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.
Re-evaluate rebuilds the full model and performs all operations again, replacing any cached geometry in the operator
tree. It is mostly used when there have been improvements or corrections in Parasolid (3D modelling engine).
A geometry part (or mesh part) that does not contain any ports, sources or loads can be temporarily excluded from
the model without having to delete the part.
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.
Create a smooth surface by connecting two curves, two surfaces or an edge and a
surface; or connect two surfaces to create a solid shape.
Loft any geometry parts that contain edges / faces. Solid or closed regions cannot be
lofted.
For surface bodies, the body must have a single boundary which does not close on itself
and no edge may be attached to more than two faces.
For curve bodies (bodies without faces), the body must be continuous. Open profiles
(arcs) and closed profiles (circles) may be lofted, but cannot be used together in a
single loft. A valid surface loft can be created, for example, between two lines,
between two circles (closed elliptical arcs), between a line and an open polyline, or
between a circle and a closed polyline, but a line cannot be lofted to a circle or to a
closed polyline.
Different surface primitives, such as ellipses and rectangles, can be specified as the
loft cross-section profiles to create a solid body.
If the two loft profiles have an equal number of edges or vertices, the loft operation
connects each pair of edges. For an unequal number of wires / edges, some vertices on
one profile are matched to a single vertex on the other profile. Points can be imprinted
on one or both of the profiles to improve matching, or to influence the shape of the
loft.
When lofting closed edges or faces, use the Alignment index to
change the relative alignment of the two profiles in the loft, thereby introducing or
removing twists.
Loft operations can be performed on edges / wires and faces within parts if the selected
entities are of the same type. Entities within parts are copied out during the loft
operation.
Note: Copied entities are snapshots of the model when the copy was made.
The resulting loft is not linked to the parent object in any way and will not update
with changes made to the original geometry.
Lofting to Create a Smooth Surface
Apply the loft operation between curves, between surfaces or between an edge and face to create a smooth surface.