Powerful, accurate software for three-dimensional, electromagnetic, electromechanical, and thermal analysis

CONCEPT TO REALITY...FASTER

The 3D DC Magnetic capability

accurately computes static magnetic

fields where the source originates from

a DC current or voltage, permanent

magnets, or externally applied magnetic

fields. Typical applications include

actuators, sensors, and permanent

magnets. This feature, which directly

computes the magnetic field (H) and

current distribution (J), derives the

magnetic flux density (B) from the H

field. It automatically calculates force,

torque, inductances, and saturation in

devices containing linear, nonlinear,

and anisotropic materials. The post-

processor provides plots of flux lines,

B and H fields, energy densities,

saturation, and more.

Magnetic fields produced by the current in a torroidal transformer.

3D DC Magnetic

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.

Maxwell® 3D’s AC Magnetic analyzes

systems that have significant effects due

to eddy currents, displacement currents,

skin effect, and proximity effects. The

software can simulate the full range

of eddy-current behavior in bus bars,

transformers, coils, and nondestructive

evaluation systems. It automatically

calculates quantities, including power

and core loss, impedance at a frequency,

force, torque, inductance, and stored

energy. The power and core loss may be

directly exported to Thermal for static

thermal analysis. Additionally, plots of

flux lines, B and H fields, and energy

Currents induced in copper traces of a printed circuit.

densities over the entire phase cycle

are available.

Using the absorbing boundary condition

in this module, designers can simulate

fields radiating from a device. This full-

wave capability focuses on applications

such as remote-keyless-entry systems in

automobiles and low-frequency antennas

used in down-hole oil-exploration

applications to test soil properties.

3D AC Magnetic

Overview

Electromagnetic components, such as

sensors, actuators, motors, transformers,

and industrial control systems are

used more than ever in a broad range

of industries. As designers push the

envelope of performance and size,

the need for advanced, easy-to-use,

numerical field simulation techniques

significantly grows. Maxwell® delivers

an unequaled level of usability and

numerical power required by engineers

in today’s leading-edge companies.

Maxwell 3D includes AC/DC

magnetic, electrostatic, and transient

electromagnetic fields; thermal analysis;

parametric modeling; and optimization.

Additionally, Maxwell 3D produces

highly accurate equivalent circuits for

inclusion within Ansoft’s SIMPLORER®

and other circuit tools.

Maxwell® 3D’s Electrostatic Field

computes static electric fields due to

stationary charge distributions and

applied potentials. Solving directly

for the electric scalar potential, the

simulator automatically calculates the

electrostatic and electric-flux density.

Designers can derive force, torque,

energy, and capacitance from these basic

field quantities. The Electrostatic Field

capability is particularly useful

for the design of high-voltage

insulators, bushings, and electrostatic

discharge devices.

Maxwell® 3D’s Transient capability

easily solves applications that involve

voltage or current sources with arbitrary

waveforms. It includes an external

circuit coupling feature, complete with

schematic capture and an embedded

circuit simulator to support arbitrary

topology of power-electronic drive

circuits and winding connections. The

graphical schematic capture allows easy

access to components, such as linear

and nonlinear resistances, capacitances,

inductances, various diodes,

controlled switches, independent

sources, and voltage and current

probes. The output includes current,

induced voltage, and flux linkage

at every time step. Additionally, the

dynamic force and torque response,

loss, and core loss, including

eddy, excess, and hysteresis loss

(including the minor loop), are available

outputs. Applications include NDE,

shielding, and power transformers.

The Maxwell® 3D Thermal feature

provides steady-state thermal analysis

capability, including convection and

radiation and one-way coupling between

AC Magnetic and Thermal. Designers

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

important for designing today’s

electronic products, where physical

size is decreasing and frequency is

increasing, causing temperatures to rise

beyond expectations.

3D Electrostatic Field

Temperature associated with current losses.

Electric potential distribution produced by two pair of saddle coils.

Transient

3D Thermal

3D ACMagnetic

3D Thermalpower

loss

Eddy currents induced in a cylinder by a high-amplitude current pulse.

