Powerful, accurate software for three-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
numerical field simulation techniques
magnetic, electrostatic, and transient
sensors, actuators, motors, transformers,
significantly grows. Maxwell delivers
electromagnetic fields; thermal analysis;
and industrial control systems are
an unequaled level of usability and
parametric modeling; and optimization.
used more than ever in a broad range
numerical power required by engineers
Additionally, Maxwell 3D produces
of industries. As designers push the
in today’s leading-edge companies.
highly accurate equivalent circuits for
®
envelope of performance and size,
inclusion within Ansoft’s SIMPLORER® Maxwell 3D includes AC/DC
and other circuit tools.
Maxwell® 3D’s AC Magnetic analyzes
software can simulate the full range
densities over the entire phase cycle
systems that have significant effects due
of eddy-current behavior in bus bars,
are available.
to eddy currents, displacement currents,
transformers, coils, and nondestructive
skin effect, and proximity effects. The
evaluation systems. It automatically
Using the absorbing boundary condition
calculates quantities, including power
in this module, designers can simulate
and core loss, impedance at a frequency,
fields radiating from a device. This full-
force, torque, inductance, and stored
wave capability focuses on applications
energy. The power and core loss may be
such as remote-keyless-entry systems in
directly exported to Thermal for static
automobiles and low-frequency antennas
thermal analysis. Additionally, plots of
used in down-hole oil-exploration
flux lines, B and H fields, and energy
applications to test soil properties.
the need for advanced, easy-to-use,
3D AC Magnetic
Currents induced in copper traces of a printed circuit.
3D DC Magnetic The 3D DC Magnetic capability
current distribution (J), derives the
accurately computes static magnetic
magnetic flux density (B) from the H
fields where the source originates from
field. It automatically calculates force,
a DC current or voltage, permanent
torque, inductances, and saturation in
magnets, or externally applied magnetic
devices containing linear, nonlinear,
fields. Typical applications include
and anisotropic materials. The post-
actuators, sensors, and permanent
processor provides plots of flux lines,
magnets. This feature, which directly
B and H fields, energy densities,
computes the magnetic field (H) and
saturation, and more.
Magnetic fields produced by the current in a torroidal transformer.
3D Electrostatic Field Maxwell® 3D’s Electrostatic Field
Designers can derive force, torque,
computes static electric fields due to
energy, and capacitance from these basic
stationary charge distributions and
field quantities. The Electrostatic Field
applied potentials. Solving directly
capability is particularly useful
for the electric scalar potential, the
for the design of high-voltage
simulator automatically calculates the
insulators, bushings, and electrostatic
electrostatic and electric-flux density.
discharge devices.
Electric potential distribution produced by two pair of saddle coils.
Transient Maxwell® 3D’s Transient capability
inductances, various diodes,
easily solves applications that involve
controlled switches, independent
voltage or current sources with arbitrary
sources, and voltage and current
waveforms. It includes an external
probes. The output includes current,
circuit coupling feature, complete with
induced voltage, and flux linkage
schematic capture and an embedded
at every time step. Additionally, the
circuit simulator to support arbitrary
dynamic force and torque response,
topology of power-electronic drive
loss, and core loss, including
circuits and winding connections. The
eddy, excess, and hysteresis loss
graphical schematic capture allows easy
(including the minor loop), are available
access to components, such as linear
outputs. Applications include NDE,
and nonlinear resistances, capacitances,
shielding, and power transformers. Eddy currents induced in a cylinder by a high-amplitude current pulse.
3D Thermal
3D AC Magnetic
power loss
3D Thermal
may use power-loss and core-loss information obtained in the AC Magnetic solver as an input source for Thermal to obtain a complete thermal profile of a device. This capability is especially
The Maxwell 3D Thermal feature
important for designing today’s
provides steady-state thermal analysis
electronic products, where physical
capability, including convection and
size is decreasing and frequency is
radiation and one-way coupling between
increasing, causing temperatures to rise
AC Magnetic and Thermal. Designers
beyond expectations.
®
Temperature associated with current losses.
Optimetrics™ Ansoft’s Optimetrics™ is a powerful
designers can parametrically set up
capability that allows designers
shape, position, material properties,
to perform detailed optimization,
source/boundary assignments, and
parametric, and sensitivity-analysis
frequency within a simulation.
studies. With Optimetrics, designers can evaluate the sensitivity of parameters critical to the success of a device’s operation and ensure that parameters are within a given manufacturing
Optimized MEMS device. The field profile is a function of the flaps’ rotation angle.
tolerance range. Using the macro feature,
Parametric study results of a MEMS device.
