OpenRadioss review
A free solver focused on impact, crash safety and other highly dynamic simulations.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
OpenRadioss is a free, open-source finite-element solver for teams analyzing impact, shock and other highly dynamic events. Its stated applications include automotive crash and occupant-safety analysis, drop testing, and fluid-structure interaction, as well as nonlinear multiphysics. It is suited to engineering groups that need a solver for these workloads and can work with a desktop or self-hosted deployment on Windows or Linux.
The solver’s scope is its defining strength. MPI and OpenMP parallel execution support running simulations across parallel resources, while the input options accommodate native Radioss .rad files and LS-DYNA .k and .key files. Abaqus-style .inp inputs can be converted, and post-processing conversion tools produce VTK, CSV and d3plot outputs. These are solver deck formats, rather than general CAD exchange formats, so teams should assess their existing model preparation and downstream analysis workflows before choosing it.
OpenRadioss is distributed free as open-source software; there are no paid tiers to compare. The project offers prebuilt Windows and Linux executables or can be compiled from source, which gives teams a choice of installation route but makes technical capacity relevant to setup. Support channels are community resources and documentation. Choose it when impact and crash simulation are central and an open-source, self-managed solver fits the team. It is a less natural choice for buyers seeking a broad general-purpose CAE suite, commercial support channels, or a managed cloud service.
OpenRadioss pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Covers impact, shock, crash safety, drop testing and fluid-structure interaction
- Supports MPI and OpenMP parallel execution
- Reads Radioss and LS-DYNA inputs, with conversion from Abaqus-style .inp
- Where it doesn't
- Focused on explicit finite-element analysis of dynamic events
- Runs on Windows and Linux as desktop or self-hosted software
- Support is through community resources and documentation
OpenRadioss fact sheet, pricing and score →
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