Automatic Adaptive Meshing

A key benefit of ANSYS Maxwell is its automatic adaptive meshing techniques in which users are required to  specify only geometry, material properties and the desired output. This meshing process uses a highly robust volumetric meshing (TAU) technique and includes a multithreading capability that reduces the amount of memory used and speeds simulation time. The proven technology eliminates the complexity of building and refining a finite element mesh. It makes advanced numerical analysis practical for all levels of your organization.

ANSYS Maxwell adaptive mesh iterations based on energy convergence criteria

Solvers

Transient

Nonlinear analysis with

ANSYS Maxwell transient solver can solve the magnetic field vector including rigid.

AC Electromagnetic

Analysis of devices influenced by skin/proximity effects, eddy/displacement currents with automated frequency-dependent model generation

ANSYS Maxwell can accurately simulate eddy current distribution using high-order vector elements.

Magnetostatic

Nonlinear analysis with automated equivalent circuit model generation

Flux density distribution in actuator solved by ANSYS Maxwell

Electric Field

Transient, electrostatic/ current flow analysis with automated circuit model generation

Electric field distribution from substation solved by ANSYS Maxwell

Dynamic Link with ANSYS Simplorer

A key feature in ANSYS Maxwell is the ability to generate high-fidelity, reduced-order models from the finite element solution for use in ANSYS Simplorer, the multidomain system simulation software from ANSYS. The ability to dynamically link ANSYS Maxwell to Simplorer using reduced-order models or, alternatively, to perform cosimulation between the ANSYS Maxwell transient solver and ANSYS Simplorer provides you with a powerful electromagnetic-based simulation environment. 

Engineers can incorporate the design of an electromechanical component with power electronics to achieve an optimally performing system. This approach allows you to utilize simulation techniques to create virtual models of critical components including electrical machines, IGBTs, controls, and characterization (L, R, C) of cables and bus bars that connect these components. By integrating high-fidelity electromagnetic and electromechanical physics-based models into a systems-level simulation, R&D teams can easily optimize drive performance as well as control harmonics and mitigate conducted and radiated EMI/EMC.

You can dynamically link ANSYS Maxwell to ANSYS Simplorer to accurately represent component physics in a circuit and systems simulation.

Multiphysics

ANSYS Maxwell is available as a product within ANSYS Workbench, the framework upon which the industry's broadest and deepest suite of advanced engineering simulation technology is built. An innovative project schematic view ties together the entire simulation process, guiding the user through complex multiphysics analyses with drag-and-drop simplicity. Workbench provides the ability to share geometry, geometry parameters and material properties between the ANSYS product portfolio and Maxwell to solve electromagnetic-thermal-deformation problems.

ANSYS Maxwell can be linked through ANSYS Workbench to ANSYS Fluent and ANSYS Mechanical to perform electromagnetic-fluid-structural analysis.

Power loss (generated by eddy currents) in bus bar configuration solved by ANSYS Maxwell is the input to CFD simulation.

Temperature distribution simulated by ANSYS Fluent

Deformation of  a bus bar is calculated by ANSYS Mechanical by transferring thermal loads to the structural solver.

High-Performance Computing

ANSYS Electronic HPC enables full parallelization, multicore support with shared memory for ANSYS Maxwell 3-D transient simulations. The HPC functionality adds multithreading technology that speeds initial mesh generation, direct and iterative matrix solves, and field recovery for these computationally intensive simulations.

Distributed Solve

Distributed Computation of Parametric Electromagnetic Field Simulation

Distributed solve is an option for ANSYS Maxwell that delivers the power of distributed computing to maximize overall productivity. With distributed solve, Maxwell can distribute parametric studies across available hardware to expedite EM model extraction, characterization and optimization.

Distributed solve allows a single user to distribute parametric studies or frequency points across a number of machines to expedite total simulation time. This time-saving capability splits multiple predefined parametric design variations and/or frequency points, solves each simulation instance on a separate machine, and then reassembles the data. The functionality dramatically accelerates parametric studies and design optimization.

3-D Magnetic Vector Hysteresis Modeling

Vector hysteresis behavior obeys the following properties:

Applicable to both hard and soft magnetic materials

No model parameters identification required

Only input ascending (or descending) limiting B(H) curve required

No significant computation time increase compared with single nonlinear scalar behavior

Efficient memory management

3-D vector hysteresis in electric motor with solid rotor

Temperature-Dependent Permanent Magnets

ANSYS Maxwell's demagnetization analysis features allow you to study permanent magnet demagnetization characteristics extended into the third quadrant. External magnetic fields and heating can alter the magnetic properties of hard magnetic materials leading to demagnetization. We can combine these effects to accurately determine the performance of the machine.

Post-Processing

Maxwell provides powerful post-processing features to visualize, animate and report the results of your simulation.

CAD Integration

Using AnsoftLinks for MCAD or ANSYS Workbench, Maxwell can import 3-D geometry from mechanical CAD (MCAD) including IGES, STEP, ACIS, Parasolid, NASTRAN, Pro/ENGINEER, AutoCAD, CATIA and Siemens NX. Maxwell can bidirectionally share geometry, geometry parameters and material properties with other ANSYS solvers. This powerful functionality enables you to easily perform multiphysics simulations.