The Advanced PSpice Workshop
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to take PSpice (aka Allegro AMS/Design Entry) users
to a higher level of understanding and problem solving. This intensive 3-day workshop course gives users
an in-depth look at analog behavioral modeling, Monte Carlo and worst-case analyses,
performance analysis, measurements, goal functions, and performance analysis.
The class also focuses on overcoming one of the most problematic issues facing
simulation users today - nonconvergence.
The class assumes the student has a prior working knowledge of the PSpice (aka Allegro AMS)
circuit simulator and Capture (aka Allegro Design Entry) schematic capture program.
Course Objectives:
- Learn to use Analog Behavioral Modeling to create complex devices not found in the PSpice library
- Learn to use Analog Behavioral Modeling to create physical components (including parasitic effects)
- Learn to model linear (air core) and magnetic transformers for simulation
- Learn to create realistic asymetric and user-defined distributions for Monte Carlo analysis
- Learn to define tests to estimate the yield of a circuit from a Monte Carlo analysis
- Learn to create simulations to find the "true" worst-case limits of operation of a circuit
- Learn to create histograms of Monte Carlo test results for design reviews
- Learn to perform sensitivity analyses to find which components have the largest influence on the output of a circuit
- Learn to overcome 90% of the typical nonconvergence problems which stop analyses
Course Outline:
Analog Behavioral Modeling
Describing voltages and currents
Basic dependent elements
Programmable elements
LaPlace transform elements
Equation elements
Table elements
If-then-else elements
Building Behavioral Elements
Pulse-width modulator
Boost converter
Thermistor
Self-heating elements
Voltage-controlled oscillator
Modeling Physical Components
Large capacitors, inductors, resistors
Extracting parasitic (non-ideal) characteristics
Modeling Transformers
Linear transformers
Polarity
Coupling coefficients
Mutual inductance
Magnetic transformers
Transformer core parameters
Polarity
Setting the turns ratio
Importing Schematics and Probe Outputs
Importing schematics into a word processor
Importing Probe output into a word processor
Saving the data from Probe into a spreadsheet program
Using Probe output as an input to simulation
Using oscilloscope data as an input to simulation
Parameter Sweeps for Advanced Users
Global parameters
Goal functions / Measurements
Search commands
Defining your own goal functions
Displaying the measured goal
Monte Carlo/Worst Case Analysis for Advanced Users
Component tolerances
Setting global tolerances
Analyzing the output
Defining your own distribution
Distributions for a true worst-case analysis
Goal functions for Monte Carlo
Estimating yields from a Monte Carlo analysis
