This tutorial follows the progression of a
buck converter design from first constructs to a final, parametrized, hierarchical design.
Although all schematics and supporting files can be downloaded as you proceed through the
tutorial, a zip archive containing all files can be downloaded in the next section.
1.1 Downloading the Files
For this tutorial, you need a copy of the
schematics and other supporting files as well as either the free introductory version,
SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Elements,
or a fully licensed version of SIMetrix/SIMPLIS.
To request an evaluation license for the full version of SIMetrix/SIMPLIS,
visit our Evaluation Page. SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Elements
can be downloaded here.
If you already have SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
on your computer, verify that you have at least version 8.00d. To identify the version of your installation, select from the menu bar; a dialog opens and displays the current SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
version.
To update to the most recent version,
select from the menu bar.
Follow these steps to download the files
for this tutorial:
SIMPLIS welcomes your feedback (positive, negative, bugs, etc.) regarding this tutorial.
To send comments, click here.
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1.2 Tips for Navigating this Tutorial
The SIMPLIS tutorial is intended to help new users get started with the SIMPLIS
simulator and to serve as a general reference for SIMPLIS. If you are an experienced
user, continue in this topic and follow the steps to set up the user interface for the
rest of the tutorial; after completing this topic, feel free to skip ahead by clicking
links in the left panel or by using the search box to find a keyword.
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1.2.1 Navigation Conventions
Topics with subsections include a mini table of contents at the top of the
page, similar to:
At the end of each section is a back-to-top link that you can use to return
to the table of contents.
At the top of each page is a navigation bar
indicating the hierarchical path of the current topic in the documentation
system:
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/breadcrumbs_simplis_tutorial.png)
This path is updated every time you change topics, and
each portion of text is a hyperlink which will take you to that topic or section of
the larger documentation system.
On the right hand side of the navigation bar
are two buttons which allow you to navigate within the tutorial.
- The
arrow goes to the previous topic
in the tutorial.
- The
arrow goes to the next topic in
the tutorial.
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1.2.2 Text
Conventions
The following text conventions are designed to help you
scan the content:
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1.2.3 Schematic
Images
Screen shots of
schematics have
the layout grid turned off for readability.
- The Hide grid option is off by default. Leaving the
grid visible as you work can help you place symbols and wire them together on
the schematic.
- The Schematic editor menu turns on and off the grid.
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1.3 SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Environment
The SIMetrix/SIMPLIS software
package comes with two simulators:
- The SIMetrix Simulator is an optimized SPICE simulator with excellent
convergence.
- The SIMPLIS Simulator, the one used in this tutorial, is a Piecewise-Linear
(PWL) simulator optimized for switching power supply design.
Beginning with SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
version 8.0, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
has an integrated user interface with a single Main Window and a set of sub windows
called System Windows which can be moved or docked on the periphery of the main
window.
The
Main Windows in
SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
include the following:
- The Welcome Page contains links to open recently used files, to access the
documentation system, etc.
- The Schematic Editor window allows you to edit schematics.
- The Waveform Viewer window opens to display output curves after you have
run a simulation.
- The Symbol editor window is where you use to create or modify
symbols.
The System Windows include these:
Finally, when a SIMPLIS simulation is launched, the
SIMPLIS Status shows the
progress of the current SIMPLIS simulation.
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1.4 Setting General Options
SIMPLIS comes with default options that affect various aspects of how you work. For the
purpose of this tutorial, you need to change the simulator mode so each new schematic
will use the SIMPLIS simulator. You control all options through the SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
Main Window menus or toolbar buttons.
To change the default simulator mode, follow these steps:
- Start up SIMetrix/SIMPLIS from the Start menu.
Result: The SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Main Window opens.
- On the SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Main Window, click .
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/file_options_general.png)
- Highlight
Options
and then click
General...
.
Result: The Options/Preferences dialog box opens
showing the Schematic tab.
- Go to the Initial Simulator section in the upper-right corner, and click the
SIMPLIS radio button.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/options_simplis_initial_simulator_box.png)
- Click Ok.
Result: Your simulator preference has
been saved to your user profile and will persist after you close SIMetrix/SIMPLIS.
You may have also noticed the Welcome Page was refreshed after you clicked Ok on
the dialog. In particular, the icon at the top of the page changed from the
SIMetrix icon to the SIMPLIS icon. In the Create New section of the Welcome Page,
the icon next to the Schematic link also changed to a SIMPLIS icon, indicating
that each new schematic created will use the SIMPLIS simulator.
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1.5 Showing the Part Selector
The default SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
configuration has the part selector system window hidden. In this tutorial, you will
place symbols from the part selector, so you need to make the Part Selector visible
before you start placing symbols.
To show the Part Selector, select the menu.
Result: The Part Selector system window
appears on the right side of the main window.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_after_showing_ps_thumb.png)
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1.6 Setting up the User Interface for the Tutorial
In the last step you showed the Part Selector system window. In this section you will
move all system windows to the left hand side of the
SIMetrix/SIMPLIS
Main Window. To move the Part Selector, follow these steps:
- Move the mouse cursor to the gray bar at the top of the Part Selector system
window.
Result: The mouse cursor changes from a
pointer to a open hand.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/parts_selector_hand_open.png)
- Press and hold the left mouse button.
Result: The
open hand closes and the Part Selector system window is ready to be
moved.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/parts_selector_hand_closed.png)
- While holding down the left mouse button, drag the Parts Selector system window
to the left. As you drag the window, you will notice areas of the main window will
turn light blue. This is an indicator of the location where the system window will
be placed after the left mouse button is released. In the following image, the
Part Selector system window will be placed on the left hand side of the main
window, in a tab stack with the File View system window:
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_ps_move_1_thumb.png)
- Release the mouse button to place the Part Selector system window on the File
View system window.
Result: The Part Selector and
File View system windows are tabbed in a single system window:
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_ps_move_2_thumb.png)
- Repeat the process for the Command Shell system window, dragging it to the other
two system widgets.
Result: All three system windows
are tabbed together in a single window. This system window configuration will
be used for the rest of the tutorial.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_command_shell_move_1_thumb.png)
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1.7 Creating a New Schematic
To create a new schematic, follow these steps:
- On the Welcome Page, in the Create New section, click
Schematic.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/welcome_page_create_new_schematic_simplis.png)
Result: A new schematic
opens.
- Check the lower right corner to verify that the mode is SIMPLIS.
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1.8 Saving your Schematic
At this point you have a blank schematic with the simulator mode set to SIMPLIS. To save
your schematic, follow these steps:
- Select
- Navigate to a convenient location to use as a working directory where you can save
the schematics that you create in this tutorial. In the tutorial text, the directory
used will be D:\SIMPLIS Tutorial.
- Name the file 0_my_buck_converter.sxsch.
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1.9 Add Working Directory to the File View
It will be easier to access
the schematic files used in the tutorial if you add the working directory to the File View
system window. To add the directory to the File View, follow these steps:
- Click on the File View tab in the system window.
Result: The File View system window comes into focus.
- Click on the Add Directory button.
Result: A
directory browser window opens to the current directory.
- On the directory browser, click Select Folder
Result: The directory is added to the File View system window.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_add_file_view_thumb.png)
- To see the contents of any directory in the File View, simply double click on the
directory.
Result: The directory contents are
displayed with the
0_my_buck_converter schematic being the only schematic
file in the directory.
![](../../library/images/_ui_images/sim_sim_main_window_simplis_add_file_view_expand_thumb.png)
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