Ansoft’s Optimetrics™ is a powerful

capability that allows designers

to perform detailed optimization,

parametric, and sensitivity-analysis

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

tolerance range. Using the macro feature,

designers can parametrically set up

shape, position, material properties,

source/boundary assignments, and

frequency within a simulation.

As an alternative to traditional transient

analysis, Maxwell® 3D has the unique

ability to automatically generate an

equivalent circuit model directly from

the 3D DC Magnetic and 3D Electrostatic

Field. Equivalent circuit generation is

an efficient and fast way to simulate the

dynamic response of electromechanical

components, such as sensors and

actuators where the effects of transient

eddy currents are second-order effects or

lower and may be ignored.

The first step in the simulation process

is to use Maxwell 3D DC Magnetic and

the parametric capability of Optimetrics™

to produce a precise model of the device

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-

Equivalent Circuit Generation

Electrical Terminals

EquivalentCircuitModel Mechanical

Terminals

Optimetrics™

Parametric FieldSolution

EquivalentCircuit Model

GenerationSIMPLORER®

versus-gap characteristics for different

coil currents.

After completing the simulation, an

equivalent circuit model of the device

is automatically created from the

parametric data. The model, which

completely describes the inductance,

resistance, force, torque, and flux

linkage of the device through the

range of operating conditions, may be

used within Ansoft’s SIMPLORER® or

Maxwell® SPICE where components

may be added to describe the

electrical and mechanical inputs/outputs,

including drive currents, masses, and

springs of the system.

Parametric study results of a MEMS device.

Equivalent circuit model of an electric motor generated from Maxwell® and exported to SIMPLORER®.

Optimized MEMS device. The field profile is a function of the flaps’ rotation angle.

Drawing Capabilities Features of the fully integrated ACIS® solid modeler

include:

• Unlimited undo/redo

• Multiple objects unite, subtract, intersect

• Dynamic geometry rotation

• Point-and-click object selection/shading

• 2D object sweep along 3D polylines

• Macro recording and scripting

• Parameterized macros

• Optional true-surface geometry

• Online context-sensitive help

• Optional IGES and STEP file format import

Advanced Material Library • Over 80 commonly used materials

• Completely customizable library

• Point-and-click or tabular BH curve entry

• Linear and nonlinear materials

Intelligent Mesh Generation • Automatic, adaptive, and manual meshing

• Skin-depth seeding

Powerful Macros • Macro control throughout entire solution process

• Easy-to-record and -replay macro capability

• Standard ASCII text file environment

• Customized geometry libraries

Field Post-Processor • Animated vector, contour, or shaded contour plots

• Dynamic surface animation of fields with rotation

and displacement variables

• Static and animated plots on any surface,

including multiple faces of objects and arbitrary

cut-planes

• 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

• Complex algebraic, trigonometric, and vector

calculus functions

• Surface and volume integration

• Compute tangents to curved lines

• Compute normals to curved surfaces

Maxwell® 3D operates within an executive-level user interface designed for easy navigation, project setup, and management. The interface includes:

Useability Features

Ansoft’s automatic, adaptive mesh capability enhances productivity and makes Maxwell® 3D user friendly, yet highly accurate and powerful.

• 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

• 2D Thermal

• 2D Equivalent Circuit Generator

• 2D Parametrics

• Schematic Capture

• Maxwell® SPICE

*Optional Module

Maxwell® 3D includes all modules of

Maxwell® 2D. Please consult your local sales

representative for pricing and information

on other powerful product options that will

enhance your engineering productivity.

Corporate Headquarters 4 Station Square, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1119 USA tel: +1.412.261.3200 fax: +1.412.471.9427 e-mail: info@ansoft.com www.ansoft.com

European Locations France Germany Italy Sweden United Kingdom

Asia/Pacific Locations China Japan Korea Singapore Taiwan

ANSOFT OFFICES

PL29-0203©2002 Ansoft Corporation. www.ansoft.com

For a full listing of offices and contact details, visit:www.ansoft.com/contact.cfm

Maxwell® 3D Capabilities

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.

We would like to thank Siemens for allowing us to use one of their press pictures on the cover of this document.