Equivalent Circuit Generation As an alternative to traditional transient
versus-gap characteristics for different
analysis, Maxwell 3D has the unique
coil currents.
®
ability to automatically generate an
Electrical Terminals
equivalent circuit model directly from
After completing the simulation, an
the 3D DC Magnetic and 3D Electrostatic
equivalent circuit model of the device
Field. Equivalent circuit generation is
is automatically created from the
an efficient and fast way to simulate the
parametric data. The model, which
dynamic response of electromechanical
completely describes the inductance,
components, such as sensors and
resistance, force, torque, and flux
actuators where the effects of transient
linkage of the device through the
eddy currents are second-order effects or
range of operating conditions, may be
lower and may be ignored.
used within Ansoft’s SIMPLORER® or
Equivalent Circuit Model
Mechanical Terminals
Maxwell® SPICE where components The first step in the simulation process
may be added to describe the
is to use Maxwell 3D DC Magnetic and
electrical and mechanical inputs/outputs,
the parametric capability of Optimetrics™
including drive currents, masses, and
to produce a precise model of the device
springs of the system.
Equivalent circuit model of an electric motor generated from Maxwell® and exported to SIMPLORER®.
over the expected range of operation. For example, it is possible to define a solenoid gap and coil current as variable parameters and to solve the design for the entire operating range of the current and gap without user intervention. The result is a multidimensional set of force-
Parametric Field Solution
Equivalent Circuit Model Generation
®
SIMPLORER
Useability Features Maxwell® 3D operates within an executive-level user interface designed for easy navigation, project setup, and management. The interface includes:
Drawing Capabilities
Powerful Macros
Features of the fully integrated ACIS solid modeler
•
Macro control throughout entire solution process
include:
•
Easy-to-record and -replay macro capability
®
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Unlimited undo/redo
•
Standard ASCII text file environment
•
Multiple objects unite, subtract, intersect
•
Customized geometry libraries
•
Dynamic geometry rotation
•
Point-and-click object selection/shading
•
2D object sweep along 3D polylines
•
Animated vector, contour, or shaded contour plots
•
Macro recording and scripting
•
Dynamic surface animation of fields with rotation
•
Parameterized macros
•
Optional true-surface geometry
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Online context-sensitive help
•
Optional IGES and STEP file format import
Field Post-Processor
and displacement variables •
cut-planes •
Advanced Material Library •
Over 80 commonly used materials
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Completely customizable library
•
Point-and-click or tabular BH curve entry
•
Linear and nonlinear materials
Static and animated plots on any surface,
including multiple faces of objects and arbitrary Animated vector fields, scalar fields, or any
derived quantity using the field calculator •
Real-time plot rotation
Field Calculator •
Flexible and user-controlled customization to the field post processor
Intelligent Mesh Generation
•
Complex algebraic, trigonometric, and vector
•
Automatic, adaptive, and manual meshing
calculus functions
•
Skin-depth seeding
•
Surface and volume integration
•
Compute tangents to curved lines
•
Compute normals to curved surfaces
Ansoft’s automatic, adaptive mesh capability enhances productivity and makes Maxwell® 3D user friendly, yet highly accurate and powerful.
Maxwell ® 3D i n c l u d e s a l l m o d u l e s of Maxwell ® 2D . P l e a s e c o n s u l t y o u r local sales representativ e f o r p r i c i n g a n d i n f ormation on other pow e r f u l p r o d u c t o p t i o n s that will enhance your e n g i n e e r i n g p r o d u c t ivity.
Maxwell® 3D Capabilities • 3D AC Magnetic DC Magnetic • 3D DC Magnetic • 3D Electric Fields • 3D Transient • 3D Thermal • 3D Equivalent Circuit Generator • Optimetrics™* • 2D AC Magnetic • 2D DC Magnetic • 2D Electric Fields • 2D Transient
ANSOFT OFFICES Corporate Headquarters 4 Station Square, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1119 USA tel: +1.412.261.3200 fax: +1.412.471.9427 e-mail:
[email protected] www.ansoft.com European Locations France Germany Italy Sweden United Kingdom Asia/Pacific Locations China Japan Korea Singapore Taiwan
• 2D Thermal • 2D Equivalent Circuit Generator • 2D Parametrics • Schematic Capture • Maxwell® SPICE
For a full listing of offices and contact details, visit: www.ansoft.com/contact.cfm
*Optional Module
We would like to thank Siemens for allowing us to use one of their press pictures on the cover of this document.
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. PL29-0203 ©2002 Ansoft Corporation.
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