Ansoft Releases Simplorer 5.0; New Architecture Enables Better Automotive, Power-Electronic, and Drive-Systems Simulation

    PITTSBURGH--Dec. 17, 2001--Ansoft Corporation today released its newest version of Simplorer(R).
    Simplorer 5.0, a powerful, mixed-technology simulator for automotive electrical/electromechanical systems and power-electronic and drive applications, includes a new object-oriented simulation kernel and modeling language. The software's new architecture allows large-scale simulations, such as those used for power-distribution systems, electric and hybrid vehicles, and more.
    "The Simplorer software provides greater efficiency for electronic, electromechanical, and electro-hydraulic engineering at a time when the industry is clearly focused on driving innovation and moving forward," said Dr. Zoltan Cendes, Ansoft's Founder, Chairman, and Chief Technology Officer. "The specific enhancements of increased interoperability, model integration, and usability, provide engineers with a powerful new software vehicle to achieve success."
    Unlike conventional simulation packages, which focus on a specific technical area, such as electrical circuits or controllers, Simplorer 5.0 offers a different, engineering-related approach. The software combines tailor-made simulation tools for different technical domains, such as circuit simulation, block diagrams, sophisticated electrical machine models, and state machines for digital and discontinuous systems. All of the engineering languages can be used simultaneously, eliminating the need for mathematical transformations and allowing the engineer to create each aspect of the system using the most efficient modeling language.
    The new version easily accommodates models created in Ansoft's Maxwell(R) tools, in SPICE, or in programming languages such as C/C++. The new architecture is the foundation for the integration of VHDL-AMS, the recently adopted Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) mixed-signal modeling language standard, which is scheduled for the next release.
    Simplorer's powerful simulator coupling technology combines a non-SPICE-based circuit simulator with a block diagram and state machine simulator. The software's simulation data bus connects all the different solvers and allows models from different physical domains to be solved simultaneously. Simplorer also offers co-simulation with external simulators, such as Matlab(R)/Simulink(R), or powerful math engines, such as MathCAD(R). These co-simulations are based on an open programming interface that allows maximum flexibility to incorporate existing software.

    For more information on Simplorer, please visit
    http://www.ansoft.com/products/em/simplorer.

    About Ansoft
    Ansoft is a leading developer of high-performance EDA software. Engineers use Ansoft software to design state-of-the-art products, such as standard automotive components and systems, 42-volt systems, hybrid cars, electric vehicles, drive-by-wire systems, power electronics, wireless products, integrated circuits (ICs), and printed circuit boards (PCBs). Ansoft markets its software worldwide through its own direct sales force and has comprehensive customer-support and training offices throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. For more information, please visit www.ansoft.com.