1.2.

System of Units

In ANSYS, you must make sure that you use a consistent system of units for all the data you enter. You can use any consistent
system of units. For electromagnetic field analysis, see the EMUNIT command in the Command Reference for additional
information regarding appropriate settings for free-space permeability and permittivity.

For micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), it is best to set up problems in more convenient units since components may only
be a few microns in size. For convenience, the following tables list the conversion factors from standard MKS units to MKSV and
MSVfA units.

Table 1.5: Mechanical Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Mechanical MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Length m m 106 m m
Force N (kg)(m)/(s)2 106 N (kg)(m)/(s)2
Time s s 1 s s
Mass kg kg 1 kg kg
Pressure Pa (kg)/(m)(s)2 10-6 MPa (kg)/(m)(s)2
Velocity m/s m/s 106 m/s m/s
Acceleration m/(s)2 m/(s)2 106 m/(s)2 m/(s)2
Density kg/(m)3 kg/(m)3 10-18 kg/(m)3 kg/(m)3
Stress Pa kg/(m)(s)2 10-6 MPa kg/(m)(s)2
Young's Modulus Pa kg/(m)(s)2 10-6 MPa kg/(m)(s)2
Power W (kg)(m)2/(s)3 1012 pW (kg)(m)2/(s)3

Table 1.6: Thermal Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Thermal MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Conductivity W/(m)(C) (kg)(m)/(C)(s)3 106 pW/(m)(C) (kg)(m)/(C)(s)3
Heat Flux W/(m)2 kg/(s)3 1 pW/(m)2 kg/(s)3
Specific Heat J/(kg)(C) (m)2/(C)(s)2 1012 pJ/(kg)(C) (m)2/(C)(s)2
Heat Flow W (kg)(m)2/(s)3 1012 pW (kg)(m)2/(s)3
Heat Generation Per W/m 3 (kg)/(m)(s)3 10-6 pW/(m)3 kg/(m)(s)3
Volume
Convection W/(m)2(C) kg/(s)3(C) 1 pW/(m)2(C) kg/(s)3(C)
Coefficient
Dynamic Viscosity kg/(m)(s) kg/(m)(s) 10-6 kg/(m)(s) kg/(m)(s)
Kinematic Viscosity (m)2/s (m)2/s 1012 (m)2/s (m)2/s

Table 1.7: Electrical Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Electrical MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Current A A 1012 pA pA
Voltage V (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)3 1 V (kg)(m)2/(pA)(s)3
Charge C (A)(s) 1012 pC (pA)(s)
Conductivity S/m (A)2(s)3/(kg)(m)3 106 pS/m (pA)2(s)3/(kg)(m)3
Resistivity m (kg)(m)3/(A)2(s)3 10-6 T m (kg)(m)3/(pA)2(s)3
Permittivity [1] F/m (A)2(s)4/(kg)(m)3 106 pF/m (pA)2(s)4/(kg)(m)3
Permittivity [1] F/m (A)2(s)4/(kg)(m)3 106 pF/m (pA)2(s)4/(kg)(m)3
Energy J (kg)(m)2/(s)2 1012 pJ (kg)(m)2/(s)2
Capacitance F (A)2(s)4/(kg)(m)2 1012 pF (pA)2(s)4/(kg)(m)2
Electric Field V/m (kg)(m)/(s)3(A) 10-6 V/m (kg)(m)/(s)3(pA)
Electric Flux Density C/(m)2 (A)(s)/(m)2 1 pC/(m)2 (pA)(s)/(m)2

1. Free-space permittivity is equal to 8.854 x 10-6 pF/m.

Table 1.8: Magnetic Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Magnetic MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Flux weber (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)2 1 weber (kg)(m)2/(pA)(s)2
Flux Density tesla kg/(A)(s)2 10-12 Ttesla kg/(pA)(s)2
Field Intensity A/m A/m 106 pA/m pA/m
Current A A 1012 pA pA
Current Density A/(m)2 A/(m)2 1 pA/(m)2 pA/(m)2
Permeability [1] H/m (kg)(m)/(A)2(s)2 10-18 TH/m (kg)(m)/(pA)2(s)2
Inductance H (kg)(m)2/(A)2(s)2 10-12 TH (kg)(m)2/(pA)2(s)2

1. Free-space permeability is equal to 4 x 10-25 TH/m.

Note: Only constant permeability may be used with these units.

Table 1.9: Piezoelectric Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Piezoelectric Matrix MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

[1] This Number MKSv Unit
Stress Matrix [e] C/(m)2 (A)(s)/(m)2 1 pC/(m)2 (pA)(s)/(m)2
Strain Matrix [d] C/N (A)(s)3/(kg)(m) 106 pC/(N) (pA)(s)3/(kg)(m)

1. For information on piezoelectric matrices, see Piezoelectric Analysis.

Table 1.10: Piezoresistive Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Piezoresistive MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Matrix [1] This Number MKSv Unit
Piezoresistive Stress Pa-1 (m)(s)2/kg 106 (MPa)-1 (m)(s)2/kg
Matrix []

1. For information on piezoresistive matrices, see Piezoresistivity in the Material Reference.

Table 1.11: Thermoelectric Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSV

Thermoelectric MKS Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter Unit This MKSv Unit
Number
Seebeck Coefficient V/C (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)3(C) 1 V/C (kg)(m)2/(pA)(s)3(C)

