Take the heat out of designing motors

A British specialist in motor design software has launched a new package which, it claims, is unique in its ability to simplify the complex task of performing thermal analyses. Shropshire-based Motor Design predicts that its Motor-CAD package will revolutionise the design of electric motors and generators by providing a crucial link between conventional electromagnetic design and thermal analyses.

The software, which can be used to design brushless permanent magnet, induction and switched reluctance motors, provides visual feedback in the form of drawings, schematics and graphs.

According to Dr David Staton, Motor Design`s director of technical services, the thermal model is "based on lumped circuit analysis which provides near-instantaneous calculation speeds". Other methods, he adds, "as most designers will know to their cost, can take several days to produce results".

The software can perform duty cycle analyses allowing the motor to be driven to its full potential without overheating. Algorithms are included for forced and natural convection, liquid cooling, radiation and convection.