I've tried different electromagnetics simulation software like ADS, CST, and FEKO but I felt HFSS is the best. I've been using HFSS software for almost 5 years now, I design Antennas, filters, and RF-related stuff using this software. This is so user-friendly software and can be learned so quickly, a powerful solver for 3D simulations. The accuracy of the simulated results is very good. HFSS documentation is excellent, it includes every detail of the features in the software. The parametric setup in this software is so powerful. The design examples and the documentation included in this software helped me a lot to understand some concepts .

The cost of the software is too expensive. I've faced one issue with this software so far, the simulated results are not so accurate when I use high-dielectric materials (DK>10) in my designs, also it takes lots of time to simulate large structures, apart from this I have nothing to dislike.

I work on EMC , SI and PI problems. I use HFSS 3D layout to analyse PCB level SI PI problems and Ansys HFSS 3D for system level EMC Analysis. I find it useful in using analysis at several levels to do quick what if analysis at several levels. However it is yet to reach at per the expectations of system level EMC analysis of very large structures such as an electric vehicle.

The software is very good for Antenna related problems. The accuracy of S parameters are very good compared to other software. The latest feature of mesh fusion using HFSS component is very useful in solving large scale problems in EMC or SI. Integration with current business process is not very easy due to time gap when problems are discovered.

Fast solvers are required for sparse matrix manipulation and speed up the simulation. Script work flow for emc simulation would be highly effective for integrating with hardware design process. The need for fit to use virtual laboratory of emc analysis would be very useful in virtual prototyping of design processes.

It's a powerful group of users. Once it has become a standard in this field as an S/W with a long history and many users, numerous application cases, interpretation techniques, and verification materials are unrivaled.

If it is a disadvantage, FEM itself is an old theory, so there is a limit to improvement, and it can be seen that HFSS has reached a certain limit in terms of speed, accuracy, and application.The fact that users can get accurate results only when they properly learn and use the mesh control method, and HFSS uses the FEM method based on frequency domain, so there are many difficulties in calculating broadband frequency.

Overall i recommend Simulation Engineers to use Ansys HFSS

GUI, Interface, Easy to use, Documentaion.

License are bit costly and installation takes lot of time.

The tool is very suitable for performing close to real performance EM Simulation. The help section os very great. The documentation is like spoon feeding the beginners. Report generation is very simple for the simulation results. This software offers a lot of flexibility. The features are great as compared to competitors.

The software GUI needs an update and looks outdated. The video section still needs additions. The area of bi-static radar cross section is not discussed in details in help and documentation of the tool.