Table 1.12: Mechanical Conversion Factors for MKS to MSVfA

Mechanical MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number Msvfa Unit
Length m m 106 m m
Force N (kg)(m)/(s)2 109 nN (g)(m)/(s)2
Force N (kg)(m)/(s)2 109 nN (g)(m)/(s)2
Time s s 1 s s
Mass kg kg 103 g g
Pressure Pa (kg)/(m)(s)2 10-3 kPa g/(m)(s)2
Velocity m/s m/s 106 m/s m/s
Acceleration m/(s)2 m/(s)2 106 m/(s)2 m/(s)2
Density kg/(m)3 kg/(m)3 10-15 g/(m)3 g/(m)3
Stress Pa kg/(m)(s)2 10-3 kPa g/(m)(s)2
Young's Modulus Pa kg/(m)(s)2 10-3 kPa g/(m)(s)2
Power W (kg)(m)2/(s)3 1015 fW (g)(m)2/(s)3

Table 1.13: Thermal Conversion Factors for MKS to MSVfA

Thermal MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number Msvfa Unit
Conductivity W/(m)(C) (kg)(m)/(C)(s)3 109 fW/(m)(C) (g)(m)/(C)(s)3
Heat Flux W/(m)2 kg/(s)3 103 fW/(m)2 g/(s)3
Specific Heat J/(kg)(C) (m)2/(C)(s)2 1012 fJ/(g)(C) (m)2/(C)(s)2
Heat Flow W (kg)(m)2/(s)3 1015 fW (g)(m)2/(s)3
Heat Generation Per W/m 3 (kg)/(m)(s)3 10-3 fW/(m)3 g/(m)(s)3
Volume
Convection W/(m)2(C) kg/(s)3(C) 103 fW/(m)2(C) g/(s)3(C)
Coefficient
Dynamic Viscosity kg/(m)(s) kg/(m)(s) 10-3 g/(m)(s) g/(m)(s)
Kinematic Viscosity (m)2/s (m)2/s 1012 (m)2/s (m)2/s

Table 1.14: Electrical Conversion Factors for MKS to MSVfA

Electrical MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number Msvfa Unit
Current A A 1015 fA fA
Voltage V (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)3 1 V (g)(m)2/(fA)(s)3
Charge C (A)(s) 1015 fC (fA)(s)
Conductivity S/m (A)2(s)3/(kg)(m)3 109 nS/m (fA)2(s)3/(g)(m)3
Resistivity m (kg)(m)3/(A)2(s)3 10-9 - (g)(m)3/(fA)2(s)3
Permittivity [1] F/m (A)2(s)4/(kg)(m)3 109 fF/m (fA)2(s)4/(g)(m)3
Energy J (kg)(m)2/(s)2 1015 fJ (g)(m)2/(s)2
Capacitance F (A)2(s)4/(kg)(m)2 1015 fF (fA)2(s)4/(g)(m)2
Electric Field V/m (kg)(m)/(s)3(A) 10-6 V/m (g)(m)/(s)3(fA)
Electric Flux Density C/(m)2 (A)(s)/(m)2 103 fC/(m)2 (fA)(s)/(m)2

1. Free-space permittivity is equal to 8.854 x 10-3 fF/m.

Table 1.15: Magnetic Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSVfA

Magnetic MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Flux weber (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)2 1 weber (g)(m)2/(fA)(s)2
Flux Density tesla kg/(A)(s)2 10-12 - g/(fA)(s)2
Field Intensity A/m A/m 109 fA/m fA/m
Current A A 1015 fA fA
Current Density A/(m)2 A/(m)2 103 fA/(m)2 fA/(m)2
Permeability [1] H/m (kg)(m)/(A)2(s)2 10-21 - (g)(m)/(fA)2(s)2
Inductance H (kg)(m)2/(A)2(s)2 10-15 - (g)(m)2/(fA)2(s)2

1. Free-space permeability is equal to 4 x 10-28 (g)(m)/(fA)2(s)2.

Note: Only constant permeability may be used with these units.

Table 1.16: Piezoelectric Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSVfA

Piezoelectric Matrix MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

[1] This Number MKSv Unit
Piezoelectric Stress [e] C/(m)2 (A)(s)/(m)2 103 fC/(m)2 (fA)(s)/(m)2
Piezoelectric Strain [d] C/N (A)(s)3/(kg)(m) 106 fC/(N) (fA)(s)3/(g)(m)

1. For information on piezoelectric matrices, see Piezoelectric Analysis.

Table 1.17: Piezoresistive Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSVfA

Piezoresistive MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Matrix [1] This Number MKSv Unit
Piezoresistive Stress Pa-1 (m)(s)2/kg 103 (kPa)-1 (m)(s)2/g
Matrix []

1. For information on piezoresistive matrices, see Piezoresistivity in the Material Reference.

Table 1.18: Thermoelectric Conversion Factors for MKS to MKSVfA

Thermoelectric MKS Unit Dimension Multiply by To Obtain Dimension

Parameter This Number MKSv Unit
Seebeck Coefficient V/C (kg)(m)2/(A)(s)3(C) 1 V/C (g)(m)2/(fA)(s)3(C)

Release 15.0 - SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved.