Unit 2: Electronic Circuit Simulation Package (Pt. 1) E3004 / UNIT 2

ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT SIMULATION PACKAGE (PT.
1) E3004 / UNIT 2/ 1
UNIT 2
OBJECTIVE
General Objective : To learn how to use the electronic circuit simulation

package called Pspice Schematic Capture.
Specific Objective : At the end of this unit, you should be able to :-
 Explain netlist and its contents.

 Start schematic capture.
 Set the paper size of the schematic sheet.
 Edit title block.
 Get the electronic components from the ‘library’.
 Place component on schematic sheet.
 Move and change the position of the components.
 Edit the attributes and text in schematic capture.
 Wire-up the components to produce a complete schematic circuit.
 Ground the circuit and label the circuit nodes.
 Save the schematic file.
ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT SIMULATION PACKAGE (PT. 1) E3004 / UNIT 2/ 2
INPUT
2.0 INTRODUCTION TO BASICS OF SCHEMATIC CAPTURE

SIMULATION
In this module, you will use schematic capture method. This means simulating
schematic circuits which are drawn graphically. Another method is to write down
the program called “netlist”. It is like writing program in Pascal, C++ or other
high level languages. Drawing and simulating using schematic capture is of
course much more easier for you. It will easier for you to grasp the concept of
schematic capture simulation if you have little knowledge about netlist and its
contents. It will not be an objective for this module however to teach how to write
netlist.
2.0.1 Netlist
A netlist is a list of statement for each element/component used in the
circuit to be simulated. The netlist could be written manually. It could also
be generated automatically by Pspice from the schematic drawn. A netlist
could be read using any text editor program. A netlist consists of 3
elements :
2.0.1.1 Source element
2.0.1.2 Passive device element
2.0.1.3 Active device element
Below is a factor scale used for the component values in the netlist and in
schematic capture :
 Milli ; M = 1E-3  Kilo ; K = 1E3

 Mikro ; U = 1E-6  Mega ; MEG = 1E6
 Nano ; N = 1E-9  Giga ; G = 1E9
 Piko ; P = 1E-12  Terra ; T = 1E12
2.0.1.1 Source Element

The sources functions to supply the circuit with power supply or
input waveforms. There are THREE (3) different types of
sources used in simulation.
 DC Source
A source that generates dc voltage and dc current. There are
two types of dc sources – dependent source, independent
source.
 AC Source
A source that generates sinusoidal waveforms at different
frequencies with the same magnitude.
 Transient Source
A source that generates waveform whose amplitude changes
with time. Examples of transient sources are : sine waveform,
pulse waveform, polynomial waveform and exponential
waveform.
2.0.1.2 Passive Device Elements

Passive elements are electronic passive components such as
resistor, capacitor, inductor and transformer.
2.0.1.3 Active Device Elements

Active device elements are electronic components made of
semiconductor material. Examples are diod, bipolar transistor
(BJT), Field-Effect transistor (FET), Integrated Circuits (ICs)
2.1 STARTING PSPICE SCHEMATIC CAPTURE
In order to simulate an electronic circuit using a simulation package, a circuit

needs to be drawn and labelled carefully. The simulation software is unable to do
the simulation if there are mistakes in the drawing and therefore we cannot obtain
the genuine output of the circuit.
Start by selecting the following instructions or by clicking the menus as shown in
the illustration below.
 Start\program\Microsim Eval 7.1\Schematics.
2.2 GETTING TO KNOW THE TOOLBAR
Using the toolbar icons is faster than using the fly down menus. You need to
know some very important tool icons which would assist you in drawing
schematic and in simulation setup. Below are some of the icons on the main menu
that you will tend to use a lot.
place wire saved file name edit title block

