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What’s New in Simcenter Motorsolve & Simcenter SPEED 2021.2?

November 9, 2021 • 3 MIN READ
By Chad Ghalamzan

Simcenter Motorsolve and Simcenter SPEED 2021.2 offer an unparalleled combination for the electric motor designer. Some of the highlights from their latest releases include a new force harmonics analysis and improved loss calculations.

3D Model Export to Simcenter MAGNET

The electromagnetic analysis in Simcenter Motorsolve is based on 2D FEA. This level of modelling is usually sufficient when designing radial-flux electric machines; however, full 3D modelling and FEA are essential for further detailed analysis.

So, what does the extra depth that 3D includes for which 2D cannot adequately handle?

  • The full effects of skewing. Simcenter Motorsolve approximates this in 2D; in-depth understanding of skewing effects requires a full 3D model
  • Capturing the impact of rotational eccentricity
  • Proper prediction of coil winding end effects, including electromagnetic forces
  • Multi-domain & multiphysics verification analysis: thermal, NVH, structural integrity

As a result, Simcenter Motorsolve 2021.2 supports several new end-windings for export and subsequent analysis in Simcenter MAGNET:

  • Tooth-wound
  • Formed: Helical & Spiral
  • End-rings for induction machines
A motor with a formed winding is first created in Simcenter Motorsolve (left) then imported into Simcenter MAGNET (right) for further analysis

Force Harmonics Analysis

To assess noise issues, the compatibility between the mode shapes and the force excitation is crucial.  However, is a detailed NVH analysis always necessary? Or is there another way to gain insight into the dominant electromagnetic force harmonics that will excite a motor’s mode shapes, causing noise and vibration?

Simcenter Motorsolve introduces a new force harmonics analysis that characterizes the electromagnetics force in terms of time and space harmonics (wavenumber-frequency domain). Using the 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm, you can filter favorable motor candidates earlier in the process, before detailed NVH performance analysis has started.

2D and 3D radial force density maps

Full Speed and Load Range with Analytic Losses

Additional losses in electric machines such as eddy current losses are not always only dependent on speed. Load, and with that current, are also dependencies.  In Simcenter SPEED 2021.2, a current dependent term has been added to the additional loss calculation as shown in the formula below as the second term with its corresponding coefficients:

Simcenter SPEED 2021.2, a current dependent term has been added to the additional loss calculation as shown in the formula
Simcenter SPEED 2021.2: loss calculation formula

Additionally, the new Simcenter SPEED FEA Solver also uses this equation to describe by an analytic means the additional AC losses calculated by the transient solution.

Additional enhancements include:

  • Porting the Simcenter Motorsolve IM module export of 1D-ROMs to Simcenter Amesim
  • Accelerating the optimization process with the HEEDS portal, first introduced in Simcenter Motorsolve 2021.1
  • Finally, returning the results of the skin and proximity effect loss calculation for windings in Simcenter SPEED, allowing to be taken into account for the overall efficiency calculation of the electric machine. An import window displays the FEA results and allows for editing and selection of the losses.

Questions or Interested in Trying Simcenter MAGNET, Simcenter Motorsolve or Simcenter SPEED 2021.2?

What to read next:

This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/simcenter/motorsolve-simcenter-speed-2021-2/