Power transformer design with finite elements-a company experience

The implementation of computer aided drawing and design techniques for many aspects of mechanical and electrical design and manufacture is widely accepted in many companies. However, in the power industry the use of modern electromagnetic design software, such as finite element programs, has not been widespread. There are two main reasons for this difference in emphasis. One is the fact that commercially available electromagnetic software has only recently begun to appear as a mature product and the other is that this type of software requires a high degree of commitment in application and understanding to ensure its success. The paper gives an account of the successful application of this type of software in industry and discusses, using example test cases, the merits of its use and the types of problems that are presented when using it in the power transformer design arena