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FreeCAD: If calculation stopped on the FEM workbench

FreeCAD 0.19

Sometime, calculation or file writing operation on FEM workbench failes. In those case, FreeCAD may not have found an executable file for simulation.

Message in valid calculation
Message in valid calculation

In calculation, FreeCAD searches CalculiX and start it. CalculiX should be installed on installation of FreeCAD, but if FreeCAD could not found it, FreeCAD may stop and show message like "Check dependencies...". In this case, check settings with following steps.

  1. Make sure that ccx exists in FreeCAD installing position's "bin" directory ("C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\bin\ccx.exe" on Windows).

  2. After switching workbench to FEM workbenchWorkbench_FEM, select [Edit]-[Preferences...] menu to open Preferences dialog.

  3. Select "FEM" from icons on left side of the dialog.

  4. Select "CalculiX" tab on a panel on right side of the dialog and uncheck "Search in known binary directories" in "CalculiX binary". Then set ccx path ("C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\bin\ccx.exe" on Windows) to "ccx binary path".

    5. FEM workbench settings on Preferences dialog
    FEM workbench settings on Preferences dialog

  5. Click OK button to close Preferences dialog.

After checking these settings, restart FreeCAD and check whether the problem is improved on the FEM workbench.