OpenFoam is an example for “open source” tool. It means totally free software where user is able to develop and customize to own needs. Algorithms installed in OpenFoam could be useful for solids (fluids also- called as CFD) mechanics and kinematics.
How this has started?
In 1980’s scientist Mr Henry Weller from Imperial College in London had created OpenFoam forerunner which was huge platform of numerical analysis for physical phenomenons. This pre-OpenFoam was based on Fortran but it turned out shortly that it was better to use C++ because of ability to object programming.
Developing the OpenFoam in next few decades resulted in creation very professional uncommercial programme code. Here you can find opportunity to solve many CFD topics, together with multiphases flows, heat transfers, combustion process, fluid and solids dynamics, electromagnetism phenomenon for solids and many other.
This multi tool gives ability to prepare inputs for analysing concept together with 2D or 3D mesh at the beginning, and numerical analysis together with post processing at the end. The post processing means presenting results in common way such as graphical views, schemes or even graphical simulations (thanks to additional plug-in known as ParaView).
OpenFoam is used to substitute more expensive commercial programs in industry such as material engineering and fluid mechanics in very wide range nowadays. And it become even more popular each year. It might be good to pay attention on annual users meeting where users exchange experience and share knowledge to others. Here you can find more information according users workshops below:
There are plenty of universities for whole over the world who can show off huge experience in OpenFoam. Some branch of industry are also involded such as Volkswagen Group, Man, HydroQuebec, FondMetal and many others.
OpenFoam is a future for fluid mechanics so follow trends and stay in touch….