Q: What is PC Micromagnetic Simulator/SimulMag?
A: PC Micromagnetic Simulator (also known as SimulMag) is easy to use
software for calculating a magnetic system of interacting objects
using a single-domain approximation. This is a very brief summary of
its capabilities. Visit http://math.nist.gov/oommf/contrib/simulmag/
for a fuller description of SimulMag.
Q: Is it a true three-dimensional program?
A: Yes. The full three-dimensional magnetization and field vectors are
taken into account in the calculations. The geometric layout of the
system being designed and the magnetization vectors of the elements
making up a system are displayed in three dimensions.
Q: What magnetic calculation engine does it use?
A: SimulMag uses single-domain models to calculate the magnetic
behavior of individual elements. Static and dynamic calculations are
implemented. The static calculation is based on a semi-analytical
Stoner-Wohlfarth model, while the dynamic method solves the
Landau-Lifshitz torque equations. The elements interact via
magnetostatic interactions and user specified exchange
interactions. Fields due to applied currents are taken into account in
the calculations. A complete description of the mathematical
implementation of the physical model that represents the
electromagnetic calculation aspects of the software can be found in
Chapter 4 of the user's manual.
Q: How much hard drive space does it take?
A: SimulMag version 1.0 takes up about 1 megabyte of hard disk space
when installed.
Q: How much RAM does it need?
A: A minimum of 4 megabytes of RAM is required.
Q: What operating system do I need (Win95, NT, Win31, OS2,
UNIX)?
A: The operating systems Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51 or higher are
required to run SimulMag.
Q: What language was it written in?
A: SimulMag was written in Microsoft Visual Basic Version 5.0.
Q: Which is the best demo example?
A: The viewer software MMS Viewer, which is available for download from
the web site, can be used to view designs and simulations created with
the simulator, including viewing them online. An animation of recorded
simulations is played back when loaded in the viewer. Several design
examples illustrating the various capabilities of the software are
available at http://math.nist.gov/oommf/contrib/simulmag/examples/examples.html.
Q: Do I really need to download the manual, or is it pretty easy
to figure out?
A: Like most Windows programs, the workings of SimulMag is fairly easy
to figure out without the user's manual. But familiarity with the
user's manual will almost always be necessary in order to accomplish
advanced designs and simulations and in interpreting generated output
data. Every new user is encouraged to review the Section 2.4, "Design
Example," in the user's manual.
Q: When I load an input file by double-clicking on it from my
Windows desktop, a design and/or simulation get displayed, but I am
unable to modify the design further or run a new simulation. What is
happening?
A: In the Windows environment, the input files (the ones with the
extension ".mms") are associated with the viewer program (MMS Viewer)
and NOT with the simulator. As a consequence, if the viewer is already
installed on your computer and you click on any of the input files in
your desktop area, the viewer gets invoked. You cannot use the viewer
to modify the contents of the files, because it merely reads and
displays them. You use the simulator program (SimulMag) instead to
accomplish a design and simulation. The viewer program can effectively
be used as a browser plug-in for convenient online display of design
examples that are posted on the Web. Any design so viewed can be
stored to a local file using the viewer's main menu.
Go to PC Micromagnetic Simulator main page.
Date created: February 10, 1999 | Last updated: April 27, 2011 Contact: Webmaster