Get new part simulate
place text Current part used
analysis setup
2.3 SETTING THE PAPER SIZE
Before you start drawing a schematic diagram using the simulation software, you
have to have a blank schematic sheet.
 Click on display options on the main menu. A blank schematic page is shown
below.
 Set the page size to A4 size.
 Click on page size on the main menu. Set the grid on. The dots that appear on the
schematic sheet is called the grid. It is useful in guiding you to place parts on the
schematic sheet.
2.4 EDITING THE TITLE BLOCK.
The first thing to do before you start the drawing is to place your name and class
information on your schematic. This must be done for each new schematic you
create. In the bottom right corner of your schematic is a title block. To see this
block you must switch the page view of the schematic.
 Click on view and then entire page.
title block
 Zoom into the title block by clicking view and In an point the cursor in the title
block. Doing this a few times and you will see it as below.
 To edit the title block, click on the title block icon or double click on the title
block graphic.
 You are to edit the information that appears in the title block and key in the
information given below.
 The information keyed-in just now will replace the previous information and
displayed in the title block.
2.5 BROWSING THE LIBRARY
Components are called “parts” in Pspice Schematic Capture. All parts are kept in
‘libraries’. You have to browse a library to get a particular part as needed in the
circuit. The term “part” will be used from now onwards.
 Click on draw and get new part.
 Click Advanced and the part graphic symbol will be previewed.

 Click libraries and the library browser will appear. Select any library. Each
library will have its own list of parts.
ACTIVITY 2a
 TEST YOUR COMPREHENSION BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT

INPUT…!
 CHECK YOUR ANSWERS IN THE FEEDBACK SECTION ON THE NEXT
PAGE.
Do the following exercises.
1. Match the source with its correct description.
A source that generates sinusoidal waveforms at DC Source

different frequencies with the same magnitude.
A source that generates waveform whose AC Source

amplitude changes with time.
A source that generates dc voltage and dc current. Transient Source

2. Label and name each icon marked on the main menu.
a b c g
e
d
f
3. Fill up the blanks for elements in a netlist.
4. Get a blank schematic page and set the page size to A4 size with the grid on.
Netlist
5. Focus on the title block. Edit the text in the title block and place your name,
course, class, institution and date.
6. You are to compile a scrap book that contains the lists of components and
their graphic symbols along with the descriptions for all the components kept
in a library. You may choose any one library from the library list.
FEEDBACK 2a
Answer :
To get the right answers , please discuss with your lecturer.
There are three types of people in this world: those who make things
There are three types of people in this world: those who make things
happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what
happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what
happened.
happened.
- Mary Kay
- Mary Kay
Ash
Ash
INPUT
2.6 PLACING PARTS ON SCHEMATIC SHEET

After you have chosen the right part, place the graphic on the blank schematic
page.
 To get a component, click draw and then click get new part. Choose a resistor
by keying-in “R” (short form of resistor) and a resistor graphic symbol is
displayed.
 Place it twice on the blank sheet as shown below.
 The resistors will be designated automatically as R1 and R2 with default

value of 1k ohm.
2.7 MOVING AND CHANGING THE POSITION OF THE PARTS
 Move the graphic to a place where you want to put the part. This is done by first
highlighting the part and then click and drag the part to the new intended location.
 The graphic can also be rotated so that it can be vertically or horizontally
oriented. To rotate a graphic 90 degrees, press Ctrl-R key once. Pressing Ctrl-R
keys a few times will cause the graphic to rotate a few times also.
 If you have done mistakes in choosing or placing the parts, you also can delete
that unwanted part by first highlighting that part and then press the delete key.
2.8 EDITING THE ATTRIBUTES AND TEXT IN SCHEMATIC
 The parts that you placed on the schematic page need to be edited so that the
values and attributes are the same as the real circuit
 Double click on the text or attribute to be edited and key in the new values as
shown below.
2.9 WIRING-UP THE COMPONENTS
Each part on the schematic page needs to be wired-up to form a complete circuit.
 To place a wire, click draw and wire. You can also click on the pencil icon of the
tool bar. A pencil graphic will appear on screen.

