Using OpenFOAM as a Freelancer
 

Hi,

I am planning to use OpenFOAM for my freelance projects and I've read the OpenFOAM license agrement. I've noticed that there are some important points that freelancers have to avoid.

I would like to discuss and take the forum users' opinions about this issue.

What are the disadvantages of using OpenFOAM for freelance projects?
What are the advantages?
What are the challenges?
How can we support technical proofs that OpenFOAM is capable of solving fluid flow phenomena in an industrial reliability manner?

Regards

Greetings husker,

I'll try to reply on the basis of what I know (translation: I'm not an expert on this subject).

It depends on what your clients want, need and how much time they can wait :D
I think a better answer will require that you detail a bit more your question. In other words:

• "Disadvantages" in comparison to what?
• What kind of jobs will you be wanting to do?

But right off the bat: do not expect that a case setup that you did with a test cylinder will work exactly the same with a Boeing 747.


It's free and open! What else do you want? ;)
But on a more serious note: once again, in comparison to what?

But right off the bat: OpenFOAM is customizable by nature. If it doesn't do something you need or your client needs, then it can be coded by you. With commercial CFD applications you usually don't get that kind of ability.


The software is completely free and open.
Which means that you will need to compensate for everything else (knowledge and experience) with your time. My usual estimate is that it takes about "5000€" (may vary with the country you're in ;)) worth of time+money for a person to get comfortable enough with OpenFOAM.
In other words: it's the estimate for spending just enough time (money if necessary to reduce time spent) to reach a stage where you won't know OpenFOAM's code by heart, but you also wont take more than 30 minutes to 2 hours to figure out where the solutions can be found and put into practice.


I know this has been discussed here in the forum a few times...


Best regards,
Bruno

PS: I've moved your thread to the main OpenFOAM forum, because the Freelance forum is for people to request freelance help, not to ask about how to be a freelancer ;)