He current density in the PCB is also a critical factor when the current flows between different planes through via holes. Overstressing a single via connection due to poor placement could result in a sudden failure during operation, making analysis of this issue critical as well. A traditional approach to this problem would typically be the production of a first prototype once electrical signoff is completed and a direct check of its thermal performance by on-field validation. The design would then be successively refined, and new prototypes evaluated again in an iterative loop that should converge to the optimal result. The problem with this approach is that electrical and thermal evaluations are totally separated, and electrothermal coupling effects are never addressed during the PCB design process, resulting in a long iteration time that directly impacts the time to market.
A more effective alternative method is to optimize the electrothermal performance of motor control systems by taking advantage of modern simulation technologies.
