What is Ansys Maxwell? The Future of Electromagnetic Design Starts Here

A New Era in Engineering

In modern engineering, the role of electromagnetic systems goes far beyond just energy conversion. From electric vehicles and wireless charging systems to medical imaging and precision sensors, electromagnetic analysis has become the beating heart of product development. To perform this analysis with high fidelity and reliability, engineers turn to Ansys Maxwell.

Ansys Maxwell is a low-frequency electromagnetic field simulator based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). It is the industry standard for the design, analysis, and optimization of electric motors, transformers, inductors, solenoids, actuators, and other magnetic/electric components.

📌 What is Ansys Maxwell? A Comprehensive Overview

Ansys Maxwell is a 3D electromagnetic field simulation software specifically designed for low-frequency applications. It provides solvers for:

1. Magnetostatic Analysis – Steady-state magnetic fields
2. Eddy Current (AC) Analysis – Alternating current effects and core losses
3. Transient Analysis – Time-varying electromagnetic fields
4. Electrostatic and Current Flow Analysis – Charge distributions and surface fields

All solvers use adaptive meshing techniques to balance accuracy and computational efficiency automatically.

🔧 Key Application Areas

⚙️ Electric Motors

• Torque generation
• Torque ripple analysis
• Flux density distributions
• Core and winding losses
• Back-EMF profile simulations

Maxwell supports 2D and full 3D simulations for BLDC, PMSM, SRM, and DC motors.

🔌 Transformers

• Magnetic core saturation
• Eddy current losses
• Temperature-dependent material behavior
• Electromagnetic–thermal coupling with Icepak

📡 Wireless Power Transfer (WPT)

• Inductive coupling analysis
• Magnetic resonance behavior
• Coupling coefficients and efficiency
• Frequency response and misalignment studies

🧲 Magnetic Actuators & Solenoids

• Force vs. time curves
• Nonlinear response under load
• Hysteresis behavior
• Design of moving magnetic components

🧠 Advanced Physics Modeling

Ansys Maxwell includes robust models for physical accuracy:

• Nonlinear B-H curves for magnetic saturation
• Hysteresis modeling (Jiles-Atherton, Preisach models)
• Skin and proximity effects
• Temperature-dependent permeability and conductivity

These allow for high-fidelity simulation under real-world operational conditions.

🧪 Parametric Design & Optimization

With the Optimetrics module, engineers can perform:

• Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Sensitivity studies
• Response Surface Optimization
• Genetic Algorithm-based optimization

Typical parameters include:

• Number of turns
• Air gap thickness
• Core dimensions
• Material properties
• Rotational speed or frequency

🌡️ Multiphysics Simulation: Maxwell + Icepak + Mechanical

Ansys Maxwell seamlessly integrates with other Ansys tools for multiphysics workflows:

Together, these tools simulate real operating conditions across electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical domains.

💬 Real-World Example: EV Motor Design Workflow

1. Build motor geometry and materials in Maxwell.
2. Calculate torque, losses, and back-EMF.
3. Send loss data to Icepak for thermal simulation.
4. Evaluate magnetic forces in Ansys Mechanical.
5. Integrate with Twin Builder for system-level control simulation.

Result: A fully optimized, certifiable, and production-ready electric motor.

🔐 Certification & Safety-Ready Analysis

Ansys Maxwell supports compliance with industry standards such as:

• ISO 26262 (Automotive functional safety)
• DO-160 (Aerospace electromagnetic effects)
• IEC 61000 (EMC standards)

With validated simulation outputs, it is ideal for safety-critical applications.

✍Design the Future with Confidence

Ansys Maxwell is not just a simulator—it's a complete electromechanical design ecosystem. Whether you’re working on electric propulsion, energy harvesting, or wireless power systems, Maxwell helps you:

• Reduce prototyping time
• Increase product efficiency
• Ensure regulatory compliance

Future-ready, multi-domain engineering starts here—with Ansys Maxwell.