Ansoft announced on November 20, 2007, that it had certified the VDA/FAT-AK30 working group’s open-source VHDL-AMS model library for use in Simplorer. The announcement concerned compatibility with that historical product—not a confirmed certification for current Ansys Twin Builder releases.
What Ansoft certified
The announcement, reported by Electronic Design, said that models made available by FAT-AK30 could run in Ansoft’s multi-domain system simulation software, Simplorer. FAT-AK30 was associated with VDA/FAT, Germany’s automotive industry organization. The library was intended to help automotive manufacturers and suppliers exchange standardized component models.
At the time, Ansoft said Simplorer customers could download a version of the FAT-AK30 library compiled for Simplorer. That was a historical download offer; the announcement does not establish that the library or its download address remains available.
Why the library mattered to automotive teams
OEMs and suppliers often need to exchange component models as part of distributed development. A shared VHDL-AMS library offered a way to represent and reuse standardized component behavior across those organizations. The announcement also noted that AK30 members used Simplorer to verify and test new models.
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Dr. Marius Rosu, then Ansoft’s manager of Simplorer modeling development, said the models gave users access to standardized automotive components that could be placed in a design. Ewald Hessel, identified as speaker of the FAT-AK30 working group, said Simplorer was among the tools AK30 members used for model verification and testing. These statements describe the 2007 announcement, not a current endorsement or compatibility guarantee.
How to interpret the certification today
The word “certified” in the 2007 report refers to the FAT-AK30 library’s ability to run in the Simplorer context described at that time. It should not be read as proof that the same library build works with a present-day simulator, remains downloadable, or has been validated for a newer release.
Ansys’ archived Simplorer technical sheet, revision SMP-TDS-R16 dated December 1, 2016, placed VHDL-AMS support in the Simplorer Multi-Language tier. This is release-era product information, not a statement of current license tiers or supported platforms. Read the archived technical sheet.
Current Ansys help documents VHDL-AMS workflows under Twin Builder. Its tutorial explains that a VHDL-AMS model has an entity declaration for its interface and one or more architectures describing behavior; a simulation uses a selected architecture. It also covers package and library workflows. This establishes that VHDL-AMS appears in current documentation, but does not establish compatibility with the particular FAT-AK30 library or its certified build. See the Twin Builder VHDL-AMS tutorial.
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If you are considering the FAT-AK30 models for a current project, confirm the specific details with Ansys or the library maintainer rather than relying on the 2007 announcement:
- Whether the exact FAT-AK30 library files and version are still available.
- Whether your Twin Builder or other simulator release accepts those files and any compiled artifacts.
- What license tier and platform are required for the VHDL-AMS functions you need.
- Whether the models have been validated for your intended release and use case.
- Whether exchanged models meet your team’s interoperability and verification requirements.
Ansys’ introductory Simplorer training catalog lists VHDL-AMS component creation among its learning outcomes and includes a module on VHDL-AMS, libraries, and nonlinearities. Course formats and access can change; consult the current training catalog for availability.
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