Explore the source geometries → · Follow the processing workflow →
Development preview and availability
The finite tube and area radiant-source controls described here are active CDS2026a development. This guide does not announce a production release. Check your installed Workbench version for availability. Existing point-lamp records retain their power, cone and connections.
Choose the emitting hardware
In Equipment, use IR lamp with Source geometry: Point or Tube. Use Radiant heater for a rectangular active face.
Setup and review steps
- Point lamps use a normalized cosine emission cone and inverse-square distance dependence.
- Tube lamps use active emitting length and diameter. The cylindrical barrel emits around its full circumference; end caps do not emit. No reflector is assumed.
- Radiant heaters use active face length and width. One diffuse rectangular face emits toward the modeled receivers.
- Set total Radiant power in W. Finite tube and area sources also accept Surface exitance in W/m²; their editor displays emitting area and equivalent power.
Scope: These are emitted radiant quantities, not electrical consumption or a solved lamp temperature. The example hardware is editable teaching data, not vendor calibration.
Place the source in the process
On a moving thermal boundary, choose Lamp, open its settings and link the Equipment record. The hardware owns its emitting dimensions and power; this installation owns its position and orientation.
Setup and review steps
- Use X along travel, Y across width and Z upward. The origin is the inlet upper surface at width center. Positions use metres.
- Set tilt and azimuth; finite tube and area sources also offer emitter roll. At zero angles, an area heater length follows X and width follows Y; a tube active length follows Y.
- Keep the entire active source outside the workpiece, roller barrels and modeled contact tools. Very close or intersecting placements are rejected.
- Set composite and roller absorptance separately. Duplicate hardware before changing dimensions or power for only one installation.
Scope: A bare tube emits around its circumference. Orientation does not create a reflector or redirect all its emitted power onto the workpiece.
Review absorbed irradiation
Update flux, or Auto flux, computes direct absorbed irradiation on the selected composite face and modeled roller barrels. It is a separate review step from thermal execution.
Setup and review steps
- Inspect the substrate and roller maps in W/m² before running the thermal case.
- Compare Standard and Fine Source integration independently of the receiving-grid resolution. Refine the receiving grid as well.
- Review absorbed power, peak irradiation and shadow-edge location. Each emitter sample has its own visibility check, allowing partial shadows.
- Rerun the thermal case after changing connected source or process inputs.
Scope: Roller barrels, enabled heater/cooler/mold boxes and the finite substrate participate in direct visibility. Absorbed irradiation does not automatically solve a contact tool temperature.
Use the supported thermal path
The process applies width-averaged absorbed irradiation to its through-thickness thermal solution. Roller irradiation supports the modeled roller precycle heating.
Scope: A lateral flux map does not introduce lateral temperature conduction. The new positioned-source path supports moving rectangular workpieces without angled ATP incoming tape. ATP/AFP retains its separate finite IR-emitter optical model.
Optical and numerical limits
This path models direct geometric irradiation from cosine-cone point lamps and diffuse finite sources. It does not infer reflections, spectral IR effects, temperature-driven re-emission or full mutual body radiation. Imported STEP meshes, enclosure drawings, end faces and unmodeled fixtures are not optical blockers in this path.
Setup and review steps
- Use calibrated radiant output, absorptance and material thermal data for engineering predictions.
- Refine source integration and the receiving grid, particularly near partial shadows.
- Respect finite-source clearance and the request-size limits reported by Workbench.
- Use fewer sources or a coarser receiving grid when the requested sample count exceeds the supported bound.
Scope: The displayed housing is an illustration. Source-to-source housing shadows and a radiosity exchange solution are not part of this model.