Does Feko have the same capabilities of HFSS?

[DonnyP]

Feko says it provides multiple computation methods such as FEM, MOM. Having both these methods seems like a very powerful tool.

HFSS uses FEM.

Does Feko have the same capabilities as HFSS? I'm looking for something like HFSS provides but at a lower cost. I recently saw the price of HFSS and it was over $100k usd.

There must be a reason why Feko seems to still be a small player so just wanted to ask around.

 

[sweetjimmy]

First of all, I think you've been mis-quoted on the price of HFSS. The product alone is not over $100k. I would recommend you speak with a local account manager for a more accurate quote.
Secondly, as I understand it, the principle method that FEKO uses is a 3D MoM solver. They might have an FEM solver, but I don't believe it has the automatic adaptive refined mesh that HFSS uses in the FEM solution. HFSS also has an optional Integral Equation solver (3D MoM) that works in conjunction with the FEM solver.

 

[DonnyP]

Thank you for the reply. I'm looking at the HFSS official quote and your right, the software is not over $100K. It's $95k, so I was off by about $5k. (Core program, Ansoft Links, Optimetrics, and Multiprocessing). These prices are direct from Ansys. If I add the taxes, then the price does indeed climb above $100K. No doubt its pricy, and indeed an impressive and powerful program, but its for big and rich companies only. Small companies have to look at alternates, so that's why trying to find out about Feko since it claims to have FEM. I'm not finding a lot of information on the program and capabilities so thought I'd ask some others before calling the sales force.

 

[ant_king]

DonnyP: I would strongly recommend that you consider the application first and then the preferred solver. FEM has advantages and disadvantages, so does MoM and FDTD. That is why the major 3 HFSS, CST and FEKO offer all these solvers. FEKO has been in the hybridisation of these techniques for a very long time.. since 1994. MoM with PO and MoM with UTD. I would not refer to FEKO as a small player. It depends on the application/niche. FEKO was the first commercial code to release the MLFMM (http://www.feko.info/product-detail/numerical_methods/mlfmm) in 2004. This enables the accurate analysis of electrically large problems and in this field/application is most certainly not a small player. They at least have the most experience in this. So I would first consider what specific problem needs to be solved (of course these MoM, FEM and FDTD can often all be used for the same problem but with different memory and run-time efficiencies). As far as pricing goes.. I don't know the specific prices and there are variances e.g. you might have to pay extra for additional solvers with HFSS and CST as far as I know. The one advantage with FEKO is that all the solvers are included in the standard licence. As they say the proof is in the pudding. Try them!