Vector Fields has published a video exploring the potential of a radical new type of tool for optimizing electromagnetic equipment designs. The video illustrates a process that makes auto optimization possible, and within practical timescales for almost any scale of problem, even if a user specifies several or even competing objectives.

The video starts by following the creation of a parameterized model of a quadrupole magnet for controlling particle beams. In this case the optimum design requires finding the best field shape, which depends on the length of the magnet pole tip, and the blend radius. However, even though this example problem has only one design objective, there are constraints (higher order harmonics) that need to be minimized. There are possible design solutions right across the space, so it is quite likely that manual efforts might only find a local minima.

Intelligent application of a suite of algorithms is behind the tool, and the video follows the tool's operational approach, which runs a primary series of simulations across the design space to provide a basis for understanding where the likely globally optimum solution lies. It then homes in on the best fit. Setting up the auto optimization process took only a few minutes using templates. In this instance the PC – a standard office type – ran for around 10 hours to find the solution. The video can be viewed at: www.vectorfields.com/optimisation.php.