OptEM Cable Designer is a software tool that enables engineers to model, analyze and optimize cable designs accurately, reducing costly prototypes and speeding up production. At its core, OptEM Cable Designer extrudes a 3D model of the cable, considering lay lengths and realistic enclosure shapes. This ensures an accurate representation of real-world cable configurations. The software then performs electromagnetic (EM) field analysis, extracting key transmission parameters such as L, R, C and G values, which vary based on frequency and cable position. Further analysis produces S-parameter outputs like insertion loss, return loss, NEXT and FEXT, helping engineers evaluate signal integrity. OptEM Cable Designer has a hierarchical design concept, allowing engineers to build complex cable structures using existing design elements. Each component is tagged with key properties, including conductor and dielectric materials, plating thickness and positioning details such as twisting, back-twisting and enclosure shaping. This flexibility ensures a realistic simulation of multi-conductor cable configurations. Unlike static field solvers,
OptEM’s high frequency EM solver is based on the Helmholtz equation, capturing skin effects, proximity effects, eddy currents in shields and dielectric losses. This results in accurate frequency-dependent transmission models that align closely with real-world measurements. By reducing the need for physical prototypes, engineers can lower overall production cost and time to market. With its robust 3D modeling, high frequency EM analysis and measurement modification capabilities, OptEM Cable Designer is a useful tool for engineers looking to design high performance, cost-effective cable solutions.
OptEM Engineering Inc.
Calgary, Alberta
www.optem.com