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Help! - RF Cafe Forums
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Sonia
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Post subject: Help!
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:46 am
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Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009
7:40 am Posts: 1 |
Hi everybody! Excuse me, I'm working on a
University research about CAE softwares.. ..and
I'm in trouble.. I would be very pleased
if somebody could help me about these topics:
1. Which are the main problems you find using
them? 2. Have softwares that can do multifield
analysis (electric, magnetic, thermic, etc.) reached
good performances? 3. Are there softwares
that can do structural analysis and multifield analisys
at the same time? Thank you very much!
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IR |
Post subject: Re: Help!
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:52 pm
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Site Admin |
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005
2:02 pm Posts: 423 Location: Germany
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Hi Sonia, I can answer on some of your questions:
1. CAE tools are used to design electronic,
mechanical systems or to solve and analyze problems
in these fields (Although there are also other engineering
or scientific fields which these tools are useful
for). In the use of desiging new systems, the purpose
of using these tools is to see the expected results
and discover potential risks/problems before investing
money on creating prototypes and/or doing mass production.
2. Yes, there are tools which are able to
perform multiple simulations for different topics
and they are able to reach good solutions.
_________________ Best regards, -
IR
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Mike_From_Plano |
Post subject: Re: Help!
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:09 pm
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Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009
2:04 pm Posts: 16 |
Just popping in... Being an analog engineer
who works with sensors, I use three main packages
for analysis, and four more for design: For
analysis, 1. Pspice - Circuit analysis / stack
up 2. MathCad - General analysis 3. FlexPDE
- Partial differential equation solver for fields
For design 1. Paper + Pencil 2. Orcad
- Schematic capture 3. Pads PCB - Component documentation
/ PCB layout 4. ispLever - Design of programmable
logic As for trusting the tools, that varies
with the problem. Like most engineers, I reuse models
from prior work. These reused parts are fairly trustworthy.
New parts are suspect, and I generally run tests
with predictable outcomes. For example, I'll check
curves for an active device against it's data sheet.
I also make a point to have two sets of eyes review
the schematic / pads agreement for each new part.
Miscommunication between documents / individuals
is common and costly. I NEVER trust field
models which haven't been verified. I always build
simple geometries first, and check the result against
established solutions. Particularly with magnetic
and thermal designs, this can save huge headaches.
First and foremost - The tools are resources
that are available to improve your yield - as a
resource. Your foremost mission isn't to fully understand,
or to make perfect - it's to provide return on investment.
Keep this in mind when picking and using tools,
and you'll be a more valuable employee. - Mike
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IR |
Post subject: Re: Help!
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 2:17 am
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Site Admin |
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005
2:02 pm Posts: 423 Location: Germany
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For circuit
simulation:I personally used a myriad
of RF design tools such as ADS, Microwave Office
and Genesys. For linear simulation, all
of these tools are the same as the solve linear
equations and therefore provide identical results.
For non-linear simulations there might be some difference
because different tools use different algorithms
to converge to final solutions. For EM (Electro-Magnetic)
simulations, there is a hugh difference between
different tools because they use completely different
methods to solve, some of them are 2.5D, some of
them are 3D. Here the cost of the software plays
a major tool on the amount of memory provided, the
solving time etc.
For Schematic
Entry/PCB layout I used OrCAD, Dx
Designer (Viewlogic), nowadays I am using some low-cost
tools and eventually will use Altium Designer. The
cost of the software also plays here a major role.
I always start a new design with a paper and
pencil to gather my thoughts and to see how I fit
the design to meet the requirements, and then I
am heading to do some simulations (depending on
the complexity of the design). In any case,
and this any engineer in any field will tell you,
that once a design is completed, it will be tested
- no matter how good a simulation tool is, there
is still no alternative to test and verification.
_________________ Best regards, -
IR
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nubbage |
Post subject: Re: Help!
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:56 am
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General |
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Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006
12:07 pm Posts: 312 Location: London UK
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Hi Sonia My dime's worth, regarding Q1: since
I ignore pirates advocating KRAK sources of password
cracking stuff, I finding the biggest problem is
the price. Re Q3, since many electro-mag problems
can be analyzed by Finite Element analysis software,
and such an approach answers most structural analysis
too, then a good Finite Element software ought to
have bolt-on front-ends that can handle either sort
of problem.
_________________ At bottom, life is all
about Sucking in and blowing out.
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Posted 11/12/2012
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