SIMetrix/SIMPLIS Intro In power electronics design, speed and accuracy are critical. SIMetrix/SIMPLIS is a dual-engine simulation software tailored specifically for power supply designers. While SIMetrix handles standard SPICE simulation, SIMPLIS focuses on rapid switching power system analysis. Together, they form a powerful suite for designing efficient power converters. The Dual-Engine Advantage
The software contains two distinct simulation engines to handle different circuit behaviors.
SIMetrix: A classic SPICE simulator optimized for convergence and speed. It excels at transistor-level modeling, linear circuits, and detailed component-level analysis.
SIMPLIS: A Piecewise-Linear (PWL) simulator designed for switching power systems. It models complex power supplies up to 10 to 50 times faster than standard SPICE. Key Features of SIMPLIS
The SIMPLIS engine provides unique analysis capabilities that set it apart from traditional SPICE tools.
Transient Analysis: Simulates thousands of switching cycles in seconds to view startup or load step responses.
Periodic Steady State (PSS): Finds the stable operating point of a switching circuit instantly without waiting for thermal or electrical settlement.
AC Analysis: Extracts a true small-signal AC open-loop response directly from the switching model without using average models. Common Use Cases
Engineers deploy this software suite across various stages of power supply development.
Topology Evaluation: Testing different converter types like Buck, Boost, LLC, or Flyback.
Control Loop Tuning: Designing stable feedback networks using real-time AC analysis.
Efficiency Analysis: Evaluating switching and conduction losses across various load conditions.
By combining the precision of SPICE with the speed of PWL simulation, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS allows engineers to virtualize their test benches and accelerate time-to-market.
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