CAD

CADpass client secure connection (will be referred to as CADpass client or CADpass in this document) is a utility provided by CMC Microsystems that creates a secure connection between client PCs, workstations, and computer sessions.

This quick start guide is provided to help subscribers install and run Ansys Electronics Desktop (EDT) CAD modules. These instructions have been tested on a Windows 10, 64-bit operating system using CMC Microsystems’ CADpass to access shared licenses on the CMC License Management System (LMS).

Prerequisites for Installing Ansys with CMC License Management System (LMS)

Before you begin with this installation, you must do the following:

• • Students must register with CMC at https://account.cmc.ca/MyAccount/MyAccount.aspx.
  • Faculty supervisors can subscribe through the CMC subscription page at https://www.cmc.ca/subscriptions/.
  • Complete all required agreements for Ansys software use, which may be obtained at https://www.cmc.ca/tools/.
  • You must have administrator rights for the computer on which you are installing this software.
  • You must have a unique login name (Linux or Windows) that does not contain a blank space. A username such as “charlie brown” contains a space, while usernames such as “charlie.brown” or “charlie_brown” do not contain spaces.

The following are examples of unacceptable login names because they are not unique: admin or administrator, cmcmgr, root, stcmgr, super, sysadmin, user, owner, student, guest, temp, and system.

System Requirements

The technical staff at Ansys provide the following recommendations for making the best use of their software, including the operating system, graphics card, CPU, and other hardware.

For a list of the features in this bundle, contact cad@cmc.ca.

Setting up CADpass Client for Use with Ansys EDT

CADpass client is a CMC Microsystems’ license access client and is used by subscribers across Canada to connect to our secure license server(s).

1. 1. Follow the instructions in the quick start guide to download and install CADpass client.
   2. Start CADpass client and log in using your CMC Microsystems Username and Password.
   3. When the CAD access window appears, double-click Ansys for Academics.

A red checkmark appears next to the entry, as shown in Figure 1. Leave this checked while you are using the software.

Figure 1: Ansys for Academics Entry in CADpass Client with a License Selected

Obtaining the Software

To obtain the latest Ansys software from CMC Microsystems:

1. Navigate to the Ansys download site on the CMC Microsystems website at Ansys 2024 downloads.
2. Choose the appropriate version for your operating system and download the Ansys Electronics Desktop (EDT) software installation file archive to your workstation.

Installing Ansys Software

Before Installing the Ansys software

1. Start CADpass client and log in using your CMC Microsystems Username and Password.
2. Double-click the installer archive.
3. Extract the archive into a separate temporary folder.

To Install the Ansys Software

1. In the extracted Electronics directory, double-click autorun.exe. In the window displayed, click Install Electromagnetics Suite, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Ansys Electromagnetics Installation Shell

In the pop-up dialogue Ansys Electromagnetics Suite, you are prompted to close all Windows programs before starting the installation. Close these programs and click Next. You are prompted to read the license agreement carefully to understand your obligations.

1. 1. Contact cad@cmc.ca if you have questions about these obligations.
   2. If you agree to the terms, click Yes.
   3. In the following pop-up dialogue, choose your installation directory and click Next.
   4. Choose a default temporary directory for simulation work, either solo or group and click Next.
   5. Choose a location for common libraries containing individual or group material and click Next.
   6. In the following window, you are prompted for your license location.
   7. Choose I want to specify a license server and click Next.
   8. Enter the information for the Ansys license server: TCP/IP port number is 6624, and Server 1 is a2.cmc.ca
   9. To complete the rest of the installation process, click Next to review your choices, then click Next to begin.
      When the executable has completed its task, the dialogue InstallShield Wizard Complete is displayed.
   10. Click Finish to close the dialogue.
   11. Click Exit to close the installer program.

Testing your Ansys EDT Installation

To Test Your Ansys EDT Installation

1. 1. Ensure that you have the CADpass client running and a checkmark next to the Ansys for Academics entry, as shown in Figure 1.
   2. Select the Desktop from the main Windows menu as follows:
      Start menu | Ansys EM Suite 2024 Rx | Ansys Electronics Desktop 2024 Rx.
   3. Go to the menu selection File | Open Examples.
   4. Click to open a folder such as HFSS | RF Microwave.
   5. Select an *.aedt project in this directory to load it into Ansys EDT, as shown in Figure 3. You are now able to open a project and set up a simulation.

Figure 3: Ansys Electronics Desktop 2024 Running HFSS

Troubleshooting

The following suggestions are based upon difficulties some of our subscribers have had when upgrading their workstations from earlier Ansys installations.

Anti-virus Programs

Some anti-virus programs may interfere with the Ansys installer. If you cannot complete this installation, temporarily shut off your anti-virus programs and try again.

Firewall Programs

Firewall programs may block Ansys software access to the Internet. They will also prevent you from using the online tutorial and help file features. If you suspect that your firewall may be blocking your CADpass client license access, check your firewall rules.

If you have followed these instructions and cannot start EDT, open a support case with CMC Microsystems’ technical staff for assistance.

Other Tricks and Tips

For high-performance computing (HPC) applications, the Ansys Academic Research suite works as follows:

• • Each Ansys module is associated with licence file features that CMC hosts on its licence servers. HFSS starts when it is connected to a feature called electronics_desktop. Fluent starts when connected to a feature called cfd_base. Mechanical starts when connected to feature ansys. CADpass Client is the application that links your local computer to our licence servers.
  • Each time you start one of these modules, it will run on up to four (4) CPU cores.
  • If your workstation has a processor with more than four cores, you may set your simulation to call on them using a licence feature called anshpc.

Table 1 identifies the license allotments.

Table 1: Main Modules Versus Max. No. CPU Cores

• • The Ansys license file leased annually by CMC Microsystems includes a high-performance computing (HPC) license feature named anshpc. There are dozens of this feature type included in it.
  • This feature is generic. All Ansys modules can request feature anshpc for high-performance simulation runs.
  • Each anshpc HPC feature request equals one (1) additional physical core per simulation.

When a simulation starts, an Ansys module requests enough anshpc features to fill the user’s demands, if more than four cores are specified, and releases these features when the simulation is finished.

This way, our subscribers share one large pool of licenses across our research community.

To Enable the Use of the anshpc Feature

1. 1. Go to the Ansys EDT menu
      Tools | Options | HPC and Analysis Options
      
   2. Select the tab Options.
   3. Set the HPC License menu to Workgroup, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Set the HPC License Menu to Workgroup

Note: If you are experiencing denials when attempting simulations, your token(s) may be in use by another member of your group. Look at the report here to see if this is the case. If this is not the case, then contact our office for support.

References and Resources

• • • Ansys provides useful tutorials with their software under their respective Help menus.
    • There are Getting Started guides included with Ansys software and online classes are offered here.
    • For other examples and hints, visit the Ansys Resource Library located here: Resource Library.
    • For additional help, our student subscribers are entitled to browse the Ansys Academic Support Resources.
    • For help with simulations, hardware recommendations or other questions about how to set up and run Ansys projects, you are welcome to open a support case on the Ansys “Learning Forum”. Registration there is free of charge and is available on this page.