Magnetic force from experiment, equation- and geometry-based calculation using the example of a switching magnet

Abstract

Both equation-based and geometry-based simulation can be used to design magnetic circuits. Equation-based simulation allows direct coupling of the magnetic domain to a large number of other domains and is therefore ideal for system simulation. Geometry-based simulation allows straight-forward implementation of arbitrary spatial arrangements. Both findings make no statement about the actual quality of the results, only about the convenience of use. Both approaches can provide directly comparable results for suitable magnetic circuit geometries. In this study, equation-based calculations are performed using the OpenModelica Connection Editior (OMEdit [5]). Geometry-based calculations are performed using Finite Element Method Magnetics (FEMM [2]). Using these freely available tools, we would like to focus on the question of prediction accuracy for a given geometry well suited for both calculation methods, in this case a flat armature switching magnet. Models are created in both aforementioned simulation tools and a prototype is physically built and tested in the laboratory. This way, we are able to not only compare the results of these two simulation approaches, but also check with the reality tested in the laboratory.