CFD Direct is delighted to announce Productive CFD, their new CFD Training course with OpenFOAM. The course was created by Chris Greenshields and Aidan Wimshurst drawing on the experience of Chris’s 16 years of OpenFOAM Training and Aidan’s Fluid Mechanics 101 channel. The course focuses on performing high quality CFD with OpenFOAM, rather than merely operating the CFD software. It explains how to get better, relevant results in fewer attempts, identifying and fixing issues quickly and with confidence. The course is split into 2 parts, each of 2 days duration, and is delivered in person with 2025 dates of 15-18 September 2025, Cologne, Germany and 20-23 October 2025, Chicago, USA.
Essential CFD
The essential introduction to configuring and running CFD simulations in OpenFOAM. An accelerated learning experience, to enable successful CFD with confidence.
Applied CFD
The application of CFD to complex cases, unlocking OpenFOAM’s extensive functionality. Training the processes to build simulations in small steps, to deliver reliable solutions.
Productive CFD
Explains how to get better, relevant CFD results with OpenFOAM, in fewer attempts, fixing issues quickly with confidence — rather than just how to operate the software.
Programming CFD
OpenFOAM programming that utilizes the unlimited flexibility of open source software. Developing maintainable CFD tools using OpenFOAM coding standards with C++.
Overview of CFD
Free, one hour webinar which discusses how to develop competency in CFD. It describes fluid dynamics analysis more broadly, of which CFD is a component that does the calculations.
Course Catalogue
Choose the right course(s) to suit your experience and needs from our catalogue of OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD, Productive CFD and Programming CFD.
Academic On-site
Our academic on-site training covers the technology, programming and practice of CFD to produce reliable, relevant data for innovative, peer-reviewed research.
Industry On-site
Our industry on-site training covers the technology, programming and practice of CFD to overcome challenges and deliver reliable analyses, quickly and repeatedly.
CFD Direct
- Principal developers of OpenFOAM, including its creator Henry Weller.
- Unrivalled experience in creating, delivering & managing OpenFOAM Training.
- Company that is 100% open source, not a proprietary software company.
Our OpenFOAM Training
Accelerated Learning
- Uses template cases to build "prototype" CFD solutions quickly.
- Fast setup with packaged tools, e.g. for live data plots and creating videos.
- Improve solutions in digestible steps, with a variety of tasks to reinforce ideas.
OpenFOAM Software
OpenFOAM v12 Training 2025
In Winter/Spring 2025, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Productive CFD, Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 12 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v12 for more productive and effective CFD, including: foamFind, unit conversion, coded and packaged function objects, meshing multiple regions and coupling with boundary conditions. Productive of CFD is available 17-20 Mar. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 10-14 Feb, 3-7 Mar. Programming CFD is available 24-26 Feb, 24-26 Mar.
Learn Effective CFD
OpenFOAM provides leading CFD software to thousands of people within academia and industry for free. However, CFD is inherently complex and competency in CFD requires more than simply “learning the software package”. Our 3 OpenFOAM Training courses build CFD competency through a process of solution design with course prices equivalent to 1-2 weeks of payroll cost of a CFD engineer or 2% of a single core, commercial CFD licence. Our schedule during Covid-19 travel restrictions includes scheduled live virtual training courses at times to fit with Europe and Americas time zones.
Get the Best OpenFOAM Training
Anyone investing in OpenFOAM Training must want training that delivers the best return on their investment. It can be difficult to choose the best OpenFOAM training from the variety of disparate training offerings in a market that is particularly open due to the open source nature of the software. Questions should be asked of potential training providers to establish their credibility and experience in OpenFOAM and in CFD training. In this article we present 10 questions that might usefully be asked and present CFD Direct’s answers to the questions.
OpenFOAM v12 Training
In Autumn 2024, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Principles of CFD, Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 12 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v12 for more productive and effective CFD, including: foamFind, unit conversion, coded and packaged function object, meshing multiple regions and coupling with boundary conditions. Productive CFD is available 16-19 Sep and 28-31 Oct. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 23-27 Sep, 7-11 Oct. Programming CFD is available 14-16 Oct, 5-7 Nov.
