Summary of Maintenanve Updates

What's New in Build 4142, Released June 2013:

• The core database has been updated.
  
  
• If you open a .MAG file , and the original material or geometry cannot
  be found, the first available material and/or geometry will be
  substituted in. A warning explaining what was done will come to view.
  The material chosen will be from the same vendor if possible.
  
  
• We now remove leading, redundant, and trailing spaces in family,
  material, vendor, and geometry names so that differences in the number
  of spaces won't cause identical multiple names to appear in the core tab
  list boxes.
  
  
• When you launch Magnetics Designer, it checks the integrity of the
  core database. Error messages to let you know how to fix any database
  problems have been improved.
  
  
• We have improved the SPICE model generated by Magnetics Designer to
  more accurately model the power losses, and better handle designs with
  multiple windings in multiple sectors.
  

What's New in Build 3435, Released December 2008:

• Several hundred ACME ferrite cores have been added to the database.
  
  
• Core database has been strengthened for accuracy.
  

What's New in Build 350, Released December 2005:

• Added the ability to include saturable characteristics in the exported SPICE model, by way of a “Spice Core Model Select" dialog box. User can choose between linear, powdered, atan, sigmoid, log, exp, or user-defined core model to define the B-H Loop shape.
  
  
• Automatically convert tabs into spaces in the saved reports so columns line up when viewed in “Notepad” using a courier font.
  
  
• Added more materials.
  Ferroxcube: 3C30, 3C34, 3C81, 3C90, 3C91, 3C92, 3C93, 3C94, 3C96, 3F3, 3F35, 3F4, 3F45, 3F5, 4F1
  Epcos: N49, N87, N92, N97

Note: You can’t open newly created .MAG files with an older version of Magnetics Designer.

What's New in Build 345, Released December 2003:

• Magnetics Designer is now available as a network licensed product
  
  
• Revised SMPS Wizard to give correct values for Volts average. Designs based on the previous SMPS Wizard will have higher than predicted core loss. You should check any designs made using the previous SMPS Wizard for temperature rise using the corrected Volts average.
  
  
• Added ICAP/4 schematics to illustrate the usefulness of the SMPS Wizard to design transformers. These schematics can be modified to quickly verify designs made with the revised SMPS wizard. Copy and paste a Magnetics Designer SPICE model into the transformer under test, revise the schematic parameter values, and simulate to view your waveforms.
  
  
• Updated online help and printed manual to more clearly show how to use the SMPS wizard and other small improvements
  
  
• Updated the core database.
  
  
• Enabled Magnetics Designer to use the same copy protection keys as ICAPS a choice of either a USB or Parallel key is now available

What's New in Build 341, Released November 2002:

• Fixed problem with winding being recognized when windings were ordered backwards.
  
  
• Fixed problem with Spice model failing in sector wound stuff if sum(ni) = 0 for a sector and if sectors were not properly ordered. Removed ordering restriction, but the first sector needs a primary for the new energy algorithm to work. Will revert the previous method if this is not the case.
  
  
• EP core database updated.
  
  
• Updated online help to cover in more detail the SMPS wizard.
  
  
• Updated some vendor contact information
  

What's New in Build 335, Released August 2001:

• Inductor and transformer SMPS wizards added.
  
  
• Improved auto design algorithm for large wire cases
  
  
• EPC core database updated.
  
  
• Revised spice models to match AC copper losses instead of matching Q at resonance
  
  
• Revised spice model algorithm to no longer produce redundant parts for certain winding configurations
  
  
• Improved how we calculate the core loss resistor in the spice model
  
  
• Fixed a gap calculation and setting problem for transformers
  
  
• Added warning for possible inductor core saturation
  
  
• Edt of winding#1 updated if windings are moved
  
  
• Magnetics Kool Mu E-cores Added to database.
  
  
• A special family called cool mu E550mu gap has been added to provide a method to enables Magnetics Designer to auto-select the gap.

What's New in Build 309, Released July 2001:

In the Core Tab:

• The Minimum gap is the specified minimum air gap by the core vendor. If the Gap OK is checked, the core gap can be adjusted. When the Apply button is pressed, the minimum gap will be limited by the ratio of magnetic path length over the permeability of the core material. This result, MPL/muMax, will be displayed in the User Data Buttons if the gap is set by the user to a value less than the minimum.
  
  
• The gap is equal to the round trip gap length associated with either a ground center post or spacers. If the center post has been machined to create an air gap, the core gap is equal to the length of the air gap. If spacers are used, the gap length is equal to 2 times the thickness of the spacer

• Fixed errors in Thomas and Skinner lamination data.
  
  
• If user adds a new material and the file is read into a machine without the material, the file opens using the first material in the list.
  
  
• If the gap turns are set to zero, the program sets them to one to avoid divide by zero.
  
  
• Protected against reading in certain old files that didn't have field analysis.
  
  
• Connected Spice models to Library Manager to automate building of library entries.
  
  
• Fixed parser bug that made user button script changes erratic.
  
  
• Fixed bug on getting fluxswing changes after the inital build. Generally didn't affect results because the inital build locked in the correct flux swing.
  
  
• Revised Spice model for AC resistance/inductance so its not as large for low frequency sector wound transformers.
  
  
• Fixed a bug that caused margins to change to incorrect values when switching to the bobbin tab.
  
  
• Added a search for lowest weight core that meets the area product requirement to improve 60Hz selections.
  
  
• Fixed errors in Thomas & Skinner database. Added more sanity traps to detect errors when reading the core database.
  
  
• Fixed planar for user defined wire.
  

MAJOR FEATURES

• Ability to handle split bobbin/sector winding configurations.
  
  
• Winding Structure Image with DXF file export.
  
  
• New analysis algorithms give you calculation of magnetic fields and more accurate calculation of the AC losses.
  
  
• Sanity checks for the core database (geometry and material libraries) as they are read in. Warning message are issued if problem are encountered. You can set cost to 1 in order to prevent core from being selected.
  
  
• Turns per layer for toroids now vary with layer rather than using a mean length and they are shown pictorially in the Bobbin tab. Adjust margins for bobbin has been eliminated for toroids.
  
  
• A drive winding entry was added to define the winding number which has the source voltage applied. The Default is winding 1, which may not be satisfactory, if winding 1 is a secondary winding.

BOBBIN TAB

• New winding structure image including the core, windings and insulation
  
  
• Magnetic field maps including current density direction.
  
  
• Exportable structure in the DXF file format.
  
  
• Specify the number of sectors and the sector dimensions.
  
  
• Can now designate the method of calculating fields for the AC resistance calculation: Heuristic Estimate or Field Simulation

TRANSFORMER/INDUCTOR TAB

• Expanded Transformer screen displays more winding information such as current density and winding weight.
  
  
• Specify the sector in which each winding should be placed.
  
  
• More versatile specification of the current waveform. A Fourier series is computed for the specified pulse waveform duty cycle and rise/fall time.
  
  
• New Field Simulation algorithms provide you with a more accurate calculation of the AC losses.
  
  
• Silver and aluminum wire types are now supported.
  
  
• Calculation of leakage inductance and winding capacitance for sectors
  
  
• Calculation of Proximity losses for shield windings
  
  
• Specification of the minimum number of strands to account for multi-filar windings.
  
  
• Ability to specify the pitch for each winding.
  
  
• Ability to specify the Volt-Seconds (Bac) in order to account for saturating designs.
  
  
• Ability to enter the rise and fall time plus the duty cycle of the current waveform (in order to better account for AC losses).

FILE MENU

• New Design Wizard that eases data entry.