The current trend of finished elements design software developers is that of adapting general use software to the various applications. For example, a software for bobbin design enables the precise forecast of proposed performance.

Design

Electric motors design normally starts with specifications that point out desired requirements and performance, such as speed and couple curves of a single-phase asynchronous motor. One of the design stages can consist in the initial development of the geometry owing to an initial simulation that enables evaluation between various calculations projects.

This technique consists in quickly evaluating the possible configurations of the motor and finding the most efficacious solution. A type of engine is chosen and providing more defined specifications characteristics such as geometry of the laminations, configuration of the coils, materials and mechanical load.

These elaborations are carried out in a few seconds. Then there are graphic products and performance parameters relative to regime functioning, magnetic without load, with maxium load, with blocked rotor, in breakdown and nominal.

Simulation

A level of complexity in a motor design scheme includes a system simulator. These software allow the calculation of parameters of equivalent circuits and find the saturation and skin effects; precision declared oscillates around 10% of the actual values.

Simulators are available which operate solving the combined electric circuit, the mechanical component, th emagnetic field and movement in a single analysis.

This domain modelling is the most precise and detailed method to simulate electrical machines. It keeps track of saturation effects, induced parasite currents, caves, rotor movement and time and space. Precision declared is within 5%.

Progress has reduced the complexity of simulation systems that can now give good results in a brief time. The software in the time domain often includes simulation for the excitation and the loads of the circuit with rotor movements. Software are available which analyse a whole range of motors: c.c. brushless, mono e three-phase asynchronous, motors with commuted reluctance.

An example

EMpulse by Ansoft enables the rotor to move in any position without needing to make the model meshing again. Entering  parameters can be constants or functions of the specific application.