The “Other” geometry category in simulations is used for components such as brackets, heatsinks, shields, or any parts (usually made from conductive materials) that are neither coils nor core but still influence the magnetic field. This group takes precedence over the bobbin groups, meaning these geometries will be cut from the bobbin geometries during the Assembly.
Other geometry groups
The image above shows brackets (clamps) positioned between the gapped core and coil. Due to fringing flux and eddy currents, conductive materials near high-frequency magnetic flux, such as these brackets, can significantly influence the inductor’s parameters. Their presence can notably affect the magnetic field distribution in gaps, the overall efficiency of the inductor, and thermal performance. Brackets can act as heat sinks or sources, impacting temperature distribution.
Geometry groups – Refer to complete or partial geometries that can be individually built from templates or imported as CAD. You can duplicate, delete, or rename these groups as needed. Individual groups can have different material properties assigned during the Assembly step.
Other group editor
Default parametric template for generating bracket CAD
Scale – The length dimensions must be set for imported geometries before importing the CAD model or creating the geometry. Once the geometry is created or imported, changing this value will have no effect, and you will need to re-import or re-build the geometry for the size setting to take effect.
IMPORTANT: After import, check the bounding box size in the preview window to ensure the geometry is correctly sized.
Geometry builder
Type
TRAFOLO provides parametric templates for the most commonly used geometry types:
- The Brackets template generates vertical plates compatible with two, three, four, and five limb cores.
- The HeatSink template creates simple geometries for mounting and dissipating heat from components.
- The Cylinder, Box, and other templates produce basic geometric primitives.
Linked Core – This feature automatically retrieves core parameters and uses them to construct brackets, heat sinks, or other specialized geometry types.
Importing from CAD
Before importing your designs, refer to our LinkedIn article about fixing CAD geometries.
A single file is expected. When importing multiple geometries, those should be assigned to a single partition. Also, ensure that the imported geometries are non-overlapping.
To ensure the imported geometries have the correct dimensions, compare them with the bounding box in the preview window. It is essential to select the appropriate scale before initiating the import process. If, for any reason, the core is initially loaded with incorrect length dimensions, you can reset this by selecting the proper scale and repeating the import operation.
Importing CAD geometry into Other component type from external CAD software
Supported formats: *.step, *.stp, *.iges, and *.igs.
Geometry Handling Algorithm – Determines how the geometry, loaded from a CAD file, will be implemented into the Assembly:
- Unmodified – loads the geometry as it is and checks for any overlapping with other parts.
- Cut by Other Objects – cuts out any overlapping parts from the geometry. The priority of cutting is determined based on a hierarchy, with the winding being the highest priority, followed by the Core, Other, and the Bobbin.
Center by center of mass – linearly translates geometry to its center of mass. After closing this window, you can translate geometry by coordinates.
Fuse Bodies – Merges imported geometries into a single body. This option can help address certain geometrical issues before Assembling.