Feko is a comprehensive electromagnetic solver with multiple solution methods that is used for electromagnetic field analyses
involving 3D objects of arbitrary shapes.
3D views are used to display and interact with the model. You can zoom, rotate and pan around a 3D model using the keyboard,
mouse or a combination of both. You can use a 3D mouse, specify a view or select specific parts of a model. Multiple 3D
views are supported.
A Gerber mesh is typically used in printed circuit board industry software, for example, to describe the printed circuit
board images such as copper layers, solder mask and legends.
Export the mesh outline to .dxf file as two-dimensional data by projecting onto the XY plane. Use the outline, for example, to create the printed circuit board (PCB) layout of your design.
Define field or current data using either far field data, near field data, spherical mode data or PCB current data. The
field/current definition is used when defining an equivalent source or a receiving antenna.
Define a medium with specific material properties, import a predefined medium from the media library or add a medium from
your model to the media library.
Defined media can be applied to the model in various ways. Some media settings are applied to regions, others on faces
and wires. The rules for defining media varies between the different solution methods.
Use a periodic boundary condition (PBC) to analyse infinite periodic structures. A typical application of PBC is to
analyse frequency selective surface (FSS) structures.
Create an arbitrary finite antenna array that consists of an array of contributing elements, either with direct feeds for
each element or via indirect coupling, and solve with the efficient domain Green's function method (DGFM).
Use the windscreen tools to define a curved reference surface constrained by a cloud of points, normals and optional U′V′ parameters. The constrained surface is then used as a reference to create a work surface where windscreen layers and curved
parameterised windscreen antenna elements can be created.
Many electromagnetic compatibility and interference problems involve cables that either radiate, irradiate or cause coupling
into other cables, devices or antennas. Use the cable modelling tool and solver to analyse the coupling and radiation.
For a frequency domain result, the electromagnetic fields and currents are calculated at a single frequency or frequency
range. When the finite difference time domain (FDTD) solver is used, the frequency must be specified to convert the native time domain results to the frequency domain.
The excitation of an antenna is normally specified as a complex voltage, but it may be useful to specify the total radiated
or source power instead. The result is then scaled to yield the desired source power level.
A port is a mathematical representation of where energy can enter (source) or leave a model (sink). Use a port to
add sources and discrete loads to a model.
Obtain multiple solutions for a single model using multiple configurations. Multiple configurations remove the requirement
to create multiple models with different solution requests.
Use an infinite plane or half-space to model a ground plane efficiently. The number of triangles in the model is reduced
as the ground plane is not discretised into triangles.
A CADFEKO.cfm file can be imported into EDITFEKO to make use of more advanced features available in EDITFEKO and to directly edit the .pre file for more flexible solution configurations.
During the design process, the development of a model can introduce a range of issues that can lead to a non-simulation-ready
model. Use the validation toolset to verify that the model is simulation-ready or to search, detect and flag discrepancies.
The default solver used in Feko is the method of moments (MoM) - surface equivalence principle (SEP). Whether a solver is specified per model, per face or per region, depends on the solver in question.
CADFEKO has a collection of tools that allow you to quickly validate the model, for example, perform calculations using
a calculator, measure distances, measure angles and export images.
EDITFEKO is used to construct advanced models (both the geometry and solution requirements) using a high-level scripting language
which includes loops and conditional statements.
One of the key features in Feko is that it includes a broad set of unique and hybridised solution methods. Effective use of Feko features requires an understanding of the available methods.
Feko offers state-of-the-art optimisation engines based on generic algorithm (GA) and other methods, which can be used
to automatically optimise the design and determine the optimum solution.
Feko writes all the results to an ASCII output file .out as well as a binary output file .bof for usage by POSTFEKO. Use the .out file to obtain additional information about the solution.
CADFEKO and POSTFEKO have a powerful, fast, lightweight scripting language integrated into the application allowing you to create
models, get hold of simulation results and model configuration information as well as manipulation of data and automate
repetitive tasks.
A Gerber mesh is typically used in printed circuit board industry software, for example, to describe the printed circuit
board images such as copper layers, solder mask and legends.
A Gerber mesh is typically used in printed circuit board industry software, for
example, to describe the printed circuit board images such as copper layers, solder mask and
legends.
When exporting planar structures to Gerber format, all entities are projected onto
the XY plane.
Each model entity is written to its own Gerber layer with its layer name equal to the
entity label.
Note: This is an information layer and not a layer in the PCB
sense.
If a model outline is required, use CADFEKO wires as the
wires are exported as zero width wires.
Note: The export of drilling information is not supported.
[Optional] Select the geometry parts or mesh parts to export. If no part is
selected, all mesh parts are exported.
On the Home
tab, in the File group, click the
Export icon. From the drop-down list select the Mesh icon. From the drop-down list select Gerber mesh
(*.gbr).
If a geometry part or mesh part was selected in Step 1, the Only
export selection check box is selected.
[Optional] To export all mesh parts, clear the Only export
selection check box.
[Optional] To export a mirrored version of the geometry, select the
Mirror horizontally (around Y axis) check box.
If the model contains mesh parts (imported meshes) and simulation meshes
(meshed geometry or remeshed mesh parts), the options under Specify which
mesh to export are enabled.
Under Specify which mesh to export, select one of the
following:
To export the meshed model of the geometry or the remeshed version of an
imported mesh, click Simulation mesh.
To export an imported mesh, click Model mesh.
Click OK to export the mesh to Gerber format and
to close the dialog.