OpenFOAM v11 Training 2024
In Spring/Summer 2024, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 11 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v11 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 29 Jan-2 Feb, 4-8 Mar, 8-12 Apr, 13-17 May. Programming CFD is available 12-14 Feb, 18-20 Mar, 3-5 Jun, 24-26 Jun.
Useful Tools in OpenFOAM 11
In 2016 we published a guide of Useful Tools in OpenFOAM with tools we first released in OpenFOAM v4. The tools included the post-processing CLI and template cases, and applications such as foamDictionary. We extended the article following the release of new tools such as TAB completion in OpenFOAM v5 and again later with the introduction of new tools in subsequent versions of OpenFOAM. This article describe more significant new tools introduced in OpenFOAM version 11, notably foamToC and foamPostProcess, to provide compatibility with its modular solvers, while maintaining backward-compatibility with application solvers.
OpenFOAM v11 Training
In Autumn 2023 – Spring 2024, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 11 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v11 for more productive and effective CFD, including: modular solvers; the
snappyHexMeshConfig utility to simplify meshing; the foamToC utility to search OpenFOAM; updated post-processing functionality; and, enhancements to dictionary input syntax. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 18-22 Sep, 2-6 Oct, 29 Jan -2 Feb (2024), 4-8 Mar. Programming CFD is available 23-25 Oct, 14-16 Nov, 12-14 Feb, 18-20 Mar.
OpenFOAM v10 Training 2023
In Spring/Summer 2023, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 10 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v10 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 6-10 Feb, 13-17 Mar, 24-28 Apr, 15-19 May. Programming CFD is available 24-36 Jan, 28 Feb-2 Mar, 28-30 Mar, 6-8 Jun, 26-28 Jun.
OpenFOAM v10 Training
In Autumn 2022 – Spring 2023, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 10 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v10 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 19 – 23 Sep, 3-7 Oct, 6-10 Feb (2023), 13-17 Mar. Programming CFD is available 17-19 Oct, 1-3 Nov, 24-26 Jan (2023), 28 Feb-2 Mar, 28-30 Mar.
OpenFOAM v9 Training 2022
In Spring/Summer 2022, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 9 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v9 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 7-11 Feb, 14-18 Mar, 9-13 May, 6-10 Jun. Programming CFD is available 25-27 Jan, 22-24 Feb, 29-31 Mar, 23-25 May, 21-23 Jun.
OpenFOAM v9 Training
In Autumn 2021 – Winter/Spring 2022, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 9 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v9 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 20 – 24 Sep, 18-22 Oct, 7-11 Feb (2022), 14-18 Mar. Programming CFD is available 28-30 Sep, 2-4 Nov, 23-25 Nov, 25-27 Jan (2022), 22-24 Feb, 29-31 Mar.
Useful Tools in OpenFOAM
We design our OpenFOAM Training so that users can learn effective CFD, giving them the confidence to carry out CFD analysis, repeatedly, to a defined standard in a timely manner. We provide 4 courses that teach reliable procedures to configure, run and maintain CFD simulations. While creating and improving these courses, we have contributed useful tools to OpenFOAM for more productive CFD, so that users waste less time on routine tasks. They include the post-processing command line interface, template cases, and tools for case setup, monitoring simulations, quick documentation and code customisation.
OpenFOAM v8 Training 2021
In Spring/Summer 2021, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 8 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v8 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training due to Covid-19 travel restrictions in 2021. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 1-5 Feb, 15-19 Mar, 26-30 Apr. Programming CFD is available 26-28 Jan, 23-25 Feb, 23-25 Mar, 18-20 May.
OpenFOAM Training & COVID-19
Many countries have imposed travel restrictions, limited gatherings and encouraged people to self-isolate and work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CFD Direct is therefore re-scheduling some classroom OpenFOAM training as Virtual Training using a video conference between the instructor and participants. Participants work on CFD problems through a remote desktop to OpenFOAM running in the cloud. All machines are accessible to the instructor who can then assist with any problems. Virtual courses will run over a longer schedule and include an extra assistant to support participants during the training.
