How to start MILS

Software requirements

MILS requires the Altair ComposeTM environment to be executed. As a consequence, the user must install both Altair FluxTM and Altair ComposeTM on his computer to perform an LS model identification with this tool.
Note: We recommend running MILS with the latest version of Altair Compose. If you experience any unexpected behavior while using this tool, please try running it with Altair Compose version 2019.3. Additional information and resources on Altair Compose are available online at this link.

Launching MILS without starting a Flux session

With both Flux and Compose installed, the user may run MILS as follows:
  • Open Compose.
  • Set Compose’s File Browser to the following work directory: Flux_Installation_Folder\Flux\MaterialIdentification\MILS\Sources, in which Flux_Installation_Folder is the path to the installation folder of Altair Flux. The procedure is shown in Figure 1 below.
    Figure 1. Setting Compose's File Browser to MILS work directory

  • Run script MILS.oml to launch MILS.
    Note: This procedure clears all variables stored in Compose’s variable browser and closes all figures generated by previous computations.
At this point, MILS Static Identification panel should be loaded, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. MILS static identification panel after a sucessful startup.
Note: The MILS tool may be also started from the Material identification tool by clicking on the following button and selecting the appropriate identification.

Launching MILS from the Flux environment

Alternatively, MILS may be launched from within Flux during the creation (or edition) of a magnetic material as follows:
  • In a project containing no results, go to the Physics menu, choose Material and then New.
  • In the New Material window, activate the option Magnetic property available in its B(H) tab and then select Sheet iron described by LS model from the drop-down list of material models.
  • In the Definition box, select User defined material from the drop-down list.
  • Click on the button Identify Material to launch MILS in Altair ComposeTM environment.
    Note: This alternative approach to launch MILS is only available in Transient Magnetic applications, either in Flux2D, FluxSkew and Flux3D.

Further reading

LS model identification with MILS

How to use MILS to generate a LS model

Panel 1: Static identification

Panel 2: Dynamic Identification

Panel 3: Overall verification

Panel 4: Model generation for Flux

MILS's input and output files formats

Bibliographical references on the LS model

Isotropic soft material : Iron sheets described by LS model