Version History

GT-PowerForge 2024.3.0 - November 14th, 2024

New features

  • Multi-parameter sweep: Area margin considered in the cooling

    • A new field has been added to consider a margin for the cooling design. This margin allows to consider the spacing between switches

    _images/coolingAreaMarginSweepSpec.svg
  • Multi-parameter sweep: New macrocell connections subsystem for 3-phase DC/AC

    • A new subsystem has been added to model the electrical macrocell connections. The first model implemented is a simple bus bar model that takes into account the losses associated with the connections between the macrocell and the rest of the circuit. An estimate of the volume, mass, and cost is also included in this model to more accurately reflect the impact of these connections.

    _images/macrocellConnectionsSweepSpec.png
  • Design dashboard: 3-phase DC/AC PWM signals export to .csv

    • It’s now possible to export the signals generated by the switching controller (used to control the macrocell) into a .csv file attached to the user’s email

    _images/exportSwitchingControllerSignals.svg
  • Frequency-domain limit library: Ability to create private references

    • It is now possible to create private reference for this library

    _images/create_private_frequency_domain_limit.svg

Improvements

  • Design dashboard and benchmark: New outputs

    • Fields related to isolated tank components has been added (mass, volume, cost etc.)

  • Design dashboard: Capacitors current spectrums

    • In HV (or DC) and LV (or AC) filters, it’s now possible to see the capacitors’ current spectrums

  • Design evaluation report: New information

    • Users will be informed if the switching and/or conduction losses have been extrapolated from the available reference data

Bug fixes

  • API documentation and user documentation: Python script

    • The link to the Python script has been updated

GT-PowerForge 2024.2.3 - October 17th, 2024

Bug fixes

  • Design dashboard:

    • Fixed a bug when trying to open a design with deleted electrical machine references

    • Fixed a bug when trying to generate the Excel report

    • Fixed a bug when trying to get the switching controller waveforms

GT-PowerForge 2024.2.2 - September 16th, 2024

New features

  • Packages library: Package area vs. thermal dissipation area

    • Users can now specify the thermal dissipation area separate from the package area. It will allow to have better accurate cooling solution as \(R_{th}\) will be estimated based on sum of all thermal dissipation area and the cooling area on sum of all package area

_images/package_dimensions.svg

Improvements

  • Design dashboard and benchmark: New outputs

    • Torque ripple and torque ripple ratio are added to the output results

Behavior changes

  • System-level design dashboard: Efficiency vs. power

    • The efficiency vs. power curve is no longer processed

  • Multi-parameter sweep: 3-phase DC/AC with dv/dt filter

    • Designs with multiple legs in parallel with dv/dt filter are no longer allowed

Bug fixes

  • Performance analysis:

    • Fixed a bug with \(f_{0}\) selected as an output

GT-PowerForge 2024.2.1 - August 9th, 2024

New features

  • Multi-parameter sweep: Electrical machine with control - Output voltage ratio

    • A margin coefficient \(k_{voltage}\) has been added to the electrical machine controller, limiting the maximum possible voltage deliverable by the inverter, in addition to the selected modulation strategy. More information here

_images/voltage_ratio.png

Improvements

  • Leg modules and discretes library:

    • It’s now possible to filter components that contains soft-switching data

Behavior changes

  • Multi-parameter sweep: 3-phase DC/AC

    • AC frequency \(f_{0}\) is now required to be an integer in the sweep specification

Bug fixes

  • Electrical machine with control designs:

    • Fixed a bug with some speed operating points

    • Fixed a bug when opening unfeasible designs

  • Leg modules and discretes library:

    • Fixed a bug that prevented opening reference with soft switching energies

GT-PowerForge 2024.2.0 - July 12th, 2024

New features

  • Electrical machines library: Spatial harmonic model

    • Electrical Machine private reference creation now supports GT-FEMAG Spatial Harmonic .json files generated from GT-FEMAG, allowing for capturing the harmonic content of the line current generated by the inverter

    _images/create_private_machine_data_upload.png
  • Multi-parameter sweep: Spatial harmonic model

    • It’s now possible to select a new Machine model variant in the 3-phase DC/AC operating point

    _images/ElectricalMachineOpPoint_SpatialHarmonic_Variant.png

    • The machine phase currents, torque and flux waveforms are computed and plotted in the design dashboard

    Phase currents

    Torque

    Flux (D, Q)

    currents

    torque

    flux

    • The switching frequency impact on motor current ripples (and thus torque) can be analysed. An example is shown below with three different switching frequencies.