OpenFOAM v8 Training
In Autumn 2020 – Winter/Spring 2021, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 8 release of OpenFOAM. The training uses new features in OpenFOAM v8 for more productive and effective CFD. All courses are delivered as live virtual training due to Covid-19 travel restrictions in 2020 into 2021. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 28 Sep – 2 Oct, 19-23 Oct, 2-6 Nov and 1-5 Feb (2021). Programming CFD is available 22-24 Sep, 6-8 Oct and 26-28 Jan, 23-25 Feb (2021).
OpenFOAM v7 Training 2020
In Spring 2020, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD, and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 7 release of OpenFOAM. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available — with some remote places for remote attendance — on: 3-6 Feb, London UK; 24-27 Feb, Houston USA; 11-15 May, Virtual; 15-19 Jun, Virtual. Programming CFD is available as Virtual Training on 28-30 Jan, 17-19 Mar, 9-11 and 7-9 Jul.
OpenFOAM v7 Training
In Autumn 2019, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD, Programming CFD and Cloud CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 7 release of OpenFOAM. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 24-27 Sep, London UK; 15-18 Oct, Chicago USA; 30 Oct – 1 Nov and 5-7 Nov, Virtual Training; 12-15 Nov, Munich Germany. Programming CFD is available 11-13 Sep and 2-4 Oct as Virtual Training. We use new features in OpenFOAM v7 for more productive and effective CFD.
OpenFOAM v6 Training 2019
In Spring 2019, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD, Programming CFD and Cloud CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 6 release of OpenFOAM. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available — with some remote places for remote attendance — on: 4-7 Feb, London UK; 25-28 Feb, Houston USA; 20-23 May, Cologne Germany; 13-16 Jun, Denver USA. Programming CFD is available 29-31 Jan and 12-14 Mar as Virtual Training.
OpenFOAM v6 Training
In Autumn 2018, CFD Direct is running its OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD, Programming CFD and Cloud CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 6 release of OpenFOAM. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 24-27 Sep, London UK; 15-18 Oct, Chicago USA; 30 Oct – 1 Nov and 5-7 Nov, Virtual Training; 12-15 Nov, Munich Germany. Programming CFD is available 11-13 Sep and 2-4 Oct as Virtual Training. We use new features in OpenFOAM v6 for more productive and effective CFD.
Cloud CFD Course | OpenFOAM
CFD Direct announces the release of their new 1 day Cloud CFD course, the fourth course in their portfolio of OpenFOAM Training. The course enables users to run CFD with OpenFOAM on AWS, training the tools and processes for inexpensive, secure, efficient cloud use. The course addresses the main concerns of using public cloud: cost management, security, efficient CFD and data management. It exploits the cost benefits of cloud: meeting fluctuating demand for hardware at a cost that represents consistent, high utilitisation; and using cheaper, spare capacity, with an application that does not require 100% availability.
OpenFOAM v5 Training
In Autumn 2017, CFD Direct are running their OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 5 release of OpenFOAM. Essential and Applied CFD courses are available: 25-28 Sep, London UK, and 16-19 Oct, Chicago USA with limited places via the Internet; 6-9 November, Munich Germany. Programming CFD is available 12-13 Sep and 3-4 Oct as Virtual Training. We use new features in OpenFOAM v5 to give our participants the confidence to carry out CFD analysis, repeatedly, to a defined standard in a timely manner.
CFD Direct Year 2: Training
In Year 2, CFD Direct delivered 55 days of OpenFOAM Training with its 3 × 2 day courses, Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD. Training was delivered as: scheduled Classroom Training in London, Berlin, Munich, Houston, Chicago and Beijing; live Virtual Training; and, customer On-Site Training. We launched our Programming CFD course, containing modules in C++ programming applied to popular examples in OpenFOAM. We successfully ran live Virtual Training courses with participants from a wide geographical area. And we updated Training for OpenFOAM v4, that included our changes to make OpenFOAM easier to use.
