As engineering designs increase in complexity we rely more and more on finite element analysis (FEA) packages to solve the problems encountered in these designs. Finding information on which software is best suited for your application is often a confusing and frustrating exercise. Furthermore, the cost structures of these software packages are often a labyrinth that is difficult to navigate. If you’re wondering how much does Abaqus cost – you’ll need to get in touch with your local reseller for an accurate quotation. However, if you’d like some more insight into things that affect the cost, then read on and we’ll discuss some variables in this article.
What is Abaqus?
Abaqus is one of the forerunners in the finite element analysis sphere and is in the same league as many other industry giants. Abaqus was originally known as HKS and was created by Dr. D. Hibbitt, Dr. B. Karlsson and Dr. P. Sorensen. In 2005 Abaqus was acquired by Dassault Systemes (who are also the owner of SolidWorks) and was included in the Simulia library. Simulia is the analysis branch of Dassault Systemes.
Abaqus is a powerful Finite Element Analysis (FEA) package that has multiple different configurations and uses; it can perform non-linear analyses in terms of load, material and model non-linearity. It has a modern and easy to use interface (If you decide to buy the package that includes it). Some of the more popular configurations are listed below:
- Abaqus CAE (Complete Abaqus Environment) – This is basically a simple to use interface for managing the complete work flow from modelling through to result visualisation.
- Abaqus Standard – This is the basic Abaqus package and uses traditional methods to solve analyses.
- Abaqus Explicit – This package is best suited to highly non-linear analyses that includes contacts and transient loads.
- Abaqus CFD – A highly advanced computational fluid dynamics package.
Each of these packages have a different pricing structure and are suited to very specific, and often unrelated applications.
So how much does Abaqus cost?
Abaqus can be purchased in 2 different ways. Firstly, if you are purchasing for a company with a turnover of over $2 billion, or this company employs more than 5000 people then the software can be bought directly from Dassault Systemes. If you do not represent such a large company, then the software can be bought from a VAR (Value Added reseller). Each of these VAR’s represent a different geographical location and therefore the reseller you use depends on where you are based.
Once you have chosen the package and the relevant VAR, you will need to specify what type of license you require. For the sake of simplicity, we will focus on the most flexible license type, QPT, which allows the use the Abaqus/CAE package and lets the analyst run a single simulation on one CPU core. However please note that the GUI (Graphical user Interface) must be closed while the job is solved.
What complicates matters further is that Abaqus employs a token system whereby you customise your package by modifying everything from how many cores are used to run the analysis, to whether or not the software can be used while the solver is running. This makes things incredibly complicated and as such Abaqus simply does not publish prices anywhere as there are so many different combinations and customisations, that any listed price will not be an accurate depiction of what an individual user can expect to pay for their application.
Tokens
When considering how much does Abaqus cost, it’s important to understand what tokens are. Tokens are basically a method of controlling the use of the software and can be loosely be compared to a license. Tokens can be used to allow Abaqus to access more CPU cores. This is necessary if you want your simulations to run faster. Therefore, if you want your simulations to solve faster, you must get more tokens and this in turn means you will pay more. The number of tokens needed per core is calculated by using the following formula: T=58N^0.422. Where N in this case represents the number of cores.
In Summary
Abaqus is an extremely capable piece of FEA software and is used by many large companies all over the world. It can be likened to a multitool where each different attachment is a purpose-built tool that can be used for a specific application. The question is – how much does Abaqus cost? But, with so many variables, trying to summarise the general Abaqus cost is a near impossible task. Each person using the software needs a customised pricing structure that suits their specific requirements. It is no wonder that Abaqus does not publish prices and rather prefers that you contact a salesperson directly. One size does not fit all in this case. If you are interested in purchasing Abaqus, contact your closest reseller and you can rest assured that they will go out of their way to assist you in customising your package to suit your application.
