A new and improved EM Socket II architecture within NI AWR Design Environment™ has been developed in order to enhance the AWR Connected™ for EM interoperability between third-party electromagnetic (EM) simulation tools and the company’s flagship high-frequency circuit design software, Microwave Office.

The latest architecture, which is also utilized by NI AWR Design Environment’s AXIEM 3D planar and Analyst 3D FEM EM solvers, leverages the automation and design management developed for circuit, system and EM co-simulation. With the opening of the EM Socket II architecture to third-party tools, companies can take advantage of the Microwave Office design environment with their existing investments in other vendor EM products, benefitting from a use model that is seamless and robust.

The latest release of an AWR Connected solution is for ANSYS, Inc.’s High Frequency Electromagnetic Field Simulation (HFSS) software. This flow utilizes EM Socket II to enable bi-directional interoperability between Microwave Office and HFSS and expands upon the prior offering by allowing designers to define an HFSS 3D layered structure, seamlessly launch an HFSS simulation and embed S-parameter results directly back into Microwave Office without leaving the software environment.  

Additionally, Sonnet Software and Computer Simulation Technology (CST) have upgraded from prior EM Socket implementations to this new format.  For Sonnet, the new flow brings expanded capabilities that include 64-bit compatibility, as well as the ability to run 2D planar EM simulations asynchronously.  For CST STUDIO SUITE, this new implementation automates the round-trip flow in much the same way as that of HFSS but also allows for arbitrary 3D layout data to be passed, thereby minimizing user time by eliminating manual intervention.

Availability
The AWR Connected for HFSS solution is available today for mutual customers. Sonnet and CST STUDIO SUITE are available for beta customer trials.  All of these AWR Connected flows will be on display at IMS2016 within respective EM vendor booth: ANSYS #1539, CST #739 and Sonnet #1939.