Powerful, accurate software for two-dimensional, electromagnetic, electromechanical, and thermal analysis
CONCEPT TO REALITY...FASTER
Maxwell® is the world’s leading software for the simulation of electromagnetic fields. Designers of electromagnetic and electromechanical components depend on Maxwell’s unsurpassed accuracy and ease of use to achieve design objectives, reduce risk, and bring products to market quickly.
Overview Electromagnetic components, such as
significantly grows. Maxwell® delivers
parametric modeling; and optimization.
sensors, actuators, motors, transformers,
an unequaled level of usability and
Additionally, Maxwell 2D produces
and industrial control systems are
numerical power required by engineers
highly accurate equivalent circuits for
used more than ever in a broad range
in today’s leading-edge companies.
inclusion within Ansoft’s SIMPLORER® and other circuit tools.
of industries. As designers push the envelope of performance and size,
Maxwell 2D includes AC/DC
the need for advanced, easy-to-use,
magnetic, electrostatic, and transient
numerical field simulation techniques
electromagnetic fields; thermal analysis;
2D AC Magnetic AC Magnetic: XY and RZ symmetry • AC Axial Current: XY symmetry only
and nondestructive evaluation systems.
frequency range also may be examined
The solver automatically calculates
using the AC Magnetic module.
power loss, core loss, impedance for frequency, force, torque, inductance, and
The specialized AC Axial solver assumes
stored energy. Additionally, plots of flux
that the current flow lies in the cross-
lines, B and H fields, current distribution,
section of the model and that the
and energy densities over the entire
magnetic field has only a component
phase cycle are available. Power and
perpendicular to the cross-section. The
Induced eddy currents in thin printed circuit traces typically found in induction heating applications.
core loss can be exported to the 2D
AC Axial solver is used primarily for
thermal solver and used as sources for a
systems where material is immersed
Maxwell 2D’s AC Magnetic capability
coupled thermal simulation.
in a magnetic field specified using
®
appropriate boundary conditions. Typical
solves systems that have significant effects from induced eddy currents, skin
Conductors may be placed in series
applications include eddy-current losses
effect, and proximity effect. Designers
or parallel, and termination may be
in thin laminations.
may use the AC Magnetic solver in
included. Each conductor may have
frequency ranges from 0 Hz through
a current with a different amplitude
several hundred MHz. Applications
and phase lead or lag. The change
include bus bars, transformers, coils,
in inductance and resistance over a
2D DC Magnetic DC Magnetic: XY and RZ symmetry With Maxwell® 2D’s DC Magnetic
dependent properties. The module
capability, designers can analyze
automatically calculates force, torque,
static magnetic fields that arise from
inductance, and stored energy. The post-
DC currents, permanent magnets, and
processing calculator provides the ability
applied external fields. Applications
to derive other quantities of interest
include actuators, sensors, and
from the field solution. Additional post-
permanent magnets. Devices analyzed
processor features include plots of flux
may contain nonlinear BH curves (i.e.
lines, B and H fields, energy densities,
steels, ferrites, and permanent magnets),
and saturation.
anisotropic properties, and positionMagnetic field for a DC bias coil.
2D Electrostatic Field DC Electric Fields: XY and RZ symmetry • DC Current Conduction: XY and RZ symmetry • AC Current Conduction: XY symmetry only
Maxwell® 2D’s Electrostatic Field
a thin trace on a dielectric carries
capability can simulate electric fields
current. The trace is so thin that the
that arise from DC voltage sources,
current flow in the “thickness” dimension
permanently polarized materials,
of the trace is negligible and therefore
and charges/charge densities found
ignored. The DC Current Conduction
in high-voltage insulator, bushings,
solver then models the current by using a
circuit breakers, and electrostatic-
“top-down” view, giving the user both the
discharge devices. Material types include
current distribution and the resistance of
dielectrics (anisotropic and position
the trace.
System of electrodes producing a user-specified field profile.
dependent) and ideal conductors. This module automatically calculates
The AC Current Conduction solver is
parameters, such as force, torque,
similar to the DC Electrostatic Field
capacitance, and stored energy. A
solver with the addition of conductive
powerful field calculator allows users
losses to the dielectrics and sinusoidal
to calculate other quantities from the
voltage sources. This analysis solves
field solution. Post-processing features
for capacitance and conductance
include voltage contours, D and E fields,
(admittance) in the system so that losses
and energy density plots.
in the dielectrics can be simulated. When used in conjunction with the
The specialized DC Current Conduction
AC Magnetic solver, the user may
solver assumes that the current flow lies
obtain complete RLCG parameters of a
in the cross-section of the model. For
transmission line for any frequency.
example, in printed-circuit applications,
Equipotential line distribution.
Electrostatic Field distribution.
