Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1505220
54 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2023 associated with actual flight. at allows pilots to gain experience in handling challenging sit- uations and improves their ability to respond appropriately in real-world emergencies with- out crashing a plane if they make a mistake. Furthermore, conducting flight training in a simulator is more cost-effective than training in an actual aircra. Simulators reduce fuel, maintenance, and operational costs, allowing pilots to gain valuable training hours without the high expenses of flying real planes. Take Your Design for a Test Flight In the same way, PCB design and circuit simulations provide the same advantages: a controlled, safe environment for testing a cir- cuit without the considerable overhead of fab- ricating and assem- b l i n g t h e P C B . That i s al l done through SPICE simulat ions (Simu- lat ion Pro gram with Inte- grated Circuit Emphasis). SPICE is a computer simu- lation and modeling program used to predict the behavior of electronic circuits mathematically. Many PCB de s igner s feel that cir- c u i t simulation is something they will never need to learn, and it is best handled by that infamous "someone else." But in our pres- ent business environment, with the lack of PCB design and engineering resources, many designers are pulling multiple duties through- out the design process. Having individuals understand various disciplines, including PCB simulation, increases your overall value to any company. I always recommend that new PCB designers learn anything and every- thing they can that would be an asset to the company. Circuit simulations have a rich history that has mirrored the ever-changing electronic innovations. Circuit simulation must keep up with ever-increasing technology and more complex circuits. It all began in the early 1970s at the University of California, Berkeley, with Dr. Laurence W. Nagel and his team. Initially designed for simulating integrated circuits (and part of Nagel's PhD dissertation), SPICE aimed to analyze and optimize the perfor- mance of electronic systems at the transis- tor level. It wasn't until the late 1990s to early 2000s that SPICE simulation became integral to comprehensive EDA soware suites, inte- grated with schematic capture and PCB layout tools. is integration allowed designers to move between schematic design, layout, and simulation seamlessly. e 2010s was the golden age of circuit sim- ulations with significant advancements. With the advent of cloud computing, some EDA companies began offering cloud-based SPICE simu- lations, enabling scalable resources for more exten- sive simulations. F u r t h e r m o r e , a d v a n c e m e n t s i n machine lear ning and A I techniques were integrated into SPICE simulators to optimize designs, perform parameter sweeps, and explore design spaces more efficiently, which we will discuss later in this column. Altium's SPICE Environment Altium has what can be described as an ongo- ing development of its SPICE tool. Although we originally released a circuit simulation tool in the early 2000s, the release of Altium Designer 22 in 2022 featured a fully revamped simulation tool, with a focus on several key points. Circuit simulation was fully and seamlessly integrated into the Altium Designer PCB design environment. is integration allows design engineers to move seamlessly between schematic capture, PCB layout, and simula- tion, streamlining the design process. Circuit simulations have a rich history that has mirrored the ever-changing electronic innovations.