Is Developing a Materials Engineering Software Too Ambitious?

I used to work on CFD and structural dynamics software, and I have to say this is likely unrealistic for an individual developer or a small team. You’ll need substantial resources and ongoing support which a solo operation typically can’t provide.

Creating a robust software like this is tough, especially if you don’t have access to licensed material databases or validated algorithms for things like FEM and FD. Competing against established software like ANSYS, which many engineers already rely on, is an uphill battle. If ANSYS has an API, maybe you could create a GUI wrapper instead, but without that, it could be a waste of time.

When it comes to developing software, you’re going to need a clear business goal and target market. What kind of user need are you addressing? After using similar tools, I can say that ease of use isn't my primary concern; I want quick access to reliable calculations, and I'm willing to pay for that — but I won't pay a hefty fee for something untested.

Honestly, I think it would be pretty hard for one person to pull this off. Selling engineering software means gaining trust from corporate clients, which requires solid marketing skills. You might be looking at needing to charge over a thousand per seat annually to make this work — certainly not feasible at low prices. Are you already an expert in this field? It’s not impossible, just rare to see solo projects succeed in this area. Best to team up or seek collaboration.

What's your budget looking like? Without funds, I’d suggest starting an open-source project first to build experience. You might not fully grasp how much work goes into a commercial product, not just coding but also documentation and service. Plus, why should someone choose your product over established tools?