LISA - Free / Affordable Finite Element Analysis Software

Classic FE Modeling

Pre-processor Description

Import AutoCAD, COSMOS files

Pressure vessel component templates

Hydrodynamic bearing modeler

Display

Polyline sketch tool

Mesh generators

Mesh refinement tools

Component groups / Explorer side-bar

Extruded & revolved solids

Readable File Formats
LISA uses a text format for storing information, which makes it easier for you to read and understand the input data when de-bugging. Or, with a little ingenuity you can use other programs like Excel, AutoCAD to create models which can be read by LISA.

CAD Un-plugged

CAD, essentially is meaningless to FEA, which works with nodes & elements - the descretization of space. It does not understand CAD entities like lines, surfaces & solids. Market driven FEA software does offer a CAD modeling environment for the convenience of it's users, and while it's true the productivity gains are many, it removes the user one step away from the actual FE building process, whereby the user need only generate a CAD model and run an auto-mesher, missing many of the finer aspects of the FE method, such as choosing appropriate elements & element sizes in different areas of the model, making good design assumptions & interpretations.

LISA is a throw-back to FEA as it should be, CAD-Unplugged, working with nodes & elements, putting the user back in control of his/her model rather than the software taking control.