Docs
Documentation
Guides and reference for the Fairbeam desktop app, its Python models and the command line.
Get started
Designer
- The designerThe visual workspace: modeling, checks, simulation settings, the mesh, running and reading results, design files, and importing VBA macros and PCB artwork.
- AppearanceInterface presets, accent colors, chart palettes and custom colors under General settings › Appearance.
- Example designsFive 867 MHz antennas as designer files, with their parameters, results and how to scale them.
Simulation
- Automatic meshingHow the automatic mesh is built from the geometry: options, rules, the mesh report and checks against hand-made meshes.
- Run server and Run panelThe local run server behind the Run panel: run setup, your own materials, optimization and comparing projects.
- Sweeps and studiesParameter sweeps, mesh convergence studies, the study file format and Touchstone export from the command line.
- OptimizerTuning a model or a design towards goals: parameters, goals, algorithms, the output and simulated examples.
- Multi-port structuresOne run per driven port, the S-matrix, and the S-parameter and array views in the viewer.
- GPU engineThe optional GPU build of openEMS, Metal on Apple silicon and CUDA on Windows, with measured timings.
Results and export
- How results are computedThe excitation, end criterion, S11, bands, far field, efficiency and gain, with notes on accuracy.
- Arrays and beam steeringEmbedded element patterns, normalization, beam steering and the 2 × 1 and 4 × 1 patch arrays.
- Drawings, figures and fabricationScreenshots, technical drawings, publication figures, the export package, the PDF report and fabrication files.
- Blender exportThe Blender render package and the GLB model: what they contain and how to render them.
Python and CLI
- Writing modelsPython model files, the included models, non-planar geometry and waveguide ports, the material library and editing models in the app.
- CLI referenceThe fairbeam commands, the CPU and GPU engines, importing existing geometry and the raw simulation data.
- Project bundle formatThe project bundle, fairbeam.project/1, field by field.
From source
- Running from sourceBuilding openEMS and installing Fairbeam from the repository on macOS, a first run and the test suite.
- Fairbeam on WindowsRunning simulations locally on Windows 10 and 11: openEMS, the Python package, the run server and the viewer.
- Fairbeam on LinuxThe CPU solver, the run server and the viewer in a local browser on Linux, set up from source.
Reference
- ValidationResults compared with closed-form theory, mesh convergence and the recommended solver settings.
- BenchmarksRecorded results and solver times for the historical set of 14 reference projects under Windows and macOS.
- Lumped resistors in openEMSopenEMS lumped resistors simulated at the element, and where an apparent error in a test fixture comes from.
- AI policyHow Fairbeam uses AI coding assistants, and what the project asks of AI-assisted contributions.
- ContributingReporting problems, pull requests and the ground rules for contributions.