Actuator in VHDL-AMS with SystemVision
Modeling an electromagnetic actuator in a systems context is sometimes required to accurately simulate the dynamic interaction between drive circuit, actuator, and load. Co-simulation, where a systems simulator and MagNet run parallel transient solves, is one method that can be used. An alternative approach, Response Surface Modeling (RSM), creates a functionally equivalent model of the actuator by performing a large number of static analyses at different currents and positions. Presented here is an example of an RSM embedded in a VHDL-AMS model of the actuator, used in conjunction with the SystemVision system simulator from Mentor Graphics. The procedure is automated with the System Model Generator which drives MagNet to execute its static solver and then generates the VHDL-AMS code which implements the RSM. VHDL-AMS is an IEEE standard (1076.1) supported by many circuit and system simulators.