2D Transient Transient: XY and RZ symmetry Maxwell ® 2D’s Transient conveniently
Brushless DC Motor Application
solves applications that include arbitrary waveforms for both voltage and current sources as well as motion. Motors, frictionless bearings, and eddy-current brakes are devices that commonly require full transient electromagneticfield analysis to accurately predict their performance characteristics. This
Magnetic field line distribution.
Corresponding core loss.
feature easily handles these applications by simultaneously solving the equations of magnetic fields, electric circuits, and motion within a strong coupling formulation. Users can input a variety of physical parameters as variables, including
Chopped controlled current in the windings.
Schematic of driving circuit with chopper control for current.
sources, load, resistance, inductance, capacitance, or material properties. They may input parameters in the form of
elements can be set as a function of
power and core loss. The core loss
functions, curves, or as files created
time, position, or speed.
includes individual components of eddy loss, excess loss, and hysteresis loss,
either by the designer or by third-party software. This provides convenient
The 2D Transient also includes an
including the minor loop. Designers can
modeling of various phenomena, such as
interface to call external user programs
use the signal-processing calculator for
sudden open circuit, sudden short circuit,
or other third-party programs at each
further data processing, such as RMS
braking, unbalanced or fault operation,
time step of the solution sequence. This
or average value computation, curve
load change or mechanical perturbation,
allows designers to incorporate their
fitting, or harmonics analysis. Users
and power-electronic switching.
knowledge base and problem-specific
also can call post-processing macros,
software supplements.
allowing field visualization at userspecified locations while the solution is
To support arbitrary topology of powerelectronic drive circuits and arbitrary
The post-processor enables interactive
winding connections, the 2D Transient
visualization of detailed field quantities
includes an external circuit coupling,
and provides enhanced understanding
complete with schematic capture.
of field solutions and electromechanical
Schematic capture allows easy access
data. Output includes current, induced
to all available components, such
voltage and flux linkage in each winding,
as functional resistances, capacitances,
flux distribution, local saturation effects,
inductances, various diodes, controlled
time- and motion-induced eddy currents,
switches, independent sources, and
dynamic force or torque response,
voltage/current probes. Functional
position profile, speed response, and
in progress.
2D Thermal Thermal: XY and RZ symmetry The Maxwell® 2D Thermal capability provides steady-state thermal analysis capability, including
2D AC
power loss
2D Thermal
convection and radiation and oneTemperature distribution associated with core loss in a transformer.
way coupling between 2D AC Magnetic
device’s complete thermal profile.
and 2D Thermal. Designers may use
This capability is especially important
power-loss and core-loss information
for the design of today’s electronic
obtained in the AC Magnetic solver as an
products, where thermal performance is
input source for this in order to obtain a
of great concern.
2D Parametric The 2D Parametric capability enables
A single mouse click can initiate the
designers to solve multiple design
chronological solving of literally
constraints within Maxwell 2D.
thousands of physics problems without
Design parameters in 2D simulations
user interaction.
®
Results of parametric runs are displayed in an easy-to-read spreadsheet format.
include position, shape, material properties, source/boundary assignments, and frequency for the time harmonic solutions.
Equivalent Circuit Generator
Parametric Finite Element Solution
Equivalent Circuit Model Generation
SIMPLORER
®
With Maxwell® 2D, designers can
Equivalent circuit models of a
automatically generate an equivalent
device may incorporate the behavior
circuit model from a finite-element
of inductance, resistance, force,
solution. For example, it is possible to
torque, and flux linkage of the
define a solenoid gap and coil current
device through the entire range of
as variable parameters and to simulate
operating conditions. Designers may
the device over the entire operating
then use the model within Ansoft’s
range of the current and gap without user
SIMPLORER ® or Maxwell ® SPICE
intervention. The result is a set of force
to simulate the device under test or
versus gap characteristics for different
within an entire system.
coil currents. An equivalent circuit model is then automatically created from the parametric results.
Equivalent circuit model of a variable reluctance sensor operating within a circuit.
Output voltage.
Maxwell ® 2D i n c l u d e s t h e c a p a b i l ities listed
ANSOFT OFFICES
below. Pleas e c o n s u l t y o u r l o c a l sales representativ e f o r p r i c i n g a n d i n f ormation on this and on o t h e r A n s o f t p r o d u c t s .
Maxwell® 2D Capabilities • 2D AC Magnetic • 2D DC Magnetic • 2D Electric Fields • 2D Transient • 2D Thermal • 2D Equivalent Circuit Generator • 2D Parametrics • Schematic Capture • Maxwell® SPICE
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Maxwell 3D, Maxwell 2D, SIMPLORER, RMxprt, Maxwell SPICE, and Optimetrics are trademarks of Ansoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PL22-0203 ©2002 Ansoft Corporation.
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