2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference

[Karolis]

Hi Everybody!

I'm new to the forum, but have been using FreeCAD for quite a bit and I'm loving every moment!

Thank you very much to the creators of FreeCAD and every contributor who has helped to develop this amazing software tool over the past almost 20 years!

But more about the 2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference. I work as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and have received funding form the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering to:

• develop the Planar Multibody Dynamics FreeCAD workbench (more will follow on the workbench later), and

• host the online 2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference

I'm going to use hopin (https://hopin.com/) to host the conference and the dates are set for 12 - 14 January 2022. The hopin event will be created soon so that you can register to attend the conference and (of course) spread the word.

I have someone who will be helping me with the conference arrangements and we will keep you posted on the conference developments. In the meantime, please do let me know your thoughts and suggestions.

Many thanks!

[chrisb]

Online shouldn't be a big issue to participate, but shouldn't you first tell us something about the planned contents?

[keithsloan52]

Hi Everybody!

I work as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and have received funding form the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering to:

• develop the Planar Multibody Dynamics FreeCAD workbench (more will follow on the workbench later), and

Is that the same as https://gitlab.com/josegegas/freecad-mb ... -workbench ?

[Karolis]

Online shouldn't be a big issue to participate, but shouldn't you first tell us something about the planned contents?

Thanks! My aim with the conference is 2-fold:

• To support to current FreeCAD development efforts (core & workbenches). The developers will get the opportunity to present their visions, and the development teams can be strengthened through networking.

• To broaden the FreeCAD user base. This can be done by demonstrating FreeCAD's capabilities (at the conference), and understanding what the barriers are that prevent CAD & CAE users from using FreeCAD. I'm sure that with a good understanding of user needs, new opportunities can be identified.

Please let me know your thoughts.

[Karolis]

Hi Everybody!

I work as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and have received funding form the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering to:

• develop the Planar Multibody Dynamics FreeCAD workbench (more will follow on the workbench later), and

Is that the same as https://gitlab.com/josegegas/freecad-mb ... -workbench ?

No, the Planar Multibody Dynamics (PMD) Workbench is not the same as MBDyn. PMD is based on the research done by Prof Nikravesh from the University of Arizona, and he recently also published a text book with the same title. Each body in a planar multibody mechanism, which can only move in a plane, has 3DOF:

• 2 translational DOF

• 1 rotational DOF

MBDyn allows a mechanism to be analyzed in 3D space, with each body in the mechanism having 6DOF:

• 3 translational DOF

• 3 rotational DOF

Many real-life mechanisms can be fully defined and analyzed using PMD, so I believe the PMD Workbench will be useful. The mathematical formulation for 3D spacial mechanisms also have the complexity of dealing with uniquely defining the orientation of a body (there are multiple sets of angle values possible to describe a specific orientation of a body).

[adrianinsaval]

will this be used with sketches then?

[Karolis]

No, the Planar Multibody Dynamics Workbench will be used when the 3D mechanism the user created only moves in a plane

[RedBaron]

@Karolis

Should I spread the Link to other Forums
to get more Attention?
What is the Background of the funding and financial
Issues of the planned conference?

[Karolis]

Hi RedBaron,

Thank you very much! Yes, please do share the link of the 2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference on the other forums. I will make the hopin registration link available by the end of the week. Registering for and logging in to the conference will be free of charge.

The background of the funding that I received is as follows:
I received a 40 000 GBP award from the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) for the Open-source CAE for Africa project proposal that I submitted for the Engineering Skills Where They are Most Needed Mission. This award is funded through Engineering X, an international collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd's Register Foundation.

My Open-source CAE for Africa project has 2 deliverables:

• Development of the FreeCAD Planar Multibody Dynamics (PMD) Workbench, and

• Hosting the 2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference

Revision 1 of the PMD workbench will be available at the end of February 2022 and Revision 2 at the end of February 2023. The RAE funding made it possible from me to contract a local consultation company (who has extensive experience with multiphysics simulations) to give me much needed support.

In a previous post, I elaborated a bit on the aims of the 2022 FreeCAD (and free CAE) Users Conference:

• supporting the FreeCAD development (core and Workbenches), and

• broadening the FreeCAD user base

The last mentioned conference aim fits in nicely with the Open-source CAE for Africa project. The conference and project will be a great success if we can expose new users (from Africa & around the world) to FreeCAD and its CAE capabilities, and show them where and how to access the wonderful FreeCAD training and support that exists.

Kind regards,

[Pauvres_honteux]

... 40 000 GBP ... Engineering Skills Where They are Most Needed ... Development of the FreeCAD Planar Multibody Dynamics (PMD) Workbench ...

... if we can expose new users (from Africa & around the world) to FreeCAD ...

I say, take them money, fix the 3D multibody dynamic and get the 2D case into the bargain. Everybody wins, except them already existing big boy companies.

And why do you want to treat africans separately from the rest of the world?