MRESS Solid-Shell Element

A high-performance MRESS 3D solid-shell finite element API fine-tuned for plate and shell analysis.

Designed for automation, solver integration, and custom FEA workflows.

Developed in C++ for Linux and Windows operating systems.

Key Capabilities:

  • Stiffness, geometric stiffness, strains and stresses, and internal force computation

  • Supports linear and nonlinear analysis pipelines

  • Suitable for custom solvers, optimization, and research tools

  • Includes different techniques to alleviate/remove Poisson's locking, volumetric locking, transverse shear locking and membrane locking

  • Enhanced Assumed Strain formulation for improved bending behavior

  • Hourglass stabilization

  • Perfect for thin-walled plate/shell analysis blended with 3D constitutive laws

  • Fit for contact analysis

  • Suitable for sheet metal forming simulations

  • Full 3D constitutive laws

  • Can be used with a wide range of materials, including composite materials

Get to know the MRESS Solid-Shell Element Class

Description of the element's Class; Constructors and Public Methods.

Mesh Convergence Results

Twisted Strip Benchmark: A rigorous convergence test with mesh refinement, comparing Abaqus C3D8 and C3D8i elements with the MRESS API and the Hexa8 API.

Designed to push the limits of element performance under extreme warping, transverse shear, and bending loads.

The MRESS solid-shell API achieves significantly faster convergence compared to Abaqus C3D8 and C3D8I elements as well as the Hexa8 API element. It clearly shows the effect of the EAS on improving MRESS API behaviour under bending.

Explore the gallery for an in-depth analysis of the mesh convergence results.

Pinched Cylinder Benchmark: A renowned test for validating elements in thin-walled structures under bending and transverse shear.

The MRESS solid-shell API achieves significantly faster convergence compared to Abaqus C3D8 and C3D8i elements.

Explore the gallery for an in-depth analysis of the results.

Check gallery below for the MRESS-API post-processed results on our GUI

Check gallery below for an Aircraft wing (Skin + C-Spar) with a tip loading example fully modeled with the MRESS-API

Results generated using the Shell MRESS API integrated into a custom solver.

Results generated using the Shell MRESS API integrated into a custom solver.

Constituents of the API package

Stiffness Matrix

Stiffness matrix for the MRESS solid-shell element. Required for linear and nonlinear analysis.

Geometric Stiffness Matrix

Geometric (Initial Stresses) Stiffness matrix for the MRESS element. It is required for nonlinear analysis with implicit time integration scheme.

Internal Forces

Internal Force Vector for the MRESS solid-shell element. Critical for nonlinear analysis with implicit time integration schemes.

Strain Tensor

Calculates the deformation tensor at the Gauss Points (GP) of the MRESS solid-shell element.

Rotation of local axes at the Gauss Points. Important for nonlinear co-rotational analysis, e.g. rotation of planar plastic anisotropic axes, rotation of composites ply axes at the GPs.

Axes Rotation at the GPs

API Subscription

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We offer three Tiers - Basic, Standard, Premium - with different features each.

Multi-License Discounts

We offer increasing discounts for additional licenses purchased under the same subscription.

Discount formula:
D % = (1 – 1 / √N) × 100

Examples:
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How it works

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We actively support you during setup to ensure the API runs smoothly and reliably on your system.
If you encounter environment-specific issues (compiler, OS, hardware, or toolchain), our team will work with you to resolve them.

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  • See the Multi-License Discounts section below for details

Our licensing approach is designed to be robust, transparent, and hassle-free, so you can focus on engineering results—not license management.

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If you make a genuine effort to integrate the API and are unable to achieve a working setup, we offer a win-your-money-back guarantee under the conditions below.

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If, within 30 days of purchase:

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Our goal is simple:
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If we can’t get it running, you don’t pay — and we’ll tell you why.

Terms & Conditions for Academic Software License

1-year: £99.9

3-years: £199.9

Academic/Individual Subscription

Standard

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • Integration with the GUI for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • GUI post-processing for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • API Documentation & Installation

  • API Support

  • Free API updates

Basic

  • Simulations from the input file

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • API Documentation & Installation

1-year: £75.0

3-years: £175.0

Premium

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • GUI included for pre- and post-processing

  • Integration with the GUI for:

    • Linear Elastic Analysis

    • Buckling Analysis

    • Composite Materials

    • the Arc-Length method

    • Implicit Non-Linear Analysis

    • Multi-Point Constraints (MPC)

  • Documentation & Installation

  • API and GUI Support

  • Free Training

  • Free API and GUI updates

1-year: £199.9

3-years: £399.9

Request API Access

To activate your Shell MITC4 API license, please complete the form below.

After submission, our team will:

  • Generate a machine-specific license

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  • Assist with initial setup if required

Acceptance of the Terms & Conditions is required for license activation.

Terms & Conditions for Industry Software License

Small Business subscription

(revenue less or equal than $1,000,000.0 USD/year)

1-year: £199.9

3-years: £399.9

1-year: £349.9

3-years: £699.9

Business Subscription

Standard

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • Integration with the GUI for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • GUI post-processing for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • API Documentation & Installation

  • API Support

  • Free API updates

Premium

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • GUI included for pre- and post-processing

  • Integration with the GUI for:

    • Linear Elastic Analysis

    • Buckling Analysis

    • Composite Materials

    • the Arc-Length method

    • Implicit Non-Linear Analysis

    • Multi-Point Constraints (MPC)

  • Documentation & Installation

  • API and GUI Support

  • Free Training

  • Free API and GUI updates

1-year: £250.0

3-years: £499.9

Large Business subscription

(revenue greater than $1,000,000.0 USD/year)

1-year: £450.0

3-years: £875.0

Request API Access

To activate your Shell MITC4 API license, please complete the form below.

After submission, our team will:

  • Generate a machine-specific license

  • Provide installation instructions

  • Assist with initial setup if required

Acceptance of the Terms & Conditions is required for license activation.

Standard

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • Integration with the GUI for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • GUI post-processing for Linear Elastic Analysis

  • API Documentation & Installation

  • API Support

  • Free API updates

Premium

  • Simulations from the input file and from the GUI

  • API Class

  • Linear Elastic template in C++

  • GUI included for pre- and post-processing

  • Integration with the GUI for:

    • Linear Elastic Analysis

    • Buckling Analysis

    • Composite Materials

    • the Arc-Length method

    • Implicit Non-Linear Analysis

    • Multi-Point Constraints (MPC)

  • Documentation & Installation

  • API and GUI Support

  • Free Training

  • Free API and GUI updates

This API is developed and validated as part of MECHINMOTION's finite element research and engineering tools.