Ansys and Ansoft perform multiphysics simulations

An Ansys product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 11, 2009

Ansys has announced a milestone in coupling Ansys and Ansoft products, successfully performing multiphysics simulations that involve electromagnetic applications.

As electronics become more embedded into automotive, aerospace, industrial and consumer products, engineers must consider factors such as the circuitry's ability to withstand vibration shocks, heat generation and electromagnetic interference.

The combined depth and breadth of solutions from Ansys is key to solving problems that involve these complex systems.

In performing several case studies, Ansys engineers deployed the electromagnetic effects determined by Ansoft software directly in Ansys thermal and structural simulation.

Work is ongoing to fully integrate Ansoft software directly into the Ansys Workbench platform for future bidirectional and seamless operation.

For example, a high-power electronic connector used in a military radar application to connect a transmitter to an antenna must be engineered from electromagnetic, thermal and structural perspectives to ensure success.

The simulation was performed by coupling Ansoft's HFSS software with the Ansys Workbench environment, using advanced thermal and structural capabilities.

Engineers used HFSS to ensure that the device was transmitting in the proper path, by calculating the high-frequency electromagnetic fields, power loss density distribution and S-parameters.

In such high-power applications, it is critical to determine the temperature distribution to ensure the device stays below temperatures that cause material failure, such as melting.

The power loss density results from the HFSS simulation were used as the source for the thermal simulation performed within Ansys Mechanical software, which simulated the temperature distribution of the device.

'Such coupling will allow engineers to integrate complex electronic designs at component, circuit and system levels, upfront in the design cycle, where changes can be incorporated quicker and more cost effectively,' said Zol Cendes, chief technology officer and general manager at Ansoft.

'We're now working to directly couple the Ansoft products with the rest of the Ansys suite.

'The full integration of Ansys mechanical/thermal/fluid tools with Ansoft electronic design automation software - directly coupled for interactive use within the Ansys Workbench environment - will allow users to perform closely coupled multiphysics simulations.

'We believe this integration process is critical to enabling the transition to a mechatronic design methodology that allows customers to view design problems in a new and improved paradigm.

'This technology will allow organisations to develop products that can withstand rigorous usage in the real world,' he added.

In another case, a valve-actuating solenoid application used a coupled Ansys and Ansoft simulation to analyse temperature distribution.

Solenoids are commonly found in automotive starter systems, home appliances, industrial air hammers and other devices that rely on a sudden burst of power to move a specific part.

Maxwell software was used to calculate the power loss from the low-frequency electromagnetic fields within the solenoid.

The power loss was used as an input for a thermal simulation performed with Ansys Mechanical software to determine the temperature profile of the device.

Subsequently, the application predicted how the device deformed due to the rise in temperature.

The company said that such coupling delivers a powerful analysis framework needed to solve complex, interrelated physics problems.

Engineers will be soon able to address electro-thermal-stress problems associated with optimising state-of-the-art radio frequency (RF) and electromechanical components including antennas, actuators, power converters and printed circuit boards (PCBs).

The coupling of Ansys and Ansoft tools will also provide users with a broader simulation environment.

'Take, for example, a wind power application,' said Cendes.

'Our tools also help ensure that the design efficiently captures the kinetic energy from the wind, using Ansys fluid flow products.

'With the addition of the Ansoft technology, we can expand our solution to help users design the electric generators that convert the wind's kinetic energy into electrical energy.

'We can also help design the power conversion, transmission and electronic control that transform the electrical energy into a usable form to deliver it to the electrical power grid,' he added.