Dlubal
German structural analysis software family with RFEM 6, RSTAB 9 and a digital wind tunnel, plus a 90-day full trial
Quick Overview
| Company | Dlubal Software GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Engineering Simulation (CAE/FEA) |
| Headquarters | Tiefenbach, Germany |
| Founded | 1987 |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Desktop software on your own hardware |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - desktop installation |
| Main Features | RFEM 6 FEA for plates, walls, shells, beams and solids, RSTAB 9 frame analysis, RSECTION, RWIND 3 CFD, Eurocode and other national standards, API in Python and C# |
| Pricing | Sold through the Dlubal webshop; 90-day free full trial; prices not captured |
| Best For | Structural engineers designing buildings, bridges and steel or timber structures to codes |
| Replaces | Ansys Mechanical (for building and civil structures) |
Detailed Review
Dlubal is a structural engineering software house: RFEM 6 is the base of a modular program family for plate, wall, shell, beam and solid models, RSTAB 9 handles frames and trusses, and RWIND 3 simulates wind flow around buildings.
Dlubal Software GmbH is registered in Regensburg (HRB 4807) and was founded in 1987 by Georg Dlubal. It describes itself as family-owned, with more than 350 employees at 11 locations and over 130,000 users.
Code-Based Design
Standards support is the main differentiator from general-purpose FEA: the site lists Eurocodes, German, British, Italian, US, Canadian, Swiss, Chinese and other national standards, with add-ons for concrete, steel, timber and connections (CBFEM steel joints per EN 1993-1-8 and AISC 360).
General multiphysics tools leave code checks to the user; here they are part of the product.
Wind and CFD
RWIND 3 is described as a digital wind tunnel for flows around any building geometry and for computing wind loads on surfaces. It sits in the same product family as RFEM and RSTAB.
This is a purpose-built CFD tool, not a general fluid solver.
Automation and AI
The Dlubal API (gRPC) gives access to the product range through Python and C#, and Dlubal CALC is an AI workspace for code questions and member checks, sold in credit-based plans.
A 90-day free full-version trial lets teams test all programs before purchase.
Limitations to Consider
Dlubal is a civil and structural engineering tool. It does not cover general mechanical design, multiphysics, electromagnetics or crash analysis, so it replaces Ansys only for building and infrastructure structures. I could not read prices from the webshop pages, and the company also runs a US subsidiary (Dlubal Software, Inc.), so check which entity issues your contract. For BIM-centred work see European BIM tools.
Who Should Use Dlubal
Structural engineering offices and contractors in Europe that design to Eurocodes and want a German vendor.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Design checks to many national standards
- 90-day full trial version
- Integrated wind simulation (RWIND 3)
- Python and C# API
- Family-owned, registered in Germany
Cons
- Civil and structural focus only
- Prices not visible without the webshop
- Windows desktop product
- US subsidiary exists, check contract entity
Alternatives to Dlubal
Other European engineering simulation (cae/fea) worth comparing before you decide:
SimScale
Germany · Cloud simulation for CFD, structural and thermal analysis in a browser
Quanscient
Finland · Cloud multiphysics solver with all physics and unlimited users
COMSOL
Sweden · Multiphysics platform with one interface and add-on modules
code_aster
France · Open-source structural and thermal solver from EDF R&D
See all European engineering simulation (cae/fea) or compare them directly against Ansys Mechanical (for building and civil structures) on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It targets structural engineering of buildings and infrastructure, with code-based design. For mechanical multiphysics see COMSOL or SimScale.
Yes, a free 90-day full version of its programs.
Yes. The Dlubal API (gRPC) offers Python and C# access to the product range.