New in SIMetrix and SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Version 8.0

User Interface

Introducing a new fully integrated development environment for the SIMetrix and SIMetrix/SIMPLIS platform.

Keeping familiar menu and toolbar layouts, all editors can now reside within a single window. The layout of the editors can be easily changed by dragging and dropping them into the position that best suits your current working needs - or if you prefer, moved to separate windows.

Also includes new fully syntactically highlighted text editors for scripts, netlists, Verilog and more.

Schematic Editor

The schematic editor has been re-built to provide new features and smoother interaction.

Additional annotation features allow the inclusion of boxes, arrows and images on the schematic.

Schematics now also make easy use of custom styles, enabling different colours and visual markers to be used for symbols, wires and annotations. These styles can be shipped with the schematic, to enable standardised colourings within a development project.

SIMPLIS VH: Verilog-SIMPLIS Co-Simulation

Co-simulate your Verilog HDL code with SIMPLIS. The best of both worlds - SIMPLIS for fast analog simulation and Verilog HDL for describing complex digital functionality at an abstract level.

The SIMPLIS VH module is a add-on module for SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Pro and Elite.

Power Inductor Creation from Graphs

Available with Pro and Elite versions of SIMetrix and SIMetrix/SIMPLIS, is the ability to create power inductor models from graphs provided in manufacturer datasheets.

The new Power Inductor Model Creation Tool processes an image of a graph and with some user feedback, produces a set of data that is automatically fed into a power inductor model, ready to be placed on a schematic.

The tool allows for quick creation of models from datasheet specifications in cases where manufacturer provided models do not already exist. The tool can also be used for general purpose data capture, without the need for creating a power inductor model.

SIMetrix Convergence

Improved convergence, new convergence options and an easy-to-use user interface to the most common convergence settings.

New Advanced Iteration algorithm helps convergence with some circuits especially those with high-side or near floating sections.

Other developments to the simulation algorithms and device equation code further improve convergence performance.

Per-Cycle Fixed Probes

New in SIMetrix/SIMPLIS version 8.0 are fixed probe symbols and underlying binary functions which plot the cycle-by-cycle behavior of a voltage or current.

A variety of measurements can be applied to any single ended or differential voltage or current on a cycle-by-cycle basis, including:

XY Fixed Probes

Plotting circuit voltages and/or currents against each other, the new XY fixed probe symbols allow users to delve deeper into a design.

Four probe symbols allow you to plot the voltage vs. voltage, current vs. voltage, etc.

Multi-Level Lossy Inductor and Multi-Level Capacitor Symbols

New to version 8.0 are capacitor and inductor symbols which allow users to vary the model complexity based on the simulation objective.

These symbols and the underlying electrical models allow users to include the various parasitic circuit element around a linear inductor or capacitor.

Multi-Level Lossy PWL Inductor and Multi-Level PWL Capacitor Symbols

Complementing the Multi-Level Lossy Inductor and Multi-Level Capacitor Symbols are Multi-Level Piecewise Linear Inductors and Capacitors for the SIMPLIS simulator.

These models allow users to effectively model non-linear MLCC capacitors and saturating inductors with associated parasitic elements.

SIMPLIS Analog Functions Library

A library of high-level analog functions has been added for the SIMPLIS simulator.

Models include oscillators, PWM generators, summers, a one shot, as well as the new Multi-Level MOSFET Driver and new Parameterized Opto Coupler.

These models are optimized for numerical accucacy as well as simulation speed. Full documentation with example schematics is avilable for each model from the Help button on the editing dialog.

New Multi-Level MOSFET Driver

This driver has three levels where the driving switches have increasing levels of complexity:

0. Simple On/Off Resistances
1. Transistor Output - Current Limited with RDSON
2. PWL Output - 3 Segments for Each Switch

Level 1 or 2 models can be used to accurately model the maximum driver output current, which allows users to accurately measure switching losses.

The driver also has optional turn-on and turn-off delays.

New Parameterized Opto Coupler

A new Parameterized Opto Coupler model and symbol have been added for the SIMPLIS simulator.

This model has a one or two pole frequency response and the saturation characteristics of the output transistor are modeled.

SIMPLIS Debugging Tools

Two new tools have been added to the schematic Simulator menu to help debug slow SIMPLIS simulations.

• Simulator ▶ Find Smallest Time Constant
• Simulator ▶ Graph Time Constants

The time constant graph is useful to visualize the time constants present in the simulation, while knowing the smallest time constant is useful in finding the actual circuit elements which are slowing down the simulation.

SIMPLIS Monte Carlo Log File

The Monte Carlo Log file has been expanded to include actual parameter values and the deviation from nominal for each seed value.

Two log files are generated - a plain text log suitable for machine parsing and a HTML formatted log. the HTML log file can be viewed using the Monte Carlo ▶ View Log File menu.

Model Encryption Dialog

Complementing the schematic pop-up menu Create ASCII Model from .sxcmp is a new schematic tools menu: Tools ▶ Encrypt Model File....

This menu item brings up a two-file selection dialog which allows you to browse for the input and output library files, and add the subcircuit description.

This allows users a way to encrypt model files which have been created with the Create ASCII Model from .sxcmp menu option, then hand edited to add subcircuits or other text which is not present in the auto-generated model file.

This dialog also remembers the last 10 input, output and descriptions for future encryptions.

DVM: New Control Panel Dialog

The DVM Control Panel dialog has been completely redesigned for SIMetrix/SIMPLIS version 8.0. In addition to being much easier to navigate, additional measurement selection sub-dialogs have been added.

Scalar measurements and the statistical results of those measurements are automatically generated for any fixed probe measurement or built-in DVM measurement.

For users with Pro and Elite licenses the multi-core capability of these licenses is available in DVM, allowing drastically reduced simulation times.

DVM: Multi-Step and Monte Carlo Analyses

New for the DVM module is the ability to launch Multi-Step and Monte Carlo simulations from a DVM testplan.

Scalar measurements and the statistical results of those measurements are automatically generated for any fixed probe measurement or built-in DVM measurement.

For users with Pro and Elite licenses the multi-core capability of these licenses is available in DVM, allowing drastically reduced simulation times.

DVM: Load Line Testing

Release 8.0 incorporates load line testing for each DVM load with the load line resistance entered as a parameter on the DVM Control Panel Dialog.

The load line limits for each load can be automatically plotted by selecting the Plot load line curves? checkbox on the output page for each load. Shown on this image is the pulse response of a 1V/100A onverter with a load line tolerance of +1%/-2% and a load line of 650µΩ.

DVM: User-Selectable Measurements

As part of the DVM Control Panel dialog redesign, the ability for users to select the auto-generated measurements on a test-by-test objective has been added.

Both built-in measurements and DVM-specific measurements can be selected on this dialog. User-defined custom measurements defined in SIMetrix/SIMPLIS are also automatically detected and can be selected in this dialog.