From CAD drawings to pin voltages, computing electromagnetic effects on aircraft and aerospace vehicles

Abstract

The evaluation of electromagnetic effects down to the level of pin voltages on a complete air vehicle requires the integration of a number of normally disjoint tools. System CAD geometry is simplified and processed to create a numerical model for solution by a 3D FDTD Maxwell's equations solver. The 3D solution supplies the currents used as the sources for shielded multi-conductor transmission line simulations. Individual conductor terminations at box interfaces are used to obtain pin voltages from the transmission line simulations for detailed effects evaluations. Procedures used to automate the integration process and lessons learned are described