Numerical calculation of total force upon permanent magnets using equivalent source methods

The application of the equivalent source methods for the numerical calculation of the total magnetic force acting upon a permanent magnet is proposed. These methods are formulated in terms of the external field, which allows the complete avoidance of the numerical inaccuracies affecting force computation due to the singularity of the self-field of the magnet on its edges. It is shown, with the help of some 2D and 3D test cases, that the proposed formulae provide reliable and stable results, even when the FEM mesh is not refined. Such results have also been compared with those derived from more traditional methods, such as the surface integration of the Maxwell's stress tensor and the virtual work method, exhibiting better precision and lower computational costs.