Circuit simulation & design

[[email protected]]

Hi All,

Big time problem. Pls see requirements below:

1. Draw circuits & simulation
2. PCB Routing
3. Software design (programming & debugging)

Okay that does it. Had been doing simple programming on MPLAB,
generating hex files and programming into PIC chips. Some parts of the
circuit built are simulated in MultiSim.

Now I am thinking if there exist any development tools which I can
simulate the entire design process. Meaning from the hex file or any
format (where software is generated), the circuit can be simulated
(similar to electronic workbench).

Quite new in this area... Any differences to the following tools:
1. NI Development Suite
2. NI Circuit Design Suite

And can any of these tools cover all the requirements and are there
any tools out there beside theses offered by NI?

Thanks in advance
ywz

 

[[email protected]]

I don't know of any simulation environments that will let you simulate
software inside of a circuit simulation.  While this would be useful, the
market is a long way away from realizing it, and when it does the first
system will cost $$$.

I use LT Spice to simulate the circuit bits I'm not sure about, Eagle to
capture schematics to produce, regular old compilers to write software,
and (if necessary) something like Scilab to simulate the whole system.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consultinghttp://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
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- Show quoted text -

I believe PicAxe has a basic circuit simulator, tied to their software
simulator.

BobS

 

[Leo Sahlsten]

Hi All,

Big time problem. Pls see requirements below:

1. Draw circuits & simulation
2. PCB Routing
3. Software design (programming & debugging)

Okay that does it. Had been doing simple programming on MPLAB,
generating hex files and programming into PIC chips. Some parts of the
circuit built are simulated in MultiSim.

Now I am thinking if there exist any development tools which I can
simulate the entire design process. Meaning from the hex file or any
format (where software is generated), the circuit can be simulated
(similar to electronic workbench).

Quite new in this area... Any differences to the following tools:
1. NI Development Suite
2. NI Circuit Design Suite

And can any of these tools cover all the requirements and are there
any tools out there beside theses offered by NI?

Thanks in advance
ywz

Check Proteus VSM for Labcenter: http://www.labcenter.co.uk/index.cfm . It
can simulate uP software within a mixed mode Spice simulator.

Leo

 

[Frithiof Jensen]

Hi All,

Big time problem. Pls see requirements below:

1. Draw circuits & simulation
2. PCB Routing
3. Software design (programming & debugging)

Those are Not requirements - they are Tasks!

Now I am thinking if there exist any development tools which I can
simulate the entire design process.

Altium claims to be able to do something like that, Mentor Graphics can also
A.F.A.I.K. do full simulation.

<rant>
The backside is that those tools are expensive to begin with, then every
thing you want to simulate costs even more, then there is a license fee on
all the parts, then you have to learn how to drive the tools ... and work
out in what ways they are broken - which is a sortof a Heisenberg problem
because to verify the tools you have to build things and measure with
equipment.

I would almost always recommend to skip the can-do-all-(maybe) tools and
spend maybe 1/10 of the costs on decent instruments and then measure the
prototypes with them. The exception is the case where your business is large
& monied enough to build the entire "design factory" around one toolset
because then - after a lot of system integration and with the proper
support team e.t.c., one can reach the holy grail of going directly from
design to manufacture.

.... Then the tool vendor goes bust ...
</rant>

I.O.W. You need to build the thing anyway to verify that the tools designed
it correctly, for that you will need test instruments, time and money.
Simpler, cheaper tools consume less money and time so more ressources are
available to The Job.

 

[Frithiof Jensen]

"Frithiof Jensen" <[email protected]> skrev i
meddelelsen
Having Raved & Ranted so I am sitting here just giving the Proteus PCB
Design package a spin - Easy-PC cannot do a hierachical design sooo I need
something more substantial. http://www.labcenter.co.uk/index.cfm I think I
like it - the software have a 'solid' feel to it!

I actually does look like one really *could* simulate all the way, including
a microcontroller, with the full Proteus package + a simulation addon for
about GBP 1500. Which, IMO, is not bad at all.