Optimization of electrotechnical devices using a numerical laboratory

A software package for the optimization of electrotechnical devices in the low-frequency range is described. The field calculation program PROFI was extended by adding a symbolic input and a symbolic output. The symbolic data are used in a `numerical laboratory´ to define and to solve design problems. The numerical laboratory includes the possibilities of an automatic parametric device examination and different methods for mathematical optimization. The objective function and the constraints are defined and processed by algebraic formulas. A method called optimization by steps is proposed and applied to the design of an X-ray undulator and a multiwire drift chamber