PCB Component

Video: Perform a thermal analysis on a component and printed circuit board

Use the PCB Component simulation object to:

• Define the thermal models, radiative behavior, and dissipation of the electronic component.

• Connect the component thermally to a face.

• Select a predefined thermal model from an electronic components library.

• Enter or access ECAD information.

• Track the component temperature during the solve.

• Create an HTML temperature report of the electronic component.

To account for radiation exchange, you can include the electronic component in a Radiation simulation object or a Radiation to Environment constraint.

For each electronic component, you must create a separate PCB Component simulation object and specify the following:

• The Component Region that contains 2D elements that represent the top surface of the electronic component.

• The Mounting Region that points to a face region.

• The thermal model of the electronic component. You can define the thermal model manually or get from it from your component catalog. The following thermal models are available:Zero-ResistorOne-ResistorTwo-Resistor

• The type of result that you want to obtain. You can obtain the temperature of every element on the component mesh, or a single merged temperature.Clear the Compute Single Footprint/Case Temperature check box to obtain the temperature of all elements.Select the Compute Single Footprint/Case Temperature check box to obtain the merged temperature.

A PCB Component simulation object is created automatically by the PCB Exchange application when you use the Thermal Solution command.

Meshing a PCB component

The PCB Component simulation object requires that the top surface of the electronic component is meshed with 2D thin shell or null shell elements (1). The top face is the most geometrically representative face furthest from the board (2).

Note:

When you select a polygon face for the Component Region make sure you only select the meshed face and that this face is the furthest from the board.

The thermal model of the electronic component is a property of the PCB Component simulation object and does not depend on the component's mesh.

Supported variables and functions

The following table lists the independent variables and auto-generated expressions for the PCB Component quantities that you can define using fields and expressions.

Quantity	Variables	Auto-generated expressions
Dissipation	Time	fluid_temperature heat_flow_rate mass_flow_rate nx ny nz pressure radius rotational_speed temperature temperature_difference thermal_capacitance thickness time volume_flow_rate x y z

In expressions, you can also use all built-in functions that are listed in Mathematical functions in expressions and most built-in functions that are listed in Thermal-flow functions in expressions.

Where do I find it?

Application	Pre/Post
Command Finder	PCB Component
Simulation Navigator	Right-click the Simulation Objects node→New Simulation Object→PCB Component

How do I

Connect a component to a PCB

Modify the component catalog XML file

Learn more

Inputs to expressions

Look up more details

Zero-Resistor thermal model

One-Resistor thermal model

Two-Resistor thermal model

PCB Component catalog

Sample PCB component catalog file in a spreadsheet application

Auto-generated expressions

Quick links

Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow, Electronic Systems Cooling, and Space Systems Thermal boundary conditions

Thermal/Flow, Electronic Systems Cooling, and Space Systems Thermal

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

PCB Component, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

© 2020 Siemens

window.mainLanguage="en_US"

window.delivId=""

window.projectId=""

MathJax.Hub.Config({ TeX: { extensions: ["autoload-all.js"] }, tex2jax: { displayMath: [ ] }, "SVG": { scale: 125 } });