OpenFOAM v4 Training 2017
In 2017, CFD Direct are running sessions of their OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD, Applied CFD and Programming CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 4 release of OpenFOAM: 24-27 April 2017, Berlin Germany; 16-18 May, Virtual Asia-Pacific; 20-21 June, 26-27 June, Virtual Americas; 4-5 July, London UK; 12-13 Sept, Virtual Americas; 25-28 Sept, London UK; 16-19 October, Chicago USA. OpenFOAM v4 contains new functionality we introduced in OpenFOAM v4 to improve usability so our course participants spend less time struggling with quirks of the software, leaving more time to build and practice their CFD skills.
CFD Direct Year 1: Training
In April 2015, we launched 2 × 2 day courses, Essential CFD and Applied CFD, which were delivered as scheduled classroom training courses in Berlin, Houston, London, Chicago and Munich. In early 2016 we launched our 2 day course, Programming CFD, which we are delivering initially as Live Virtual Training. Our 3 OpenFOAM Training courses, aimed at competency in CFD, are now run as scheduled classroom courses, live virtual training and on-site training. We believe our comprehensive, modern programme is the best OpenFOAM training, using only free, open source software, for a one-time investment in staff skills without recurring licence fees.
OpenFOAM Programming Course
CFD Direct announces the release of Programming CFD, their new OpenFOAM Training course. The OpenFOAM programming course has been created by Chris Greenshields (OpenFOAM co-founder) and Henry Weller (OpenFOAM creator/architect). The course is 2 days duration and is initially available as Virtual Training in Europe and Americas time zones, with Chris Greenshields as instructor: 12-13 April 2016 – Europe; 19-20 April 2016 – Americas. The course teaches coding to OpenFOAM’s quality standards with tools to encourage good practice, developing code in small, digestible steps with periods of reflection to introduce new concepts.
OpenFOAM v3.0 Training 2016
In January-March 2016, CFD Direct are running sessions of their OpenFOAM Training courses — Essential CFD and Applied CFD — fully updated with the latest features of the new version 3.0 release of OpenFOAM: 25-28 January 2016, London UK; 22-25 February 2016, Houston USA; 7-10 March 2016, Berlin Germany. OpenFOAM v3.0 contains new functionality we introduced in OpenFOAM v3.0 to improve usability so our course participants spend less time struggling with quirks of the software, leaving more time to build and practice their CFD skills.
OpenFOAM Training Pilot Sessions June 2015
CFD Direct are running 2 pilot sessions of their new OpenFOAM Training courses on: 1-4 June 2015, Berlin, Germany; 15-18 June 2015, Houston, TX USA. The 2×2 day courses, Essential CFD and Advanced CFD, have been developed to enable people to deliver successful CFD solutions with OpenFOAM. The new courses are a result of 6 months development, built on our experience as the Architects of OpenFOAM and of training 2500 people with OpenFOAM.
CFD Training with OpenFOAM
An earlier article described the OpenFOAM training through which Jenya Collings and I provided almost 500 days of instructor-led, classes to 2,500 particpants. That training mainly described the workings of the OpenFOAM for the early adopters of the software, but we need training whose focus is to enable people to deliver successful CFD solutions. CFD Direct have developed this training over several months, with a modular format that addresses all components of CFD and where the participant learns through experience on a wide range of real-world CFD examples. The training is built on developments to OpenFOAM that make it easier to use, such as template cases, packaged tools, reorganised input and re-coded features.
OpenFOAM Software Training
In 2008, the Directors of CFD Direct began the first significant OpenFOAM Training courses. The training was written for early adopters of OpenFOAM at a time when OpenFOAM was far less functional than today. The courses largely emphasised how OpenFOAM worked and a lot of time was devoted to code customisation. We pioneered a convenient method of providing participants with a running version of OpenFOAM using a persistent live installation that booted Linux from an 8GB USB pendrive. The wider user community benefited from our example cases, e.g. the motorbike case, and code changes made for the courses becoming part of OpenFOAM and our adoption of Ubuntu leading to the release of OpenFOAM packaged for Ubuntu.