Create a 3D Component and reuse it

Summary of the workflow 1. Create an antenna using PyAEDT and HFSS 3D Modeler (same can be done with EDB and HFSS 3D Layout) 2. Store the object as a 3D Component on the disk 3. Reuse the 3D component in another project 4. Parametrize and optimize target design

Perform required imports

Perform required imports.

import os
import tempfile
from pyaedt import Hfss
from pyaedt.generic.general_methods import generate_unique_name

Set AEDT version

Set AEDT version.

aedt_version = "2024.1"

Launch HFSS

PyAEDT can initialize a new session of Electronics Desktop or connect to an existing one. Once Desktop is connected, a new HFSS session is started and a design is created.

hfss = Hfss(specified_version=aedt_version, new_desktop_session=True, close_on_exit=True)

Variables

PyAEDT can create and store all variables available in AEDT (Design, Project, Post Processing)

hfss["thick"] = "0.1mm"
hfss["width"] = "1mm"

Modeler

PyAEDT supports all modeler functionalities available in the Desktop. Objects can be created, deleted and modified using all available boolean operations. History is also fully accessible to PyAEDT.

substrate = hfss.modeler.create_box(["-width", "-width", "-thick"], ["2*width", "2*width", "thick"], name="sub",
                                    material="FR4_epoxy")

patch = hfss.modeler.create_rectangle("XY",["-width/2","-width/2","0mm"],["width","width"], name="patch1")

via1 = hfss.modeler.create_cylinder(2, ["-width/8", "-width/4", "-thick"], "0.01mm", "thick", name="via_inner",
                                    material="copper")

via_outer = hfss.modeler.create_cylinder(2, ["-width/8", "-width/4", "-thick"], "0.025mm", "thick", name="via_teflon",
                                         material="Teflon_based")

Boundaries

Most of HFSS boundaries and excitations are already available in PyAEDT. User can assign easily a boundary to a face or to an object by taking benefits of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) available in PyAEDT.

hfss.assign_perfecte_to_sheets(patch)

<pyaedt.modules.Boundary.BoundaryObject object at 0x000002798955A620>

Advanced Modeler functions

Thanks to Python capabilities a lot of additional functionalities have been added to the Modeler of PyAEDT. in this example there is a property to retrieve automatically top and bottom faces of an objects.

side_face = [i for i in via_outer.faces if i.id not in [via_outer.top_face_z.id, via_outer.bottom_face_z.id]]

hfss.assign_perfecte_to_sheets(side_face)
hfss.assign_perfecte_to_sheets(substrate.bottom_face_z)

<pyaedt.modules.Boundary.BoundaryObject object at 0x0000027989559DE0>

Create Wave Port

Wave port can be assigned to a sheet or to a face of an object.

hfss.wave_port(via_outer.bottom_face_z, name="P1")

False

Create 3D Component

Once the model is ready a 3D Component can be created. Multiple options are available to partially select objects, cs, boundaries and mesh operations. Furthermore, encrypted 3d comp can be created too.

component_path = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), generate_unique_name("component_test")+".aedbcomp")
hfss.modeler.create_3dcomponent(component_path, "patch_antenna")

True

Multiple project management

PyAEDT allows to control multiple projects, design and solution type at the same time.

hfss2 = Hfss(projectname="new_project", designname="new_design")

Insert of 3d component

The 3d component can be inserted without any additional info. All needed info will be read from the file itself.

hfss2.modeler.insert_3d_component(component_path)

<pyaedt.modeler.cad.components_3d.UserDefinedComponent object at 0x0000027989418F10>

3D Component Parameters

All 3d Component parameters are available and can be parametrized.

hfss2.modeler.user_defined_components["patch_antenna1"].parameters

hfss2["p_thick"] = "1mm"

hfss2.modeler.user_defined_components["patch_antenna1"].parameters["thick"]="p_thick"

Multiple 3d Components

There is no limit to the number of 3D components that can be added on the same design. They can be the same or linked to different files.

hfss2.modeler.create_coordinate_system(origin=[20, 20, 10], name="Second_antenna")

ant2 = hfss2.modeler.insert_3d_component(component_path, coordinate_system="Second_antenna")

Move components

The component can be moved by changing is position or moving the relative coordinate system.

hfss2.modeler.coordinate_systems[0].origin = [10, 10, 3]

Boundaries

Most of HFSS boundaries and excitations are already available in PyAEDT. User can assign easily a boundary to a face or to an object by taking benefits of

hfss2.modeler.create_air_region(30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 30)
hfss2.assign_radiation_boundary_to_faces(hfss2.modeler["Region"].faces)

# Create Setup and Optimetrics
# Once project is ready to be solved, a setup and parametrics analysis can be created with PyAEDT.
# All setup parameters can be edited.

setup1 = hfss2.create_setup()

optim = hfss2.parametrics.add("p_thick", "0.2mm", "1.5mm", step=14)

Save project

Save the project.

hfss2.modeler.fit_all()
hfss2.plot(show=False, export_path=os.path.join(hfss.working_directory, "Image.jpg"), plot_air_objects=True)

<pyaedt.generic.plot.ModelPlotter object at 0x0000027989419360>

Close AEDT

After the simulation completes, you can close AEDT or release it using the pyaedt.Desktop.release_desktop() method. All methods provide for saving the project before closing AEDT.

hfss2.save_project(os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), generate_unique_name("parametrized")+".aedt"))
hfss2.release_desktop()

True