SBIR-STTR Award

A System-Level Modeling Framework for electromagnetic modeling is proposed. The heart of the Framework is a rule-based, whole-object conversion process that takes Computer Aided Design (CAD) geometry and material data and transforms it into valid, electromagnetic geometry and material modeling elements. The CAD Converter creates an "intermediate," parametric model of the structure to be analyzed. The user manipulates the "shadow surfaces" of the intermediate model by varying embedded parameters. These parameters represent physical characteristics of the structure, such as tank turret rotation angle or main gun elevation angle. When the intermediate model is correct, the rule-based gridding approach proposed herein is applied, and a valid electromagnetic model is created for the desired computer code. It is anticipated that several EM codes (GEMACS, NEC, BSC, CARLOS-3D, XPATCH, and APATCH) will be supported by the products this effort produces, merely be changing the rule set driving the gridding. The overall Framework provides elements for database/library, modeling rules, an electromagnetic modeler's workbench, visualization and code interface, in addition to the CAD-to-EM conversion process. The EM System Level Electromagnetic Framework represents a new and innovative way for government agencies, their contractors, universities, and commercial firms to approach electromagnetic modeling. The goal is to produce a product to leverage scarce electromagnetic expertise by applying it only where it is essential and letting less experienced engineers perform most of the tasks. The cost savings of this approach is potentially enormous for both government and commercial areas, such as antenna analysis and design, radar, in-situ antenna coupling, radiation and scattering, EMC/EMI, EMP, high-power microwave, and similar areas.

This work will design, develop, and implement a system-level electromagnetic simulation framework that increases the productivity of all participants in an EM analysis of a complex system by providing a collaborative engineering environment in which the participants easily construct simulation models, share and re-use data, create computational capabilities that utilize a suite of EM modeling tools, and produce engineering results from the electromagnetic simulation outputs. The heart of the Framework is a rule-based, whole-object conversion process that takes Computer Aided Design (CAD) geometry and material data and transforms it into valid, electromagnetic geometry and material modeling components. The CAD converter creates a parametric model, which the user manipulates by varying embedded parameters. When the model is correct, a rule-based gridding approach is used to create a valid EM input for the desired computer code, such as GEMACS, NEC, XPATCH, EIGER, or VOLMAX. The overall Framework provides components for database/library, modeling rules, a "model builder," and "application builder," and a visualizer, in addition to the CAD-to-EM converter.

Keywords:
Electromagnetic, Collaboration, Gemacs, Bsc, Rule-Based, Visualization, Nec, Carlos-3d