Advanced SIMPLIS Training / Module 3 - Getting Ready to Model |
You are probably accustomed to thinking of schematics as fixed entities tied to a particular design. In this topic you will learn that schematics can be viewed as templates which define the electrical circuit but not necessarily the component values. Using the load component values feature of SIMPLIS you can change a number of component values defined in a spreadsheet. In this topic you will change the component values to change the output voltage and to add statistical distribution functions to the design.
To download the examples for Module 3, click Module_3_Examples.zip
In this topic:
This topic addresses the following key concepts:
In this topic, you will learn the following:
In the Getting Started section you loaded a schematic with new component values. The new values change the output voltage set-point of the converter to 5.5V and also increase the saturation currents for the PWL inductor L4. At the same time, the Monte Carlo distribution functions were added to the input source and voltage feedback resistors. After the component values were changed, the program reported a log to the SIMetrix/SIMPLIS command shell window, with the details of each change:
Load component value -- Started @ 8:29 AM Action: refdes old new ------- ------ --- --- Change V1.VALUE {Vin} {310*Unif(0.0333)} Change R6.VALUE 4.75k {5.7k*Gauss(0.05)} Change R7.VALUE 4.75k {4.75k*Gauss(0.05)} No Change R2.VALUE 1.5 1.5 Change L4.VALUE NSEG=5 X0=-0.50 Y0=-{1.655m*(L4_Tol)} X1=-0.45 Y1=-{1.65m*(L4_Tol)} X2=-0.40 Y2=-{1.6m*(L4_Tol)} X3=0.40 Y3={1.6m*(L4_Tol)} X4=0.45 Y4={1.65m*(L4_Tol)} X5=0.50 Y5={1.655m*(L4_Tol)} NSEG=5 X0=-{0.50*1.1} Y0=-{1.655m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} X1=-{0.45*1.1} Y1=-{1.65m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} X2=-{0.40*1.1} Y2=-{1.6m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} X3={0.40*1.1} Y3={1.6m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} X4={0.45*1.1} Y4={1.65m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} X5={0.50*1.1} Y5={1.655m*1.1*(L4_Tol)} Load component value -- complete @ 8:29 AM
In addition to reporting to the command shell, the log is saved as a file. The log can be viewed with the menu item:
.SIMetrix/SIMPLIS has a built-in HTML viewer which can be used to view the log file. In this exercise you will view the log file using the HTML viewer.
The log file is a plain ASCII text file located in the same directory as the schematic. The log file is automatically created every time the schematic is loaded with a configuration file and has the same name as the schematic but with the extension: .compvalues.log. In this exercise, you will open the log file in the text editor.
The Load Component Values configuration file can be created by hand, by another program or script, or by SIMetrix/SIMPLIS. The schematic menu:
reads each symbol property, determines if that symbol property is compatible with Load Component Values, and saves the address-value pair to a configuration file.In this exercise you will save a configuration file for the schematic to the default file name.
Created configuration file : C:\Training\Module_3_Examples\3.1_SelfOscillatingConverter_POP.compvalues.txt
The configuration file is a plain ASCII text file with two columns separated by a tab character. Following are the rules for the configuration file:
ADDRESS | VALUE |
L1.DCR | 5m |
As mentioned in the Configuration File Format section, the configuration file is a plain ASCII text file. As such, it can be viewed and edited in any text editor including the built-in text editor.
At this point you have the default configuration file open in the text editor. In the screenshot shown above, the values for two components, IPROBE4 and Probe7 are shown. The configuration file can be edited to change values or to eliminate unneeded components.
<full_path_to_simetrix.exe> <full_path_to_schematic_to_open> /l <full_path_to_comp_values_file>
The load component values feature is provided by the script, load_comp_values.sxscr. The script has one optional argument -- a filename. Without the optional argument, the script attempts to load the default file, which is <schematic_name>.compvalues.txt. If that file cannot be found or cannot be opened, a file selection dialog opens to allow you to select a configuration file. Do one of the following:
The load component values script can be called from any SIMetrix Script.
Please fill out the Module # 3 Evaluation form.