Automated Headless FEA Workflow
Archive date pending confirmation. This public example was created for the portfolio in 2026.
Project Overview
Objective
Demonstrate how a Python runner can generate load-case input decks, invoke CalculiX, and organize solver artifacts without a graphical interface.
Role & Responsibilities
Independent portfolio study focused on geometry, documented inputs, and engineering review.
- Inspect the example verification mesh and boundary conditions.
- Generate separate input decks for 1,500, 2,500, and 3,500 N.
- Run each case using the installed ccx executable.
Engineering Features
- Bracket length
- 60 mm
- Bracket width
- 40 mm
- Plate thickness
- 6 mm
- Flange height
- 50 mm
- Mounting-hole radius
- 4 mm
Tools & Software
Outcome
Documented geometry, inputs, and technical workflow.
A documented portfolio demonstration. Manufactured or externally validated performance is not claimed.
3D Model
Drag to rotate. Use the viewer controls to inspect the assembly from another angle.
The colors are a procedural contour illustration, not solved finite-element results.
Drawings
Front, side, top, and isometric views of the portfolio geometry. Select the sheet to view it in detail.
| Parameter | Nominal study input |
|---|---|
| Bracket length | 60 mm |
| Bracket width | 40 mm |
| Plate thickness | 6 mm |
| Flange height | 50 mm |
| Mounting-hole radius | 4 mm |
Project Gallery
Rendered views of the CAD demonstration. These images show model geometry, rather than photographs of fabricated components.
Source & Engineering Notes
Model Assumptions
The supplied input deck is a single-element elastic verification coupon, not a validated bracket mesh. Steel: E = 210,000 MPa, ν = 0.30. The mm–N–MPa unit system is used throughout.
Design Workflow
- Inspect the example verification mesh and boundary conditions.
- Generate separate input decks for 1,500, 2,500, and 3,500 N.
- Run each case using the installed ccx executable.
- Preserve the solver return code and FRD/DAT files in separate case folders.
- Perform equilibrium, displacement, stress, and mesh-convergence checks before accepting results.
Engineering Checks
The example runner records solver execution, but physical validation requires inspecting the actual result files. The website's stress and displacement values are illustrative sample data; no CalculiX run has been performed for this portfolio.
Study Limitations
The colored browser model is a procedural contour illustration, not a solved finite-element mesh. The sample deck does not establish bracket performance or factor of safety.