Design, Simulate, and Validate Your Circuit With PSpice FAQ
Here are some comprehensive answers to all the questions that were asked in our recent webinar.
PSpice | Simulation and Settings | PSpice Models | Derating | General
PSpice
Yes, you can simulate and analyze the DC voltage drop for high current paths.
You can connect them via the PSpice - MATLAB co-simulation flow. PSpice Designer Plus supports the PSpice – MATLAB interface. Setting up of this interface is super simple. All you need is to set your MATLAB installation path under PSpice – MATLAB Setup. This interface will let you generate advance plots using your PSpice simulation result in MATLAB plots and use MATLAB functions in your PSpice simulation and measurements to perform co-simulation using PSpice-MATLAB Simulink. For more information, view this webinar: Combining MathWorks and Simulink with PSpice to Streamline PCB Design.
PSpice supports the simulation of non-linear magnetics and fully supports magnetic circuit simulation. Thermal simulation is not available, but you can simulate temperature effect in your circuit analysis. Using PSpice Smoke Analysis you can also simulate the effect of a heatsink on junction temperature of the device under current operating and ambient condition. This enables a user to design a proper heatsink for power semiconductors such as MOSFET, IGBT, BJTs, Diode, etc.
PSpice supports both Monte Carlo Analysis and worst-case analysis.
Yes, the following three approaches are possible:
a.You can use parametric sweep analysis to sweep different values of the parameter. This enables sweeping of one parameter at a time.
b. Use PSpice Advance Analysis Optimizer to optimize multiple circuits or model parameters to achieve circuit goals.
c.Use PSpice Advance Analysis – Parametric plotter to sweep multiple parameters to explore the solution space and select the appropriate set of circuits or model parameters.
You can run IR Drop analysis via Analysis Workflows in Allegro X PCB Editor.
No, PSpice cannot handle Verilog FPGA in simulation.
No, PSpice cannot run MMW simulations. However, if you need to run MMW simulations you can use our AWR Microwave Office product suite.
Yes, you can simulate electrostatic discharge. It needs to be modeled as a form of special sources.
Yes, it supports alternate/additional model formats both mixed mode and electrotechnical simulations.
Simulation and Settings
You can use parameters (PARAMS) substitution to simulate your circuit under different model parameters.
The ITL4 parameter is the maximum number of allowed iterations at any given time point in transient analysis. Its default value is 10. If the circuit fails to converge within the default iteration that is set, the step size is reduced, time is backed up, and the calculation is repeated. Increasing the ITL4 will aid in converging the simulation. Ideally the default value should be used and should not be greater than 100.
Clicking on SKIPBP, skips the bias point calculation in transient analysis.
Within PSpice there is a feature called Auto Convergence. You can enable this by editing your simulation settings. Go to Simulation Settings > Options > Analog Simulation > Auto Converge. Select the Auto Converge checkbox to enable the setting and click OK.
PSpice Models
Yes, you can override parameters at the schematic level.
Yes, most unencrypted SPICE models from LTspice can be simulated as is in PSpice. Encrypted Models and LTspice property devices such as “A” cannot be simulated with any other SPICE simulator including PSpice. However, if there are specific parts you are looking for models for, please let us know. A model editor is available within the product.
Generic SPICE based models and non-behavioral PSpice models should be compatible with the above-mentioned Cadence platforms.
If these model parameters are device rating, then these can be searched in content providers in the component explorer to get Manufacturer part.
Derating
A standard derate is shipped along with no derate option - you can always create custom derating files and use it in Smoke Analysis based on different standards.
No, currently you cannot stress check for capacitor ripple current using PSpice Smoke Analysis.
You can create your own custom derating files if the derating standards are available to you.
Yes, you can apply a d-rate at the global level, or you can apply it at a specific instance level.
General
Within OrCAD X Capture, select Place > Component from the toolbar menu or use the hot key M.
PSpice basic is included in all OrCAD X tiers - standard and professional. If you are looking for advanced simulation such as Smoke Analysis, and system simulation you will need OrCAD X Professional Plus that includes full PSpice.
You can access a free version of PSpice via the OrCAD X free trialor download a free version of Cadence’s PSpice for TI.
No, it should not have any negative impact. If your remote system has higher compute power and good system specifications, your simulation will run faster.
Virtuoso Spectre is used for integrated circuit, and PSpice for PCB simulation, there has been no solution for designers who wanted to analyze IC and PCB components together in the same simulation. However, you can use PSpice models with Spectre. This enables the user to include PCB components in a PSpice format into a Spectre integrated circuit simulation. The solution is based on the approach of using a regular Spectre simulation including the Spectre simulator control statements, but additionally allowing to include user define subcircuits in PSpice format. Be aware that due to the approach described above, this is not a replacement of a PSpice simulation. The solution is available for Spectre and APS simulators.
Yes, most of the functionality that was shown is available in 17.4. Cadence is continuously improving its solution and adding new features. It strongly encourages users to use latest releases to get maximum benefits. Features such as Live BOM are only available with version 23.1 and up.
Yes, you can set the temperature run to low temperature within the simulation settings GUI via the temperature sweep option.
You can define absolute temperature for the model using T_ABS. In this, you can define direct values or expressions which models the temperature behavior. With the 23.1 release, you can now model temperature variation as function of time - something no other solution currently provides.
a. You can access our previous webinars via this link.
Access to our 3rd party vendors within our Component Explorer is included as part of our solution.
Allegro X is our enterprise PCB platform and supports PSpice using either OrCAD X Capture or Allegro X System Capture. 22.1 is the release version - the latest release version is 23.1.
Yes, Allegro X System Capture supports PSpice.
Yes, you can get support from our community forums here. Create a new post to submit your question(s).
Yes, there is a way to do that. The Cadence Sigrity solution can be used to extract PCB parasitics and SPICE model for paracitics. These SPICE models can then be stitched back to PSpice circuit (netlist) to perform simulation with layout parasitic.
PSpice for TI is our collaborative offering with Texas Instruments (TI), and it offers unlimited or unconstrained simulation for TI devices or any inbuilt model. Using models from external sources such as other semiconductor manufacturer, however, restricts your simulation and plotting to a maximum of up to four waveforms. Whereas OrCAD X PSpice offers you more advanced capabilities in terms of devices such as non-linear magnetics, PSpice Advance Analyses and complete unrestricted simulation independent of the model source.