Ansys Electronics Desktop Student Is Added to Free Software Downloads

Since we started offering free simulation software downloads through our Ansys Academic Program in 2015, there have been more than 1.8 million free downloads of Ansys Student, Ansys LS-DYNA Student, Ansys SCADE Student and Ansys Discovery Student. While 1.8 million is a number that any company would be proud of, and we are, it’s just a start — especially when one critical engineering field is just now being included.

“Supporting engineers during every phase of their career is a top priority for Ansys. This launch will enable students to excel in an increasingly competitive, dynamic and evolving global economy, and – ultimately – help shape the future of product design as these students become the next generation of inventors,” said Prith Banerjee, chief technology officer at Ansys.

Ansys Electronic Desktop Student expands students’ and self-learners’ online access to industry-leading simulation solutions, including:

• Ansys HFSS, a multipurpose, full-wave 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulation software for designing and simulating high-frequency electronic products such as antennas, components, interconnects, connectors, integrated circuits (Ics) and printed circuit boards (PCBs).
• Ansys Maxwell, an EM field solver for electric machines, transformers, wireless charging, permanent magnet latches, actuators and other electromechanical devices. Maxwell solves static, frequency-domain and time-varying magnetic and electric fields.
• Ansys Q3D Extractor, which calculates the parasitic parameter of frequency-dependent resistance, inductance, capacitance and conductance (RLCG) for electronic products.
• Ansys Icepak, a CFD solver for electronics thermal management. It predicts airflow, temperature and heat transfer in IC packages, PCBs, electronic assemblies/enclosures and power electronics.

Using this free student software download electrical engineering undergraduate and graduate students as well as independent self-learners can use simulation to help with homework problems, capstone projects, and engage in online learning through Ansys Innovation Courses. Simulation has been shown to accelerate learning and is a skillset that when acquired can make an engineer a more attractive job candidate.

What Educators Are Saying

Eric Bogatin, dean of the Signal Integrity Academy and adjunct professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, is particularly happy for his students and the broader academic community to have free access to HFSS.

"Ansys HFSS is a game changer for students and any self-learner,” Bogatin said. “I hear over and over how valuable simulation skills are to employers. It’s more than just knowing what buttons to push — it is also about the right way to interpret the results. Best simulation practices take time to learn and require guidance from expert teachers. The availability of HFSS and the supporting educational materials available from Ansys and their education partners remove the barriers for anyone interested in accelerating up the learning curve and becoming an expert in best simulation practices. This tool is a win-win for students, engineers and the companies they work for."

The availability of Ansys Electronic Desktop Student will also benefit students who are teaching themselves about physics and simulation through the more than one hundred Ansys Innovation Courses (AIC) now available online. Kathryn Leigh Smith, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, has been instrumental in developing a series of self-paced, online electronics courses that are included in AIC offerings.

“The free student version of Ansys HFSS is a great development for several reasons,” said Smith. “First, it supports easy access for both traditional and nontraditional students looking to access the tool on their own, without the support of a VPN or other university connection. Second, putting HFSS directly in the hands of learners opens up the field for anyone interested in learning to use the software. This gives students a big advantage in learning electromagnetics, and ultimately in job-readiness, as many employers prioritize candidates with HFSS experience.”

Everyone Benefits

The Ansys Academic Program helps us to fulfil our goal of attaining “pervasive engineering simulation” throughout all industries at all levels of engineering. By educating the next generation of engineers in the best practices of simulation, they will be prepared to perform simulations that were previously relegated to highly experienced engineering analysts. Learning simulation will help these students to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges in areas like 5G, autonomous vehicles, electrification, alternative energy, etc. When every engineer is comfortable with simulation, every organization benefits from increased productivity, reduced costs and accelerated time to market.

Offering Ansys Electronics Desktop Student is just our latest step on a journey to make simulation pervasive. And we’re just getting started. To learn more about this free product and download it now, visit the Ansys Electronics Desktop Student page.