Get started
About FEM-Design
FEM-Design offers a powerful, yet easy to use package that can be tailored to suit the exact analysis and design needs of the structural engineers using the finite element method.
As FEM-Design is a full 64-bit software, all memory of the computer can be utilized. In previous 32-bit versions the memory usage was limited to 2 Gigabytes, which could cause out of memory error message when displaying results at large models. The analysis core was already 64-bit in earlier versions.
 | 32-bit operating systems are not supported anymore! |
FEM-Design runs on Microsoft Windows® Vista, 7, 8, and 10 operation systems. Single elements or a complete building, made from any number of materials and structural elements can be analyzed with ease related to Eurocode 2, Eurocode 3, Eurocode 5 and Eurocode 7.
Modules
The FEM-Design software system is a group of modules developed for different 2 and 3 dimensional structural problems, but it provides additional special features such as 2D drawing services and 3D solid modeling too.
The list of available FEM-Design modules depends on your license.
The following tables present the features and functionality of FEM-Design modules.
| 3D Modules | ||||||
| Analysis | Foudation Design | RC Design | Steel Design | Timber Design | File format | |
3D Structure Combinations of shell elements, slabs, walls, bars, beams, columns and foundation elements with arbitrary loads.
| Linear | Isolated foundation | RC shell | Steel bar | Timber bar | .str |
3D Frame Two and three - dimensional frames and trusses with arbitrary loads.
| Linear | RC bar | Steel bar | Timber bar | .frm | |
Steel Joint Total of 51 solutions and 7 steel joint types (according to the Swedish Institute of Steel Construction).
| ||||||
| 2D Modules | ||||||
| Analysis | Foudation Design | RC Design | Steel Design | Timber Design | File format | |
Plate Slabs, slab-systems or other 2D elements loaded perpendicularly to their planes.
| Linear Non-linear Dynamic Cracked-section | RC slab RC bar Punching | Steel beam | Timber beam Timber slab | .pla | |
Wall Plane stress problems, shearand load bearing walls, elements loaded in their planes.
| Linear Non-linear Dynamic Cracked-section | RC wall | Timber panel | .wal | ||
Plain Strain Structure with long extension and uniform section such as retaining walls, pipes etc.
| Linear Non-linear Dynamic | .pls | ||||
Start the program
FEM-Design modules can be started from dialogs appear after choosing one of the following ways:
- Click Start button of Windows status bar and select All Programs → FEM-Design...
- Double click the shortcut, if it is placed on the Desktop.
- From FEM Design Center.
 | CTRL + Left mouse button will open the last model. Shift + Left mouse button will open history in a jumplist |
We suggest to pin the command center so right clicking the icon on the tray will open a jumplist where all the modules available.
Starting a design module (or a new project) offers possibility of code selection for structure design. Code selection influences:
- the range of available modeling materials,
- automatic combination of load groups,
- the method and result of foundation, reinforcement, steel and timber design
The current code of a project can be modified any time during input process (structure and load definition) at Settings > All... > Calculation > Code, configuration. Changing a code will modify all materials and design parameters according to the selected new code by using an editable conversion table.