IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - September 2021 - 98

platform I really could not come up
with a better solution than the one
that the tool initially calculated.
Another great feature of the Frenetic
platform is the ability to order
samples based design created in the
tool. While I have not actually ordered
samples, the quotes I was given for
the cost were more than reasonable
and the delivery time was much faster
than any of the usual magnetics suppliers
with whom I work.
All of these tools offer the ability
to get better magnetics designs in
less time but none of these tools are
free. How much do they cost? You
will have to get your own quotes from
these companies. I can say that the
prices will not make these tools
attractive to the hobbyist market.
However, like any professional tool,
each company will have to look at the
time saved versus the cost and make
the usual return on investment (ROI)
decision. For a company that regularly
designs magnetics for switch mode
power converters I think the ROI
analysis will greatly favor acquiring
one of these tools.
Overall, I think these tools offer a
lot and show real advances in automating
the solution of a complex
design problem. The Frenetic tool is
particularly notable in its application
of AI to solving the multidimensional
optimization problem. I think that
these tools bode well and that power
electronics designers can look forward
to an ever evolving capability in
the automated design of magnetic
devices. So what do you think? Will a
computer design your next transformer
or inductor?
Disclaimer
The mention of specific companies
and products is exemplary only and
is in no way an endorsement by the
IEEE or the IEEE Power Electronics
Society.
About the Author
Robert V. White (bob.white@ieee.org)
has more than 30 years of industry
experience as a power electronics
engineer. He has worked in product
design, systems and applications engineering,
and technology development.
He has been an active volunteer with
the IEEE Power Electronics Society,
serving several years on the Administrative
Committee, two terms as technical
vice president, and as a Chapter
chair. He earned a B.S.E.E. degree
from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and an M.S.E.E. degree
from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
He is currently pursuing a Ph.D.
degree in power electronics at the University
of Colorado, Boulder. Presently,
he is the chief engineer of Embedded
Power Labs, a power electronics
consulting company in Highlands
Ranch, CO 80130, USA. He is a Fellow
of the IEEE.
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