The PSpice Workshop

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to introduce PSpice (aka Allegro AMS/Design Entry) to first-time users and to refresh seasoned PSpice users to the wide variety of analysis capabilities in the PSpice (Allegro AMS) simulator.

This 3-day course assumes the student has no prior knowledge of the PSpice circuit simulator and Capture schematic capture program. Everything necessary to fully build, run, analyze, design, and test circuits is presented.

Students should leave the course with a good understanding of how to apply PSpice to typical design and analysis problems.

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Course Objectives:

• Learn to use OrCAD Capture (Allegro Design Entry) schematic capture
• Learn to use PSpice (Allegro AMS) to simulate, analyze, and test circuit behavior
• Learn to run DC bias, DC Sweep, AC Sweep, and Transient Analysis in PSpice
• Learn to import models from the internet into PSpice
• Learn to create your own models in PSpice
• Learn to run Monte Carlo and Worst Case analysis in PSpice
• Learn to run Parameteric Sweeps in PSpice
• Learn to run and create Goal Functions/Measurements in PSpice
• Learn to run Performance Analysis in PSpice

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Course Outline:

PSpice Overview

OrCAD Capture (aka Allegro Design Entry)
PSpice (aka Allegro AMS 210)
Probe
Model Editor

Circuit Schematics

Components
Parts Browser
Sources
Passive Components
Active Components
Wires & Buses
Making Connections
Ground

Schematic Rules

DC Path to Ground
Voltage Source Loops
Inductor Cutsets

Analysis types

DC Operating Point
Displaying the Bias Information
DC Sweep
AC Frequency Sweep
Transient (Time) Sweep

Modeling with PSpice

Hierarchical Schematics
User-Defined Symbols
Importing Models from a Vendor
Importing Models from the Web

Making Models with the Model Editor

Model Parameters
Regions of Operation
Entering Datasheet Information
Displaying Model Characteristics
Optimizing Model Characteristics

Analog Behavioral Models

Functional Block Models
Table Model
Laplace Model
Frequency Table Model

Using Probe

Cursor Functions
Saving Displays
Command Macros

Mixed Analog and Digital Simulation

Digital Components
AtoD and DtoA Converters

Parametric Sweep Analysis

Global Parameters and Variables
Equations with Parameters
Parameter Sweeps over Temperature

Monte Carlo Analysis

Component Tolerances
Model Tolerances
Setting Limits
Analyzing the Output

Worst-Case Analysis

Toleranced Components
Worst-Case Conditions
Sensitivity Analysis
Worst-Case Results

Making Measurements in PSpice

Measurement/Goal Functions
Search Commands
Displaying the Measured Performance
Performance Analysis

Circuit Optimization

Defining Circuit Parameters
Defining Performance Goals
Selecting Component Tolerances
Using the Optimized Result