If you prefer visual, screen-share learning, YouTube hosts an incredible community of FEA engineers sharing their workflows. Welcome to LS-DYNA (By Dr. Ashutosh Sharma)
: A massive repository of approximately with downloadable input files. You can search by training class or specific simulation type (e.g., impact, thermal, or metal forming). DynaSupport : Offers a foundational Getting Started with LS-DYNA
As you progress, you can find free resources focused on advanced simulation mechanics: : Guides on Contact Treatment
For those who learn by doing, these repositories offer thousands of ready-to-run models. Welcome to LS-DYNA Examples
Here are some of the best resources to learn LS-DYNA without spending a dime:
to recognize which keyword cards are most important to your specialization. Unlike many other software packages, LS-DYNA is heavily keyword-driven, and building familiarity with the keyword structure is essential.
For those in Italian-speaking regions, ESSS offers a free 6-hour training course introducing explicit structural simulation with Ansys LS-DYNA. The course covers concrete examples and real applications, including drop tests and impacts. Participants can request a free 15-day trial license to practice during and after the training.
Available for free download on the LST website, this manual is split into multiple volumes:
Set up your first : A simple cylinder hitting a rigid wall. Learn *INITIAL_VELOCITY . Phase 2: Contact and Materials (Week 3–4)
If you are ready to start your first simulation or run into any specific keyword errors, let me know! To help you take the next step, tell me:
: Many free tutorials focus on editing the .k file, giving you a deeper understanding of how the solver works, rather than just clicking buttons in a GUI. Conclusion
LS-DYNA is among the most powerful explicit finite element analysis (FEA) software packages available, developed by Livermore Software Technology Corporation (LSTC), now part of Ansys. It is used by engineers worldwide to predict the consequences of impact, crash, drop tests, and other dynamic loads on structures, as well as to solve complex multi-physics problems involving solid mechanics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and fluid-structure interaction. However, professional training courses for LS-DYNA can be expensive, making the search for affordable learning resources a priority for many aspiring engineers, researchers, and students.
Free LS-DYNA tutorials can vary in quality and content. Some tutorials may cover basic topics, such as:
For Mandarin-speaking learners, Bilibili hosts extensive LS-DYNA video content. A "LS-PrePost Chinese Tutorial" series covering model analysis and post-processing runs to 368 episodes, providing comprehensive coverage of the software. Other popular video series cover HyperMesh and LS-DYNA vehicle crash joint simulation, explosion and impact numerical simulation (11 lectures for beginners), and specialized topics like SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) methods for geotechnical and mining applications.