    \(f_{sw} = 3kHz\)

    \(f_{sw} = 6kHz\)

    \(f_{sw} = 20kHz\)

    3kHz_img

    6kHz_img

    20kHz_img
  • Performance analysis: Export to .csv

    • It’s now possible to export the full performance map generated (all outputs selected) into a .csv file attached to the user’s email

    _images/SendPerformanceMapByEmail.svg

Improvements

  • Design dashboard:

    • The diagram vector is now illustrated in the operating point tab of the design dashboard for Machine RLE model variant

    _images/RLE_Machine_DiagramVector.png

    • \(V_{D}\) & \(V_{Q}\) has been added as outputs for 3-phase DC/AC with Machine designs

  • Performance analysis:

    • Evaluating performance map points for 3-phase DC/AC with Machine is now up to 10 times faster

Behavior changes

  • Multi-parameter sweep:

    • Number of interleaved legs has a maximum value, 3 for 3-phase DC/AC and 10 for non-isolated DC/DC converters

    • Flying capacitor cells per leg has a maximum value, 5 for 3-phase DC/AC and 8 for non-isolated DC/DC converters

  • Private power switch reference:

    • The gate resistance \(R_{G(on)}\) and \(R_{G(off)}\) are now mandatory, even if the losses are not dependent on it

  • 3-phase DC/AC with Machine:

    • The vector diagram is now illustrated in the Operating Point tab in the design dashboard

Bug fixes

  • Machine RLE:

    • Fixed the suggestion system for \(E_{rms}\) value

  • Export to GT-ISE:

    • Fixed a bug with homogeneous module with \(R_{G(on)}\) and \(R_{G(off)}\) dependency

  • SMC Macrocell variant:

    • Fixed a bug when opening the design dashboard

  • Performance analysis:

    • Fixed a bug for isolated DC/DC converters

GT-PowerForge 2024.1.1 - June 17th, 2024

Improvements

  • Multi-parameter sweep:

    • Maximum number of evaluation designs per sweep has been increased from 720 to 2500

Behavior changes

  • Sweep history:

    • The interface has been enhanced to handle a large number of designs per sweep

Bug fixes

  • Multi-parameter sweep:

    • Fixed a bug that prevented the evaluation of a design with NPC Heterogeneous module

GT-PowerForge 2024.1.0 - June 17th, 2024

New features

  • Performance analysis: Greater flexibility for the performance map generation

    • Inputs range can now be imposed by users:

    _images/default_inputs_inverter_machine.png

    • Outputs can now be selected by users:

    _images/some_outputs_inverter_machine.png
  • Multi-parameter sweep:

    • It is now possible to impose the Sink temperature, as in the performance analysis space:

    _images/schematic_no_cooling_tSink.svg

Improvements

  • Private power switch reference:

    • XML thermal datasheets from Semikron-Danfoss, Cambridge GaN Devices, onsemi and EPC can now be imported

  • Private electrical machine reference:

    • CSV import now allows non-regular sampling

Bug fixes

  • Multi-parameter sweep:

    • Avoid some designs with junction temperature higher than the maximum allowed by the component

GT-PowerForge 2024.0.5 - March 28th, 2024

New features

  • Macrocell junction or case temperature can now be imposed, in the Cooling subsystem. In this case, no cooling system will be evaluated:

_images/No_cooling_Macrocell_temperature_imposed.png

  • Added the cable length (from dv/dt filters) in the items used in the design naming pattern and in the benchmark space

  • Added the ratio between the switching frequency and the AC output frequency \(f_{sw}/f_{0}\) for 3-phase and Single phase DC/AC inverters in the benchmark space and in the design dashboard

Improvements

  • It is now possible, in the electrical machines library to add PMSM and EESM hysteresis and eddy current losses in the CSV file

  • In the benchmark space, all the items (column names and plot creation) are now alphabetically ordered

Behavior changes

  • 3-phase DC/AC inverter designs with \(f_{sw}/f_{0}\) ratio greater than 5200 aren’t supported anymore

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where a design with a cold plate would crash the interface

  • Fixed a bug where a new sweep specification from old designs would crash the interface

  • Fixed a bug where a single phase DC/AC inverter design with same switching frequency and AC output frequency crashed the interface

GT-PowerForge 2024.0.4 - March 7th, 2024

New features

  • Over Modulation (OM) is now allowed and leads to higher AC voltage with a same DC bus voltage, compared to Linear Modulation. This new feature concerns the following modulation strategies for Three-phase inverter:

    • Sine PWM / Sine PWM OM

    • 3rd harmonic injection / 3rd harmonic injection OM

    • Space vector / Space vector OM

    • 60° DPWM leading 30° / 60° DPWM leading 30° OM

    • 60° DPWM centered / 60° DPWM centered OM

    • 60° DPWM lagging 30° / 60° DPWM lagging 30° OM

  • Design dashboard and benchmark space now indicate the modulation operating region (Linear or Over Modulation)

GT-PowerForge 2024.0.3 - February 27th, 2024

Improvements

  • The XML thermal datasheet file ingestion system has been enhanced to support the majority of files available from power semiconductor manufacturers. In addition, the system also allows data with \(R_{G(on)}\) and \(R_{G(off)}\) dependency.

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where trying to generate a list of values below 10e-8 in a sweepable field would crash the interface

GT-PowerForge 2024.0.2 - February 8th, 2024

Improvements

  • Component library table width is now using more space for improved readability and offers scrollbars on top and bottom for better exploration

GT-PowerForge 2024.0.1 - January 18th, 2024

New features

_images/dvdt_diagram.png
  • New LC dv/dt filter model for inverters

    • LC dv/dt filters are composed of a line inductance and a wye-connected capacitors bank with damping resistors. They aim at mitigating over-voltage that appears at the motor terminals due to the switch commutation speed and the cable connecting the inverter to the motor,

    • Cable and electric motor are taken into consideration to estimate the motor peak voltage \(V_{peak}\),

    • Filter output data provides the peak voltage and the filter cut-off frequency,

    • Plot displaying time-domain simulation of the over-voltage at the machine terminal is available and shows the phase-to-neutral motor voltage resulting from a voltage step,

    • Switch dv/dt values at turn-on and turn-off are deduced from the dv/dt(Rg) switch data. The dv/dt value is interpolated when within the specified range, or extrapolated otherwise,

    • Using sweep capabilities, the Rg impact on the voltage peak (for fixed LC filter), or L and C filter values impact on the voltage peak (for fixed gate resistance) can be estimated

_images/dv_dt_model.png _images/dv_dt_time_simulation.png _images/rg_data.png
  • LC dv/dt filter - HF electric motor model

    • The electric motor is modeled by a wye-connected RL circuit where the inductance represents the motor magnetizing inductance, and the resistance represents the core loss.

_images/motor_model.png
  • LC dv/dt filter - Cable model

    • The cable is modeled by a series inductance representing the inductance of the cable and a wye-connected capacitance.

    • All cable elements are estimated by multiplying the cable length by the linear values.

_images/cable_model.png

Improvements

  • Design generation upon launching a sweep is now happening in the background

    • Launching a sweep will no longer have the user wait for all designs to be generated before getting back to the projects page

    • Vastly reduces the risk of encountering a timeout error upon sweep generation

  • Maximum number of values per sweepable field has been raised from 20 to 720

  • Design names will now generate using real labels from topologies and model variants, rather than internal keys

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where “Equals” operator in benchmark filter would sometimes not work correctly

  • Fixed a bug where the Y axis on library viewer plots would always take the first dataset into account

  • Fixed a bug where benchmark configuration panel would sometimes not be sized correctly when collapsed

  • Fixed a bug where dataset selector on library viewer plots would be too wide

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.7 - December 4th, 2023

New features

  • Gate Resistance dependency for Transistors:

    • Provides a more in-depth understanding of the transistor’s performance, helping the user to make the right trade-off between the switching losses and the speed at which a transistor switches.

    • Added detailed modeling of the gate resistance in transistors. This means if the specific data about a transistor’s gate resistance is available, the software can accurately simulate how this resistance affects the switching losses.

    • Added ability to compute the switching speed of each transistor, given the necessary data. This calculation is directly linked to the gate resistance value.

_images/new_losses.png _images/rg_benchmark_metrics.png
  • Electrical Machine with Control:

    • Added new “Minimize copper losses” electrical machine controller variant (3 phase DC-AC sweep specification) that allows for minimizing Electrically Excited Synchronous Machine (EESM) copper losses

_images/minimize_copper_op.png

Improvements

  • Upon deletion of a library reference, projects and designs that use said reference will not get “Corrupted” anymore

    • Data related to said reference will still be removed from projects and designs

  • Added new Converter and Electrical Machine specific metrics in benchmark:

    • Modulation depth

    • Total switching losses

    • Total conduction losses

    • Machine copper losses

    • Total machine losses

  • General naming and descriptions improvements

  • New manufacturers now available for private reference creation

  • Documentation for electrical machines has been upgraded to make it more comprehensive and user-friendly

Behavior changes

  • For security reasons, accounts will now get inaccessible after 5 failed login attempts due to a wrong password

    • In case this happens, resetting the password will re-open the account.

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where the “Subsystem comparison” tab in benchmark would not appear anymore

  • Fixed a bug where columns in reference library containing boolean values would sometimes not display “Yes” and “No”

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.6 - October 4th, 2023

Improvements

  • Private power switch creation now allows for defining default \(RG_{ON}\) and \(RG_{OFF}\)

  • Performance analysis space for machine operating points has been improved:
    • Now includes:

      • \(I_{ex}\) data

      • Machine efficiency data

      • Machine + Converter losses and efficiency data

    • Plots now allow for focusing only on data over 90% of converter efficiency and losses

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where adding Machine reference in a design naming pattern would always render “None”

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.5 - September 13th, 2023

New features

  • Electrical Machine private reference creation now support GT-FEMAG \(L_{D}\)/\(L_{Q}\) .json files generated from GT-FEMAG allowing for modeling iron and conduction losses

_images/pmsm_data.png

Improvements

  • Enhanced XML file ingestion for private power switches

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.4 - August 31st, 2023

New features

  • All plots in design results page now allows for hovering the mouse to access a specific coordinate’s data

  • Performance analysis plots now allow for only focusing on data over 80% in efficiency

  • Benchmark data table and plots now allows for displaying unfeasible designs

    • Unfeasible designs are now displayed by default along with all successful designs

    • Unfeasible designs only appear on plots if X and Y axis are available data (Mostly design inputs)

    • Benchmark filters apply to unfeasible designs as well

    • Due to technical constraints, unfeasible designs in plots are not selectable using lasso

_images/unfeasible_designs.png

Improvements

  • Design output data for Isolated DC-DC designs now displays if all power switches are operating in soft-switching mode

  • Vastly reduced number of calls to access Efficiency vs. Power data

  • Namings and descriptions have been improved all over the software for better understanding

Behavior changes

  • Off-The-Shelf capacitors are now the default selected model for capacitors

  • Loss maps now computes losses for the whole converter, instead of focusing on Macrocell losses only

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where sharing a project with someone wouldn’t allow them to access generated loss maps

  • Fixed a bug where benchmark data wouldn’t update accordingly after renaming a design

  • Fixed a bug where loss maps with cold plates would sometimes not generate

  • Fixed a bug where the detailed data tab for capacitor sub-systems in design outputs would sometimes not appear

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.3 - June 6th, 2023

New features

  • Introduces Electrically Excited Synchronous Machine (EESM) model

    • Available as a new technology when creation a private Electrical Machine reference

    • Can be used within 3-phase DC-AC “Electrical machine with control” operating points, using “Machine from library” Machine variant

_images/eesm_machines.png

Improvements

  • Improved Performance Analysis space:

    • Selected axis, dataset and “Hide unfeasible designs” options are now kept in memory, even after leaving the space

    • Names of available datasets have been improved

    • Plots titles now better reflect their contents

  • Unavailable data in design dashboard now display “n/a” instead of an empty cell

  • Improved Isolated DC-DC sweep specification default values to always lead to a feasible design

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug preventing from creating an Excel report from a PMSM design

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.2 - April 27th, 2023

Improvements

  • Conduction losses plot in library reference view now allows for selecting X axis to be I or \(T_{j}\)

  • CSV ingestion for PMSM private references now undergoes automatic validation to avoid inconsistencies

  • Improved suggestions in Operating Point sweep specification form

  • Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) Loss Maps now provides plots for:

    • Efficiency

    • AC Current

    • AC Voltage

    • Power factor

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where “Featured plots” tab in benchmark would sometimes not display

  • Fixed Efficiency vs Power plot sometimes not being available on isolated DC-DC

  • Fixed Magnetic Loss plots sometimes not appearing from Magnetic Material library view

GT-PowerForge 2023.1.1 - April 6th, 2023

New features

  • New PMSM capabilities and library of electrical machines

    • Now allows for uploading custom, private electrical machines operating data to be used in designs involving PMSMs

    • Designs can sweep over several electrical machine references

    • Data can be defined through a CSV file from a template directly available within the library

    • Detailed view of machine in library allows for checking data through a data table, and analyze Flux Linkage, Ld and Lq values through 3D plots

    • Speed and Torque have been added to available columns, filters, groups and plot axis in benchmark space

_images/electricalmachine-details.png
  • New multi-benchmark capabilities

    • Now allows for setting up several benchmark spaces per project

    • Each benchmark space has their own plots, filters, grouping, columns and color palette parameters

