1. Getting Started: Ansoft HFSS 8.0
Section 3: Projects, HFSS Design Flow

2. My E-mail: bfjia@uestc.edu.cn
Synopsis
The Project Manager
Definitions
Directories
Project Configuration Management
The HFSS Executive Level
Executive Window
HFSS Design Flow Stages
Pre-processing
Solution
Post Processing
Before entering HFSS itself, the user needs familiarity with the Maxwell Control Panel and the Project Manager interface. This presentation will introduce students to these tools.
Once ready to begin an HFSS project, the user needs to know what the ‘design checklist’ or ‘design flow’ (as reflected by the HFSS Executive window) is. The presentation will give them an introduction to this subject as well. My

3. The Maxwell Project Manager
Analytical modeling efforts using Ansoft software are referred to as “projects”
A “project” consists of files which define a model, files which comprise its solution, and all files which comprise data gathered from that solution
Projects are created, accessed, and managed via the Project Manager button on the main Maxwell toolbar
Starting the Maxwell Toolbar:
PC: Use shortcut or Run: “maxwell.exe” from install directory
UNIX: Type “maxwell &” in Xterm window
The Project Manager is the ‘configuration manager’ for HFSS modeling and analysis efforts, grouping all ‘projects’ (each a collection of input files, solution files, and user-processed output data) into different ‘project directories’ for storage and access.
This slide assumes that HFSS is already correctly installed on the user’s system and available to his or her login account (UNIX), so that no path statement is required to open the Maxwell Tool Bar and -- from it -- the Project Manager.

4. The Project Manager Interface
Data regarding the currently selected project
The Project List: Create, Rename, Copy, Move, and Delete Projects
Open the currently selected project
The Directory List: Manage Directories and Directory Aliases for Project Storage
Basic description of the various parts of the Project Manager screen. Not covered in detail are:
Project Notes
Project Size
Project Reclassification
Recover selected project from any interrupted condition

5. Project Manager Basics
Project Directories can be existing disk directories on your hard drive, or created as subdirectories to existing directory structure
Do not confuse a “Project Directory”, which contains many projects, with “the project’s directory”, the folder containing all the files for a single project. The latter will have the form “projectname.pjt”
When moving or copying projects, begin in the destination directory
Move and copy permits you to browse to the location of the source; where the command was begun defines the directory the operation will move/copy the project to.
A project’s files are managed so that the setup files must go with any existing mesh and solution data!!!
This is intentional, to preserve the configuration from which any solution was derived.
Editing a project’s setup files may delete meshes and solutions!
To create a variation of an existing solved project, copy the original, and work on the copy!
Recover should unlock projects in the event of access errors
Reclassify allows updating of projects to newer versions of the same software
Discussion of the basics of project management. The instructor should step through a couple demonstrations of copy or move operations; if not now, before the end of the course.
Stress the part about solutions being discarded if a project setup file (draw, materials, boundaries) is altered!!!!

6. HFSS Executive Window
This is the starting window seen when opening an HFSS Project.
The checklist at the left accesses project construction steps and reflects current status.
Buttons on the checklist reflect the HFSS project design flow
Executive Display Options
Executive Display Window
Design Flow Checklist
Illustration of the HFSS Executive window, with highlights pointed out. Gives them their first look at the actual HFSS interface. Stress that the checklist quickly indicates project completion status, while the Display options allow access to whatever solution data is available.
Model View Display Options
NOTE: All 3D Display windows in HFSS will have a BLACK background. This is not currently editable in HFSS Version 7. Graphical window images have been inverted for this and all subsequent training presentations for better paper reproduction.
Solution Monitoring Window

7. HFSS Design Checklist 1. Define type of project
Driven is excited Eigenmode is not
2. Construct the geometry to be analyzed.
5. Set up solution parameters
3. Define materials used in the model.
6. EXECUTE SOLUTION!
7. Review results of analysis Matrix Data and Plot access S-parameters, etc Fields accesses field visual ization and calculations
4. Define boundary conditions and source excitations for the model
(Optional Step: Define output parameters for emissions problems; access ports-only solutions.)
More detail on the design checklist. The yellow boxes together form ‘pre-processing’, the red ‘solution’, and the green ‘post-processing’. The three stages are discussed in the next slide.

8. HFSS Analysis Design Flow
Executive Window ‘checklist’ reflects 3 stages of Project design flow
PRE-PROCESSING
All steps necessary to define the problem space and its characteristics
Geometry Construction
Material Assignment (set Volume conditions)
Source/Boundary Assignment (set Surface conditions)
Solution ‘setup’ (desired frequency range, convergence, etc.)
SOLUTION
The actual solution of the problem defined in Pre-Processing above. Most of this step is ‘automatic’
Excitation Solution
Meshing and Matrix Solution
POST-PROCESSING
Evaluation of the results of the model
Plot S-parameters, other circuit parameters, field quantities, etc.
Generate antenna patterns, RCS response, etc.
Self-explanatory; textual detail description of prior page’s graphical picture.

9. HFSS Analysis Design Flowchart
Construct Geometry
(User Input)
2D Excitation Solution
(Automatic)
View/Plot S-Parameters
(User Input)
Define Volume Conditions
(User Input)
3D Mesh Generation
(Automatic, User Input Optional)
Define Surface Conditions
(User Input)
View/Plot Fields
(User Input)
Solve 3D Matrix
(Automatic)
Define Solution Requirements
(User Input)
This slide may seem repetitious, but it brings together the substeps from two slides ago into the pre-, solution, and post- umbrellas. It also specifies (via ‘user input’ or ‘automatic’) which stages require user interaction. Since the prior slide specified that the majority of the computationally intensive work is in the ‘solution’ stage, we want to stress that that is also the stage that requires little user interaction beyond the solution setup.
PRE-PROCESSING
SOLUTION
POST-PROCESSING