Exclusive Hands-on Review: Online Power Supply Design Tools
August 16, 2004
With an eye toward helping design engineers get their power supply designs done faster and more accurately-not to mention getting their own parts spec'd into the final design-several companies now offer online simulation tools. All tools use a version or portion of Transim's modular, web-based simulation tools (http://www.transim.com). Do they live up to expectations? We checked them out ourselves, and also asked Marty Brown, author of the Power Supply Cookbook, to do an in-depth evaluation. Except for a few shortcomings, most tools did what they said they could do.
*Evaluated by Design News |
ONLINE POWER SUPPLY DESIGN |
Fairchild Semiconductor FETBench WebSIM http://rbi.ims.ca/3853-557 |
FUNCTIONALITY |
Analysis tool for dc-dc converters, rectified buck converter (including a version with a controller) and a boost converter. Also load switch and bidirectional load switch. |
TYPE OF ANALYSIS |
Device, application, and thermal analysis. Curve tracer analysis and dynamic characteristics for switching waveforms, including reverse recovery. |
TARGET AUDIENCE |
Novices through experienced designers for FETBench and PFC design toolkit. |
KIT/PARTS |
A kit or parts to make the design is not available. |
POWER SUPPLY GURU MARTY BROWN'S QUICK EVALUATION (more comments at http://rbi.ims.ca/3853-556) |
+ Best feature: One can place "dummy loads" onto the PCB to simulate the other major heat-producing components within the system (ICs and other "non-MOSFETs"), and simulate a more complete PCB Thermal system. |
- When selecting "View Schematic" in the Applications area, you cannot print out the entire schematic. The window is in landscape mode, but the print button only produces portrait-style prints for the first page only. |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Although they do not offer online analysis tools, some other manufacturers offer power supply and power management design support online. Texas Instrumants offers power management engineering design utilities and design-in calculators at http://rbi.ims.ca/3853-561. Analog Devices offers power management design tools, including evaluation boards at http://rbi.ims.ca/3853-562. |
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