be read in a pre/post-processor called cgx which also open-source code, and can be downloaded from the aforementioned webpage. More recently, I have been told that the proprietary software GID (http://www.gidhome.com/) managed to build a reader for this .frd file. I have not tested this myself. Cgx is essentially a programmers tool not much use for engineers. As a pre-processor, cgx is good to model small and medium complex geometries. For structured mesh generation, it is a useful. Obtaining plots (stress components, temperature distribution and mode shapes etc.) for whole FE model is simple and straight forward. However, it is horrendously difficult to get anything else other than what it can give as default. Generating user functions, Stress distributions in specific model sections is practically impossible. Basically, you just need to take what it gives as default. One has to be a great IT expert to manipulate the data/plots in it. This is not user friendly, and not much use for engineers. CALCULIX is very good FE code. In my opinion, great features of CALCULIX are held back due to lack of user friendly post-processor. In this respect, development of a reader (.frd file) to be able to view in PARAVIEW would be greatly beneficial for open-source community. Also, this would multiply paraview usage (mostly in CFD applications so far) in FEA post-processing.
I request users to support for a .frd file reader.
PS: Few attempts can be found to convert .frd file in to exodus format. Users are requested to view the links:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/vtkpost/
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~pjm8969/research/ccx_extras-dl.html
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~pjm8969/research/noattempt.html
However, none of them are fit for consumption. They are buggy, and limited in what they could convert. It is also unknown how to install them in the first place.
We are happy to accept contributions for this, but we currently have no plans to implement this ourselves.
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alkor commented
This one is quite promising: https://github.com/imirzov/ccx2paraview
Written in Python and, I hope, it could be introduced into Paraview.
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Anonymous commented
CalculiX can now coupled simulation with SU2 or OpenFOAM to have FSI analysis.
Results from SU2 and OpenFOAM can be view in Paraview but results from CalculiX no.
Please add support to CalculiX results. -
Kang Zhao commented
There is a free online viewer for Calculix .frd file.
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cydone commented
Hello
In the message of July 5,2015 11:20AM > there is a link to windows program (.exe ) !
Is there a CalculiX results (.frd) to Paraview (.vtk) converter available for linux UBUNTU 16.04 ?
Thank you very much,
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Rafał commented
Native file support (.frd) is a very good option.
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Rob Huls commented
I made something similar, a python script converting plain text frd to vtk for Paraview. This is definitely not feature complete, but I'm pretty familiar with both vtk and ccx, so possibly I could help.
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Anonymous commented
Yes, a good idea.
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Anonymous commented
I agree that this would be useful.
Further examples for software/service with frd-reading capability:
- Mecway
- Freecad
- Simscale (here, Paraview is used as a back-end for web-based display) -
Pater commented
I agree and support your idea!
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Anonymous commented
would be very, very nice... and useful for lots of people...
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Anonymous commented
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9ZH5Mkh7TZRWnlIcER4djRLQ2s/view?usp=sharing
please find another converter...