Mechanical APDL provides the following scalar formulation element types for a 3D static magnetic analysis. For detailed information about the elements, see the Element Reference. That manual organizes element descriptions in numeric order.
Table 5.1: 3D Solid Elements
| Element | Dimens. | Shape or Characteristic | DOFs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOLID5 | 3D | Brick, eight nodes | Up to six at each node; these can be displacements, electric potential, magnetic scalar potential, or temperature | Supported for cyclic symmetry (periodic) analysis.* |
| SOLID96 | 3D | Brick, eight nodes | Magnetic scalar potential | Supported for cyclic symmetry (periodic) analysis.* |
| SOLID98 | 3D | Tetrahedral, ten nodes | Magnetic scalar potential, displacements, electric potential, temperature | Supported for cyclic symmetry (periodic) analysis.* |
* Coils must be modeled in full symmetry by SOURC36 elements.
Table 5.2: 3D Source Elements
| Element | Dimens. | Shape or Characteristic | DOFs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOURC36 | 3D Bar, Arc, Coil Primitives | Three nodes | None |
SOLID96 is designed specifically for magnetic applications. SOLID5 and SOLID98 are better suited for coupled-field applications.
Table 5.4: Contact Elements
| Element | Dimens. | Shape or Characteristic | DOFs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TARGE170 | 3D | Target segment | n/a | Used to model the target region for a contact analysis |
| CONTA174 | 3D | Surface-to-surface contact element (3-node) | MAG | Used to model the contact region for a contact analysis |
| CONTA175 | 3D | Node-to-surface contact element (1-node) | MAG | Used to model the contact region for a contact analysis |