Boundary conditions > Simulation objects > Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow, Electronic Systems Cooling, and Space Systems Thermal simulation objects > PCB Component

PCB Component catalog

The component catalog is stored in the component.xml file.

Note:

The component.xml file must be stored in the same folder as the other Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow, Simcenter 3D Electronic Systems Cooling, and Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal catalog files.

The location of the catalog folder is, by default, the [software_installation]\NXCAE_extras\tmg\if\catalogs folder or the folder specified by the MAYA_TMG_CATALOG_DIR environment variable.

To add a new component to the catalog by directly modifying the XML files, you must define:

The name of the component in the XML tag.
All the required record XML tags with their corresponding XML tags. Warning: You must enter temperature values in Celsius and all other values in SI units.

Example:

This is an example of a zero-resistor thermal model component definition in the component.xml file.

<item name=”res008”>  <record name=”Part Number”>    <text value=”res008”/>  </record>  <record name=”Package”>    <text value=”40mW”/>  </record>  <record name=”Manufacturer”>    <text value=”Megatone Electronics Corp”/>  </record>  <record name=”Resistor Model”>    <int value=”0”/>  </record>  <record name=”Load (W)”>    <float value=”0.042”/>  </record>  <record name=”Maximum Temperature (C)”>    <float value=”130”/>  </record></item>

PCB Component catalog XML tags

XML tag	Example	Description
catalog	Electrical Components	Sets the name of the catalog in the Component Catalog dialog box.
maps	N.A.	Contains the maps. You must never modify this part of the XML file.
map	N.A.	Maps the record name to the user interface option name.
group	Resistors	Sets a group of items displayed together in the Component Catalog dialog box.A group XML tag can have multiple item XML tags.
item	pn001	Sets the name for the item in the catalog.The item XML tag is always inside a group XML tag. An item XML tag has multiple record XML tags.
record	Part Number	Sets the name of the record.The record XML tag is always inside an item XML tag. A record XML tag can only have one text XML tag.
text	pn001	Sets the value of the record to a text string.The text XML tag is always inside a record XML tag.
int	1	Sets the value of the record to an integer number.The int XML tag is always inside a record XML tag.
float	2.3	Sets the value of the record to a real number.The float XML tag is always inside a record XML tag.
bool	1	Sets the value of the record to a on or off value.The bool XML tag is always inside a record XML tag.

Record XML tags

The record names are displayed in the Component Catalog dialog box in the Property column.

Record name	Example	Description
Common tags to all models
DESCRIPTION	F0AA01	Sets the description of the item in the Component Catalog dialog box.
Reference	F0AA01	Sets a unique identifier in the PCB Exchange part file used in an ECAD or MCAD model.
Part Number	SN00001	Sets the part number used in an ECAD or MCAD model to describe its unique identifier.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Part Number box.
Package	resistor_01s	Sets the geometric part file used in an ECAD or MCAD model.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Package box.
Manufacturer	TI	Describes the part manufacturer.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Manufacturer box.
Element Size (m)	0.002	Assigns an element size for the component mesh elements.
Element Thickness (m)	0.001	Assigns a thickness for the component mesh elements.
Element Color	Green	Assigns a color for the component mesh elements.
Case Material	Plastic	Assigns a material for the component case.
Power Density (W/m^2)	0.5	Sets the power density of the component, which you can use to filter components, based on power density from the idealized part.
Common tags to all thermal models
Resistor Model	0	Specifies the resistor model.0 sets the zero-resistor model.1 sets the one-resistor model.2 sets the two-resistor model.-1 sets the resistor model to none. PCB Exchange ignores the component when you use the Thermal Solution command to automatically mesh components and apply boundary conditions.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Model list.
Load (W)	10	Sets the total wattage on the component.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Dissipation box.
Emissivity Setting	1	Controls the emissivity options.1 uses the emissivity value that you enter in the Emissivity record name.0 uses the emissivity value from the thermo-optical property of the element.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Emissivity list.
Emissivity	0.7	Sets the value for the emissivity of the component. The value must be between 0 and 1.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Emissivity Value box.
Single Footprint	1	Controls temperature output for the component.1 merges the elements of the component region faces into a single calculation point.0 calculates the temperatures of the all the elements in the component region.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value controls the Compute Single Footprint/Case Temperature check box state.
Coupling Resolution	0	Controls the accuracy of the coupling. The software subdivides primary elements according to the Coupling Resolution before it determines conductances. With a 0 resolution, the solver calculates a single conductance from each primary element to the nearest secondary element.With a 1 through 6 resolution, the software subdivides each primary element into a progressively larger number of sub-elements.A finer subdivision level does not necessarily produce more accurate results.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Coupling Resolution list.
Report	1	Creates an HTML temperature report.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value controls the Temperature Report check box state.
Track During Solve	0	Displays the temperature during the solution in the Solution Monitor.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value controls the Track During Solve check box state.
Common tags to Zero-Resistor thermal models
Maximum Temperature (C)	80	Sets the maximum allowable temperature for the component.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Tmax box.
Common tags to One-Resistor thermal models
Theta CB (C/W)	100	Sets the resistance between the case and the board.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Theta CB box.
Maximum Case Temperature (C)	80	Sets the maximum allowable temperature for the case.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Tmax Case box.
Common tags to Two-Resistor thermal models
Theta JC (C/W)	5	Sets the resistance between the case and the lump mass.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Theta JC box.
Theta JB (C/W)	4	Sets the resistance between the lump mass and the board.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Theta JB box.
Maximum Case Temperature (C)	80	Sets the maximum allowable temperature at the case.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Tmax Case box.
Maximum Junction Temperature (C)	100	Sets the maximum allowable temperature at the junction.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Tmax Junction box.
Junction Capacitance (J/C)	2	Sets the capacitance of the lump mass.In the PCB Component simulation object, the record value is displayed in the Junction Capacitance box.
Common tags to all structural models
Mass (kg)	0.5	Sets the mass of the component. The component mass is used to create a 1D lumped mass connector in structural solutions. You can also filter components, based on mass from the idealized part.

How do I

Connect a component to a PCB

Modify the component catalog XML file

Learn more

Inputs to expressions

Thermal Coupling

Merge Set

Printed Circuit Board

Track During Solve report

Report

Look up more details

Zero-Resistor thermal model

One-Resistor thermal model

Two-Resistor thermal model

Sample PCB component catalog file in a spreadsheet application

Auto-generated expressions

Customizing catalogs

PCB Component dialog box

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