Chapter 2: 2D Static Magnetic Analysis

A static magnetic analysis calculates the magnetic fields produced by one of the following:

  • Permanent magnets

  • The steady flow of direct electric current (DC)

  • An applied voltage

  • A moving conductor

  • An applied external field.

Static magnetic analyses do not consider time-dependent effects such as eddy currents. You can model both saturable and non-saturable magnetic materials, as well as permanent magnets in a static magnetic analysis.

The procedure for a static magnetic analysis depends on several factors:

  • Whether your model is 2D or 3D.

  • Which method you wish to use for your analysis. If your static analysis is 2D, you must use the vector potential formulation discussed in this chapter. For a 3D static analysis, you can choose between a scalar formulation (described in 3D Static Magnetic Analysis (Scalar Method)) or an edge element formulation (explained in 3D Magnetostatics and Fundamentals of Edge-Based Analysis).

  • If you are modeling two contacting bodies with dissimilar meshes (such as the air gap in a rotor/stator configuration). See Modeling Magnetic Contact for more information on modeling contact problems using surface-to-surface or node-to-surface contact elements.