PiCAD-Motor is designed not just to be powerful, but also intuitive and user-friendly, helping users navigate complex motor design workflows without feeling overwhelmed. Understanding your account and its features is the first step to unlocking the full potential of the software.
This section takes you on a comprehensive tour of your PiCAD-Motor account, showing you how to explore modules, generate reports, and access tutorials and best practices, all from a user’s perspective.
Home Tab Layout
The Home Tab includes:
EV Module – For designing and analyzing electric vehicle motors.
NON-EV Module – For industrial motors, robotics, or non-vehicle applications.
AMD Module – Advanced motor design tools for in-depth simulations.
Cost Estimation Module – Helps estimate the cost of motor production based on materials, design parameters, and performance specifications.
Module View
Each module in PiCAD-Motor is designed to focus on a specific aspect of motor design.
1. EV Module
Purpose: Analyze and optimize electric vehicle motors.
Key Features: Torque curves, efficiency maps, battery integration, and motor control simulations.
User Scenario: An engineer designing an EV motor can simulate torque at different speeds, analyze energy consumption, and test performance under varying load conditions.
2. NON-EV Module
Purpose: Focuses on industrial and specialized motors not related to vehicles.
Key Features: High-torque simulations, continuous operation testing, thermal performance analysis.
User Scenario: A factory engineer can ensure that a conveyor belt motor operates efficiently for 24 hours under variable loads.
3. AMD (Advanced Motor Design) Module
Purpose: Provides advanced features for users requiring detailed simulations.
Key Features: Multi-parameter optimization, material selection, rotor and stator customization, and performance prediction under complex scenarios.
User Scenario: A research engineer testing new rotor materials can simulate different configurations and predict performance without building physical prototypes.
4. Cost Estimation Module
Purpose: Calculates the approximate cost of motor production.
Key Features: Material costs, labor, production time, and overheads.
User Scenario: A project manager can compare different motor designs to identify the most cost-effective option while maintaining performance.
Tip for Users: Dive deep into a module only after understanding its purpose. PiCAD-Motor provides contextual tooltips and help icons inside each module to guide you through complex settings.
Report Generation
Report generation is a key feature in PiCAD-Motor, enabling users to analyze efficiently and document simulation results. Reports summarize your input parameters but also provide a comprehensive analysis of simulation results, helping you make informed decisions.
Types of Reports
Cumulative Report
Summarizes all input and output data for the selected module.
Includes torque, speed, efficiency, thermal data, and other key performance metrics.
User Scenario: After simulating an EV motor, the cumulative report allows an engineer to present all relevant performance data in a single document.
AI-Generated Report
Uses AI to analyze simulation results and generate insights.
Highlights areas for improvement, potential inefficiencies, and optimization suggestions.
User Scenario: A student analyzing their motor design for a class project can quickly understand what design changes might improve efficiency without manually interpreting complex data.
User Tip: Always review both cumulative and AI-generated reports. While cumulative reports provide raw data, AI reports translate numbers into actionable insights, saving time and effort.
Record View
The Record View acts as your personal design history manager. All simulations, reports, and parameters are stored here.
Features
Track previous projects and simulations
Compare historical designs with current ones
Export previous results for reference or collaboration