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Electromagnetic design automation with Opera
FEA modelling of static and time-varying electromagnetic fields |
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Opera provides the complete toolchain for electromagnetic design, simulation and analysis of results, for use on 32- or 64-bit Windows and Linux platforms. It consists of a powerful pre-processing environment for creating design models (or importing them from CAD programs), plus a powerful finite element analysis (FEA) solver from our range. Three generic solvers are optionally available:
- static electromagnetic fields (the widely used 'Tosca' tool) - More
- low-frequency time-varying electromagnetic fields - More
- high frequency time-varying electromagnetic fields* - More
Opera can alternatively be purchased in a number of forms optimised for specific design problems:
- linear and rotating machinery design - More
- superconducting magnet quenching - More
- space charge effects from particle beams - More
- permanent magnet magnetisation/demagnetisation - More
- thermal and stress analysis (standalone or coupled) - More
- electric field analysis in conducting-dielectric media - More
*Vector Fields produces a dedicated package for RF and microwave electromagnetic design, Concerto, with FDTD or MoM solvers. The FEA solver used in Opera is optionally available, for design problems where extreme solution accuracy is needed.
Detailed product information
Click on the two- or three-dimensional (2D/3D) Opera module of interest for more information:
Click here to download the Opera brochure.
How Opera works
Opera provides a complete design—simulate—analyse—optimise toolchain. Click on the function blocks to see a design cycle.
Vector Fields will advise and help you choose the right solver, or combination of solvers, for your application.
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Seeing is believing... |
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Let us demonstrate the power of virtual prototyping via an online demonstration. Request demonstration |
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VF User Group Conference |
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Vector Fields announce this year's European User Group Conference, taking place in Vannes, France 14-18 September 2009 at Vannes Engineering School. Find out more...
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Expand your design horizon |
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Offers and links |
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Static electromagnetic solver
Our unique formulation gives precision combined with enormous speed of calculation – boosting design productivity. The static solver is ideal for direct current (DC) applications, but is often helpful as a starting point for more complex designs too. Typical applications: simulating permanent electro magnet assemblies, MRI/NMR field calculations, magnetic 'signatures', initial design studies of rotating machinery...
Low-frequency, time-varying electromagnetic solver
Employs an advanced edge-variable finite element analysis technique for high accuracy combined with speed of calculation. This solver is ideal for problems where displacement current or radiation effects can be ignored.
Typical applications: simulating induced current effects, transformers, maglev, NDT, MRI scanners, remote sensing, induction heating, recording heads...
High frequency, time-varying electromagnetic solver
This finite element solver is ideal wherever precise calculation of high frequency electromagnetic fields is required, and is particularly suitable for eigenvalue calculations in cavities*. Typical applications: simulating resonant cavities, filters...
Rotating machinery
A uniquely powerful solution for motor and generator manufacturers that solves electromagnetic behaviour in combination with motion. Many advanced features include support for skewed component shapes (even in 2D), and rapid simulation of a single pole pitch in a symmetric design. A 'fill in the blanks' template system is available for common equipment types, allowing precision finite element models to be produced in minutes.
Superconducting 'quench'
A unique high level solution for designers of superconducting magnets and coils (MRI, NMI scanners) that includes coupled thermal behaviour to model the 'quench' phenomenon.
Space charge effects
Our world-leading space charge solver takes into account the space charge effects of high current charged particle beams, including secondary emission/collision effects.
Permanent magnet magnetisation/demagnetisation
Will accurately simulate actual magnetisation/demagnetisation behaviour including temperature effects, and allows magnet models to then be further simulated in their real-world operating environments.
Thermal and stress analysis
These solvers can be used standalone or coupled (co-simulation) with other Opera modules to study temperature related behaviour, and mechanical stress effects arising from thermal expansion.
Lossy dielectrics
An add-on for the static solver that is ideal for the study of low conductivity dielectric materials such as those used for insulation in power transmission.
Powerful modelling capability
Component or system models may be imported from a company's existing CAD system, or created using Opera's built-in modeller with its powerful ACIS geometry kernel. A key advantage is the ability to change any dimension of a model to a parameter. This allows searching “what If?” investigations to be performed, to optimize a design simply by changing values. The Opera model file contains a complete history of the commands that created it. This allows users to modify files and 'replay' them — providing a template that can be used to automate the design of variations of standard products.
Problem-solving simulation
The toolsuite will automatically generate the finite element mesh, with some variants offering the option of automatically adapting mesh size to achieve a specified accuracy of solution. When your design model is meshed, you are ready to simulate electromagnetic fields (and other physics depending on the problem). Opera offers a very wide choice of 'solvers' to suit the spectrum of electromagnetic applications.
Post-processing of results
When simulation is complete, Opera includes a purpose-designed post-processor that simplifies analysis of results, and informs decisions on design refinement. As well as displaying the field quantities, there are numerous functions to prepare and display derived quantities in forms and units familiar to the user (including forces, power loss, stored energy), and also to display particle trajectories through the computed electric and magnetic fields.
Design optimisation
Refining designs is easy. You can manually change parameters in your model to view effects*. Or, this action can be performed automatically using the optional Optimiser module. This tool is extremely powerful, and incorporates a number of algorithms that are automatically chosen depending on the problem. Optimisation problems can be set up in minutes, and the computer left to work out the best solution for one, or multiple, goals. This unique tool, conceived, designed and created by Vector Fields, can save an enormous amount of the normal design effort needed to realise a company's design goals – whether they are lowest cost, highest performance, simplest manufacture, smallest size (or other parameter) – or optimal combinations.
*Opera allows you to set up 'macros', to automate your design process. You can create, run and analyse your designs with user-defined dialogs and menus for inputting dimensions, material properties, and simulation options. Elements of models can be saved, to form a library of component parts. If these parts are saved in parameterised form, key dimensions can be set in minutes as they are loaded — providing companies with the means to produce designs both fast, and extremely cost effectively.
