See MagNet v7.8 Improvements in Action

Dear DE Reader:

It’s a good bet that the offices at Infolytica, the developer of widely deployed electromagnetic and electric field simulation software like MotorSolve, are a tad hectic right now. They’re sewing up details for their users conference in early November. They just released version 7.8 of MagNet, their suite of 2D/3D software for electromagnetic field simulation. Oh, and agreement to acquire them.

This Check it Out links to an on-demand webinar covering MagNet 7.8‘s major improvements. The sidebar has a link to the conference details and schedule.

Infolytica says it improved the nonlinear approximation capabilities of MagNet v7.8 ‘s time-harmonic solvers. They now deliver iron loss calculation accuracy near that of a transient solver and with a 90% reduction in solution time. Shown here is the iron loss distribution in a 100 kVA single-phase power transformer. Image courtesy of Infolytica Corp.

The MagNet suite has four core solutions. MagNet is for designing and simulating components with permanent magnets or coils. ElecNet handles electric field simulations. ThermNet couples with those solutions and provides electrothermal analyses. Finally, there’s OptiNet, an automated design optimization option for MagNet, ElecNet and the MagNet-ThermNet coupling.

Key v7.8 enhancements include improved nonlinear material treatment in AC/time-harmonic simulations and expanded circuit modeling tools for complex control systems. Both are demonstrated in the webinar, so here’s a sketch.

MagNet v7.8‘s improved time-harmonic solvers seek to balance the need for fast solution times and nonlinear approximation. The issue addressed here is that designing ferromagnetic-cored devices, say inductors, calls for accurate treatment of nonlinear effects. These also affect the accuracy of iron loss calculations. Transient solvers do a good job, but they take their sweet time about it. Infolytica says MagNet’s time-harmonic solving accuracy is now close to that of a transient solver, only with a 90% reduction in solution time.

Beginning with MagNet 7.8, you can analyze switching effects in nonlinear devices like rotating electric machines by including current and voltage controlled switches. This eliminates the need for secondary circuit simulators, and it should improve the design of inductors used in switch-mode converters and power supplies as well as the design of wireless power transfer coils.

The webinar shows you all this in action. It starts with a demonstration of MagNet 7.8’s nonlinear material treatment in AC/time-harmonic solvers. The device highlighting iron loss calculations is a power transformer. The webinar next presents the new controlled switches functionality, using a boost converter as its example.

Both demonstrations step you through their analysis process at a easygoing pace, which is a bit ironic considering all the buzz around Infolytica these days. Hit today’s Check it Out link to access the webinar and see what MagNet v7.8 has for you.

Thanks, Pal. – Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, DE