Learn How to Design Magnetic Gearbox with ANSYS Maxwell

Name: Learn How to Design Magnetic Gearbox with ANSYS Maxwell
Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)

Electromagnetic design, Magnetic Gearbox, Magnetic Gears, finite element analysis, FEA, Ansys Maxwell, Permanent Magnets

Created byMahmoud Awadalla

Last updated 7/2025

English

What you'll learn

Understand magnetic gear concepts and how they differ from mechanical gears.
Design internal, external, and coaxial magnetic gearboxes from scratch.
Apply radial magnetization and set up magnet arrays correctly.
Use ANSYS Maxwell to model and simulate magnetic gear systems in 2D and 3D.
Calculate gear ratios based on pole pairs and modulator segments.
Analyze torque, magnetic field distribution, and performance curves.
Stay updated with the latest research and trends in magnetic gearbox technology.

Course content

4 sections • 24 lectures • 2h 30m total length

Introduction to Magnetic Gears6:05
Learn how magnetic gear systems enable contactless, wear-free torque transmission across external, internal, and coaxial configurations. Use ANSYS Maxwell to design and optimize for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and robotics.
Magnetic gearbox overview2:32

Objectives0:22
Geometry Definition - Part 110:38
Explore the geometry of a magnetic internal gearbox in ANSYS Maxwell, detailing the large gear with magnets and back iron and 2 mm spacing.
What is the meaning of radial magnetization ?0:43
Geometry Definition - Part 210:39
Define the inner gear geometry using a relative coordinate system, set diameters and air gap, create magnets and back iron, use booleans, and prepare for material and torque analyses.
Material Definition3:40
Assign materials for a magnetic gearbox in ANSYS Maxwell, using M19_29G for back iron and N48 neodymium magnets with radial magnetization in cylindrical coordinates.
Add band, mesh setting and solution setup8:07
Apply bands to the inner and outer gears, configure mesh and boundaries, and set up a time-based solution in ANSYS Maxwell to simulate a magnetic gearbox at 500 rpm.
Results (Torque and Magnetic Field Density Map)16:56
Explore how to simulate torque, speed, and position for inner and outer gears using ANSYS Maxwell, and generate magnetic field density maps and related plots.
Conclusions0:25

Objectives0:28
Geomerty Definitions and Results13:03
Design external magnetic gear in Ansys Maxwell and compare its performance to internal gear. Learn about back iron placement, gear directions, and torque outcomes.
Field Desnity Map & Animations4:51
Explore magnetic field density maps for external gearboxes, plot density with ANSYS Maxwell, and animate 2d or 3d gear interactions to observe field effects. Optimize by increasing back iron widths.
Create 2D design from existing 3D design ( External Gear )15:56
Learn how to convert a magnetic gear from 3d to 2d in Maxwell, set boundary conditions, define rotation, run transient analysis, and compare 2d and 3d torque and field results.
Conclusions0:20

Objectives0:30
Introduction to Coaxial Magnetic Gearbox4:36
Design a coaxial magnetic gearbox, detailing large and inner gears, back irons, 12 iron pieces, and 2 inner gear pole pairs, with 100 rpm modulator and 600 rpm gear.
Geometry Definitions (Part 1)13:23
Define the magnetic coaxial gearbox geometry in Maxwell 3D, drawing outer and inner gears, back iron, magnets and air gaps, then perform boolean subtract and separate operations.
Geomerty Definitions ( Part 2)9:37
Define the small gear geometry using cylinders for the gear, inner diameter, back iron, and magnets, then perform boolean operations to form the magnet and back iron bodies.
Add band, mesh setting, solution setup and Analyze the model15:02
Design a coaxial magnetic gearbox by adding bands for the small gear, modulator, and large gear; set up mesh and transient analysis to compute torque and gear ratio.
Flux Density Map and Animation for Model where large gear is stationary2:50
Create and animate a flux density map in ANSYS Maxwell to visualize the magnetic field in a stationary large-gear gearbox, showing the small gear and modulator in counterclockwise motion.
Flux Density Map and Animation for Model where modulator is stationary.7:06
Reconfigure Maxwell model with a stationary modulator and rotating gears to study a five-to-one gear ratio, flux density map, and locate the maximum torque near 42 degrees at 500 rpm.
Conclusions0:31
Future of Magnetic Gearbox Systems1:42

Requirements

Basic understanding of electromagnetics and magnetic fields.
Fundamental knowledge of CAD or simulation tools is helpful but not mandatory.
Access to a computer capable of running ANSYS Maxwell.
Interest in magnetic systems, torque transmission, or non-contact gear technologies.
No prior experience in magnetic gear design is required—you’ll learn from the ground up.

Description

This course is a comprehensive, hands-on guide to the design, simulation, and analysis of magnetic gearboxes using ANSYS Maxwell. Whether you’re an engineer, researcher, graduate student, or simply someone passionate about advanced electromagnetic systems, this course will equip you with both the theoretical background and the practical skills needed to learn how to design and analyze magnetic gear systems.

You’ll explore the complete design workflow for internal, external, and coaxial magnetic gears. Unlike conventional mechanical gears, magnetic gears operate without physical contact—relying entirely on magnetic fields to transmit torque. This contactless mechanism eliminates friction, minimizes maintenance, and enables quieter, more efficient systems. As a result, magnetic gears are now a leading solution for modern applications like electric vehicles, wind turbines, aerospace systems, medical devices, and robotics.

In this course, you will:

Understand the physical principles and performance benefits of magnetic gearboxes.
Create detailed 2D and 3D models using ANSYS Maxwell.
Define pole pairs, gear ratios, magnetization directions, and modulator structures.
Assign materials and configure moving parts with rotational motion.
Simulate magnetic flux, field strength, torque, and optimize gear geometry.

This course will be continuously updated to reflect the latest research, tools, and innovations in magnetic gear technology—so you can stay ahead of the curve in your career or research.

Who this course is for:

Electrical and mechanical engineers interested in magnetic gear design.
Researchers and graduate students working on motors, drives, or energy systems.
ANSYS Maxwell users seeking practical magnetic gear simulation skills.
Product designers and R&D engineers in robotics, EVs, or renewable energy.
Educators looking to include magnetic gearing in advanced electromagnetics courses.
Hobbyists and innovators curious about non-contact torque transmission technologies.

Learn How to Design Magnetic Gearbox with ANSYS Maxwell

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction to Magnetic Gearbox2 lectures • 9min

Internal Magnetic Gearbox Design8 lectures • 52min

External Magnetic Gearbox Design5 lectures • 35min

Coaxial Magnetic Gearbox Design9 lectures • 55min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: