FRC Studio

FRC Studio

FRC Studio is a macOS-first graphical engineering environment for field-reversed-configuration (FRC) electromagnetic and plasma-simulation workflows.

Why it exists

Scientific workflows are often fragmented across geometry tools, mesh generators, solvers, visualisation applications and ad-hoc scripts. FRC Studio is being developed to connect those steps while preserving the provenance needed to understand how a result was produced.

Current capabilities

• native Python/Qt desktop application;
• STEP/STL geometry import and semantic project state;
• Gmsh meshing;
• harmonic-current and RMF configuration;
• Elmer FEM export/run path;
• ParaView integration;
• diagnostics and qualification infrastructure;
• gated research paths for OpenFUSIONToolkit, Gkeyll and other scientific tools.

Current software: FRC Studio V02.260824

The current product authority isV02.260824, superseding the historical V01 launch announcement. FRC Studio combines a native Python/Qt macOS workflow, STEP/STL geometry import and semantic material/body roles, Gmsh 3D volume meshes, harmonic and configurable four-phase rotating-magnetic-field (RMF) excitation studies, an Elmer FEM harmonic-magnetodynamics path and ParaView field inspection.

Projects retain geometry, mesh, excitation, tool versions and assumptions so results can be reviewed and compared.Scientific boundary:prescribed-current electromagnetic calculations are not a self-consistent kinetic/MHD plasma solution, and passing a numerical test does not demonstrate plasma confinement, reactor feasibility or physical validation. OpenFUSIONToolkit, Gkeyll and related paths remain research candidates behind qualification gates.

Related work:Arduino OpenDAQsupports the longer-term measurement and comparison workflow.

Scientific status

FRC Studio is currently Alpha. Repository availability, passing software tests and successful numerical execution are not equivalent to scientific verification or physical validation. Each capability keeps its own evidence level.

Model → simulate → measure → compare

The long-term workflow connects modelling and simulation to experimental measurement and comparison. A solver output should remain traceable to the geometry, parameters, tool versions and assumptions that produced it.

Where to explore

FermiLabs will present the supported workflows, screenshots, installation path, scientific-tool integrations, reproducible examples and validation ladder. The FRC Studio repository remains authoritative for source, exact qualification evidence and scientific limitations.

Publication contract

This file is the canonical public narrative consumed by FermiLabs.fermilabs/publication.jsonis the machine-readable project contract andfermilabs/updates.jsonis the public update feed.

Any PR that materially changes a user-visible capability, supported scientific tool, installation path, public readiness, qualification status or known limitation must update the relevant FermiLabs publication files in the same PR. Significant public milestones should add an update item.