CSE wishes to be an open program. So every software house producing a fem software could interface with CSE. From a general point of view, the interface with CSE can be done at two different levels, which we will call level 1 and level 2.

In level 1 a finite element model already solved, prepared in an external fem program, let's call it MIKEY, is passed to CSE in order to design the connections. The user has already defined and checked the members, and internal actions for all combinations are known. Moreover, the cross-sections and materials of every member (or better: finite element) have already been assigned and probably also checked. Going from this FEM program to CSE is thus going from a wireframe (fem) environment, to a full 3-D world. In order to do that the software house which develops the program MIKEY, has to write a set of binary files in a file format that CSE can read. This file format has been prepared (.SR3) and is described in the files contained into the zip file which can be freely downloaded here. Basically MICKEY will write four files for each model:

• a .sr3 binary file which describes the fem model
• a .ddb binary file which describes the computed displacements
• a .sdb binary file which describes the computed stresses and internal forces
• a .rdb binary file which describes the computed constraint reactions

Once these files have been written MIKEY can directly call CSE (as explained in ZIP file DOCS) in order to directly pass the fem model to CSE. From that point forward the user will work in CSE to define his/her connections, and using the internal forces computed by MIKEY, as written in SDB file.

So every program can be linked with CSE with not a too great effort. Software houses interested can freely download ZIP file and study docs. Then they can send us sets of files (.SR3, .SDB, .DDB, .RDB) to be freely tested by us. For possible commercial agreement please write to paolo.rugarli@castaliaweb.com

Level 2 link between other programs and CSE is currently being studied. Here the user has already designed a possible configuration for his/her connections, that is in our terminology the scene has already been set up, for a set of connections. The link should pass not only info about a fem model, if any, but detailed info about how the REal NODE has been designed. The user will so get into CSE with all ready but the choices about how to compute and check the RENODE components (i.e. bolts, welds, stiffeners, plates, and so on). Moreover, if some modification has to be done into CSE, the caller program, say DONALD, will have to be informed. At the moment, March 2010, level 2 link is currently being studied. Level 1 is perfectly available.

OpenSargon.zip (1,5Mb)

Since our fem program is named Sargon, the open-fem model file format is called Open Sargon. Sargon, as well as CSE, can read directly .SR3 files.

Last upgrade March 12, 2010