OpenMDAO — The Complete Guide: Free, Open-Source Multidisciplinary Optimisation From NASA
OpenMDAO is an open-source Python framework for multidisciplinary design optimisation (MDO), developed at NASA Glenn Research Center. It connects analysis codes from different disciplines — aerodynamics, structures, propulsion and weight — into one model, and solves the couplings between them. When the disciplines interact strongly, that is the difference between a good design and an optimal one.
OpenMDAO
NASA Glenn Research Center
A framework for multidisciplinary optimisation, from NASA.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Modular structure — each analysis is a component with inputs and outputs, and components are combined into groups.
- Analytic derivatives — efficient derivatives of the whole model, even with hundreds of design variables.
- Coupling solvers — Newton and Gauss-Seidel for models where disciplines depend on each other.
- Optimisation drivers — links to SciPy algorithms and other libraries.
- Documentation and visualisation — an N2 diagram that shows the connections between components.
Who it suits
Aerospace, propulsion and space engineers, and researchers designing systems where no single discipline dominates. You need Python and a grasp of optimisation basics. Tools built on OpenMDAO include OpenAeroStruct for aerostructural wing design and pyCycle for engine cycle analysis.
Related tools
To build the aircraft geometry — OpenVSP. For airfoils — XFOIL. For dynamic multi-domain system models — OpenModelica.
OpenVSP
NASA
NASA parametric aircraft geometry modelling for conceptual design.
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XFOIL
MIT — Mark Drela
Airfoil analysis and design at low Reynolds numbers — the classic reference in the field.
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OpenModelica
Open Source Modelica Consortium
Simulate multi-domain physical systems with the Modelica language.
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Python
Python Software Foundation
The language behind most modern engineering computation, and its full ecosystem.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
OpenMDAO is a professional, free framework for multidisciplinary optimisation, used at NASA, in academia and in industry.