Comparison › Solutions › LW RF Studio
LW RF Studio
Desktop program made for printed PCB antennas: import the board, simulate S11, impedance, efficiency and radiation pattern with openEMS, then build the matching network on a Smith chart with real parts.
| Vendor | lw tech (Wattlet AS, Norway) · website |
|---|---|
| Method | FDTD |
| Geometry | 3D, PCB-focused |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, macOS |
| GPU | Yes (NVIDIA, Professional licence) |
| Board import | Native import (.kicad_pcb), plus Eagle, Altium, Gerber |
| Price | Free KiCad check; Student €149; Professional €990 perpetual |
| Free option | Yes: LW Antenna Check (KiCad plugin) and trial |
| Best for | PCB antennas (IFA, MIFA, patch) and their matching network, for hardware engineers who are not full-time RF specialists |
Strengths
- Imports the board directly from KiCad, Eagle, Altium or Gerber
- Automatic mesh: no meshing expertise needed
- Matching network on the Smith chart in the same tool
- Perpetual licence at a fraction of the price of general 3D suites
- GPU acceleration, 10 to 15 times faster with an NVIDIA card
Limits
- Focused on planar/PCB antennas, not on large or arbitrary 3D structures
- Single solver (FDTD)
Compare with
openEMS · Ansys HFSS · CST Studio Suite · Altair Feko · Keysight ADS (Momentum, RFPro) · Cadence AWR Microwave Office (AXIEM) · Sonnet Suites · COMSOL Multiphysics (RF Module) · MATLAB Antenna Toolbox · 4nec2 (NEC-2) · MEEP