What’s New in Ansys 2026 R1 for Electromagnetics

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Faster solvers, cleaner workflows, and tighter ECAD/MCAD + motor integration—now with hands-on support from PADT

Electromagnetics teams are being asked to do more every year: explore bigger design spaces, connect ECAD and MCAD without friction, and simulate machines, drives, and mechanics as one system. Ansys 2026 R1 answers that pressure with major upgrades across Maxwell and Motor‑CAD—speed, accuracy, automation, and collaboration all take a noticeable step forward.

As an Ansys Elite Channel Partner, PADT helps engineering groups turn these updates into real productivity gains. Whether you’re analyzing PCB magnetics, designing electric machines, or building full drive–machine–thermal workflows, we make sure your team gets value from day one.

Highlights at a Glance (2026 R1)

  • New AC Magnetic APhi solver (commercial) — Purpose built for PCB magnetics, busbars, and power components. Supports proximity effects, distributed frequency sweeps with GPU acceleration, and cleaner postprocessing (including via-force exports).

  • Practical ECAD/MCAD coexistence — Priority rules for overlapping conductors and 3D components eliminate meshing errors and geometry surgery.

  • Secure model sharing — Fully encrypted 3D components now protect geometry, materials, BCs, excitations, and mesh operations across all Maxwell 3D physics.

  • Quality of life upgrades — Named Selections, new Python automation, stronger Maxwell ↔ Motion force coupling for NVH, and broader file based force exchange.

  • Big speed gains for machines — Up to 10× faster Maxwell 2D magnetic transient workflows, with a new 1storder element option delivering ~3.5× faster iterations.

  • Axial Flux Motor (AFM) commercial release in Motor‑CAD — New thermal module (beta), rotor skew, expanded demag methods, NVH force export, adaptive rotor templates, and a Maxwell lab link.

  • Cleaner efficiency workflows — Improved SVPWM excitation, unified performance map workflow, new LUTs, and automated Maxwell↔Motor‑CAD integration.

  • Automation & rollout improvements — PyMotorCAD becomes the unified automation API; AEDT + Motor‑CAD now install together for simpler deployment.

  • Loss & thermal modeling upgrades — Better Litz wire loss, improved bearing/banding/sleeve losses, adaptive thermal templates, and thermal ROM export.

Updates for Electronics, High-tech & Power Electronics (Maxwell)

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Faster, more complete AC magnetics

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Maxwell’s A-Phi Solver can solve a full PCB layout from ECAD import | Courtesy of Ansys

The new AC Magnetic APhi solver is built for PCB magnetics, busbars, and power components operating in the frequency domain. It captures proximity effects, supports GPU accelerated sweeps, and delivers cleaner outputs—losses, currents, voltages, L/C values, and forces—without stitching together multiple workflows.

Postprocessing exports (peak flux density, via currents, via forces) make mechanical and thermal handoffs far easier.

ECAD/MCAD without the headaches

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Component priorities allow for resolving conflict between ECAD and MCAD | Courtesy of Ansys

When PCB layouts overlap with magnetic components, new component priority controls determine which conductor or dielectric “owns” the region. This dramatically reduces meshing failures and ensures consistent material resolution across Transient A‑Phi and AC Magnetic A‑Phi solvers.

Secure, scalable collaboration

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3D Components can be fully encrypted, protecting IP while allowing more collaboration | Courtesy of Ansys

Encrypted 3D components now protect everything—geometry, materials, BCs, excitations, mesh operations—across all Maxwell 3D solvers (Electrostatic, DC Conduction, Electric Transient, AC Conduction, AC Magnetic APhi, and Magnetic Transient). Suppliers can share high-fidelity models without exposing IP.

Automation and coupling improvements

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Named Selections are added to Maxwell and can have operations assigned to them | Courtesy of Ansys

Named Selections reduce assignment errors and new Python commands speed inception voltage evaluation.

Updates for Motor Designers (MotorCAD + Maxwell)

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Throughput that changes how teams work

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Significant speed-ups in the 2D Magnetic Transient solver | Courtesy of Ansys

Maxwell’s 2D magnetic transient solver is now up to 10× faster end-to-end. The new 1st order element mode alone delivers ~3.5× speedup, enabling more concept screening per sprint without sacrificing core accuracy.

Axial Flux Motors get full enterprise support

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New Axial-Flux Motor Templates & Adaptive Rotor Templates | Courtesy of Ansys

MotorCAD now includes thermal support for AFMs, rotor skew, NVH force computation with export to Mechanical, expanded demag methods, and adaptive rotor templates. A new AFM→Maxwell lab link lets teams dial in electromagnetic detail when needed.

Cleaner, more consistent efficiency and loss workflows

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SVPWM UX Improvements allow for all relevant signals to be previewed | Courtesy of Ansys

Maxwell’s SVPWM excitation is now periodic, predictable, and easier to preview. A unified performance map workflow brings induction machines into the same automated Maxwell↔MotorCAD loop, supported by new LUTs for magnetizing/leakage inductance, rotor resistance, and iron loss.

Automation and modeling polish

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Maxwell + MotorCAD Performance Mapping Workflow | Courtesy of Ansys

PyMotorCAD replaces legacy automation with a modern JSONRPC API. AEDT + MotorCAD now install together for simpler rollout. PMDC coverage expands, and loss/thermal modeling improves across Litz wire, bearings, banding, sleeves, and thermal ROM export. Expanded Maxwell→Motion force coupling strengthens NVH workflows for gears, drives, and rotating systems.

Why These Updates Matter—and How PADT Helps

Shorter cycles without sacrificing fidelity

Faster solvers and cleaner ECAD/MCAD resolution mean more variants evaluated with fewer geometry issues. PADT helps teams stand up pilot studies so the time savings show up immediately in your workflow.

A safer, more collaborative supply chain

Encrypted components let suppliers share “black‑box” fidelity without exposing IP—ideal for motors, magnetics, and power modules. PADT helps OEMs and suppliers build repeatable, secure component libraries.

Unified machine + electronics workflows

From SVPWM driven AC loss prediction to automated Maxwell↔MotorCAD performance maps, 2026 R1 makes it easier to capture drive–machine interactions early and push thermal/NVH checks downstream with consistent data. PADT helps to configure and automate these links for your product lines.

Turn 2026 R1 Into Real Throughput Gains

As an Ansys Elite Channel Partner, PADT supports your full electromagnetics workflow—from PCB magnetics and power electronics to electric machine design, calibration, and system level integration. Most teams see measurable improvements in weeks, not months.

Register for the Ansys 2026 R1 Electronics Update webinar here to learn about updates for additional electronics products, and keep an eye out for future presentations on this latest release.

Learn how the 2026 R1 updates apply to your electromagnetics workflows—schedule a meeting with PADT’s simulation experts to review the new features and map out where they can deliver immediate gains.

Contact us:

Via Phone: 480-813-4884

Current Ansys Customers: swsupport@padtinc.com

New to Ansys: productinfo@padtinc.com

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