    • Benchmark spaces can be duplicated, renamed or removed at will

    • Resulting scatter plots within any benchmark space can be set as “featured”, in order to build up a main view of favorite plots in a dedicated tab within a project

    • Plot names can now be customized

_images/multi-benchmark.png
  • Detailed per capacitor data in designs

    • In a similar fashion than for the component data, per capacitor data are now available within a dedicated table

    • Such data is available in a new tab within any “Capacitors” subsystem, such as in LV / HV filters, isolated tanks or Flying Capacitor topologies

    • Designs evaluated prior to this update will benefit from this feature; however, some designs may need to be re-launched to have all columns available.

Improvements

  • Energy curves within a component details view now should only display relevant temperatures

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where displayed iRMS for capacitors was sometimes over iRMS rating while the computed data was correct.

  • Fixed a bug where 3D models for Flying Capacitor macrocells would not display all switches

  • Fixed a bug where axis names would mix up “DC” and “AC” mentions when using AC or DC filter properties

GT-PowerForge 2023.1 - Feb 15th, 2023

New features

  • Detailed per component data in designs

    • Per component energies and thermal data are now available as a table in a dedicated tab in the Macrocell subsystem

    • Thermal data per component is also available as a table in a dedicated tab in the Cooling subsystem

    • Designs evaluated prior to this update will benefit from this feature; however, some designs may need to be re-launched to have all columns available.

_images/datatable.jpg
  • Improved hard switching losses visualization
    • Hard switching losses now appear in a brand new plot visualization tool:

      • Now allows for displaying loss curves at several, interpolated voltage and temperature values

      • Points coming directly from database are highlighted from interpolated points

      • Energies values can now be displayed relative to Ic, Tj or Voltage values

      • Eon, Eoff and Err curve datasets can be either shown or hidden

      • Hovering cursor over a point now gives its coordinates and source

_images/curve.jpg

General improvements

  • Benchmark space

    • Benchmark data is now only reloaded when necessary

    • A column has been added to the data table to identify designs with an available loss map

  • Sweep specification screen

    • Isolated DC-DC default sweep values have been updated to always end up in a feasible design

    • Illustration and labels for Cooling subsystem have been improved

    • Sub-subsystem variants are now available for design naming

Bug fixes

  • Fixed a bug where losses would end up being negative when using custom components with an extremely high TjMax

  • Fixed a bug where real-time sweep suggestion system for single-phase DC-AC would indicate DC source was considered for LV filter, rather than AC current source.

  • Fixed names on home page tiles being over one line instead of two, making it harder to identify projects and libraries

GT-PowerForge 2022.3 - Nov 19th, 2022

New features

  • Custom private semiconductors

    • Now allows for ingestion of XML loss data files with formulas

    • Allows for ingestion of loss data files contained into a single XML file

    • Adds VGoff and VGon as available inputs

  • Organization preferences and user preferences

    • Now allows for setting up preferred currency for the whole organization

    • Users can now order projects on home page based on their name, type or creation date

    • Organization preferences space has been entirely revamped for improved navigation

Solver and displayed outputs improvements

Re-launch all your previous designs to profit from these improvements.

  • Isolated DC-DC transformer

    • Transformer auto-designer has been improved to match target loss densities

    • Irms, Irms corrected and J are now split between primary and secondary sides

    • Area product and winding losses computation have been improved

  • EE-Core magnetics

    • Added Magnetic core area, Effective K(w) and Total conductors cross-section area to available outputs

  • LC Filter

    • Added Filter requirement diagram on (L, C) plane for non-isolated DC-DC LC filters

  • Operating point outputs

    • θ, Ψ, cos(Ψ), φ and cos(φ) are now available for both three-phase and single-phase DC/AC operating points when relevant

General improvements

  • Sweep specification

    • Interface now indicates in real-time whether current or voltage sources are considered depending on selected operating point and filters

    • Fields with non-default values are now displayed in bold

  • Performance space / loss maps

    • Labels for available axis are now more explicit

    • Units have been added to the related axis

    • Selected plot types and axis are now persisted between two visits

    • Z axis-related color gradient has been added to scatter plot

  • Home page

    • Project tiles now include converter type and creation date under their icon

  • Performance improvements

    • Page loading time has been reduced

    • Data for all designs in benchmark space is now only fetched when relevant

Bug fixes

  • Fixed “Sweep name” field sometimes not being taken into account when launching a new sweep

  • Fixed a bug on performance space resulting in plots not being responsive anymore when no data is available