Place wire
 To place a wire between two parts, click the pencil once at at one end of a part
and drag the pencil to the other end of another part.
 Pressing esc key once makes the pencil disappear but pressing the space bar after
the esc key will make the pencil reappear.
2.10 GROUNDING THE CIRCUIT AND LABELLING THE NODES
 To run the circuit, you must have at least one ground connection in your circuit.
 To place a ground connection, click draw and then get new part.
 Key-in “agnd” and the analog ground graphic symbol will be previewed.The
library location where agnd is kept is also listed.
 Place the part called agnd connected to the circuit.
 You also need to label the nodes of the circuit. A node is a connection point of
two or more components. It is to identify points in a circuit.
 To label the nodes, double click on a wire. When set attribute value window
appear, key in the node label. You can use numbers or alphabets to label the
nodes.
Below is the set attribute value window and a circuit complete with grounding and
nodes labels. ( Points a, b and c are circuit nodes )
ACTIVITY 2b

INPUT…!
PAGE.
Do the following exercise.
Draw the circuit below using a schematic simulation package.

FEEDBACK 2b
Answer :
Get the correct answer from your lecturer.
If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t really trying.

If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t really trying.
- Coleman
Hawking - Coleman
Hawking
INPUT
2.11 SAVING THE SCHEMATIC CAPTURE
After you have finished the schematic, you need to save it before running
simulation. Simulation will not run if the schematic file is not saved.
 Click “file” on main menu and “save as”.
 Your filename must not exceed 8 characters long and it must have the extension
.sch.
 When the file is saved correctly the name of the circuit file is displayed at the top
of the schematic as shown below.
Saved file name
ACTIVITY 2c

INPUT…!
PAGE.
Do the following exercise.
Save the circuit that you have drawn in activity 2b. The filename of the circuit must have
the ‘sch’ extension.
FEEDBACK 2c
Answer :
Please verify filename with your lecturer to see if you have saved it correctly or not!
You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are
You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are
what you make yourself be.
what you make yourself be.
- Lou Holtz
- Lou Holtz
SELF-ASSESSMENT
You are approachinging SUCCESS! Try to answer ALL the questions in this self-
assessment section and check your answers in the feedback section in the next page.
If you encounter any problem please discuss with your lecturer. Try your best and
SUCCESS is on your way! Good-Luck!!!
QUESTION:
a. Draw the circuit as shown above. (10pts.)

b. Edit the title block. (10pts.)
c. Save the file under the name unit2.sch. (5pts.)
d. Print the whole page as shown above. (15pts.)
FEEDBACK
Have you tried to answer ???

If “ YES “, please check your answers.
ANSWERS TO SELF-ASSESSMENT
Get the answers from your lecturer!
“According
“According to
to the
the proverb,
proverb, the
the best
best things
things are
are the
the most
most difficult”
difficult”
-Plutarch
-Plutarch

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ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT SIMULATION PACKAGE (PT.

General Objective : To learn how to use the electronic circuit simulation

Specific Objective : At the end of this unit, you should be able to :-

 Explain netlist and its contents.

2.0 INTRODUCTION TO BASICS OF SCHEMATIC CAPTURE

 Milli ; M = 1E-3  Kilo ; K = 1E3

2.0.1.1 Source Element

2.0.1.2 Passive Device Elements

2.0.1.3 Active Device Elements

2.1 STARTING PSPICE SCHEMATIC CAPTURE

In order to simulate an electronic circuit using a simulation package, a circuit

2.2 GETTING TO KNOW THE TOOLBAR

place wire saved file name edit title block

2.3 SETTING THE PAPER SIZE

 Set the page size to A4 size.

2.4 EDITING THE TITLE BLOCK.

2.5 BROWSING THE LIBRARY

 Click Advanced and the part graphic symbol will be previewed.

 TEST YOUR COMPREHENSION BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT

Do the following exercises.

1. Match the source with its correct description.

A source that generates sinusoidal waveforms at DC Source

A source that generates waveform whose AC Source

A source that generates dc voltage and dc current. Transient Source

2. Label and name each icon marked on the main menu.

To get the right answers , please discuss with your lecturer.

2.6 PLACING PARTS ON SCHEMATIC SHEET

 Place it twice on the blank sheet as shown below.

 The resistors will be designated automatically as R1 and R2 with default

2.7 MOVING AND CHANGING THE POSITION OF THE PARTS

2.8 EDITING THE ATTRIBUTES AND TEXT IN SCHEMATIC

2.9 WIRING-UP THE COMPONENTS

2.10 GROUNDING THE CIRCUIT AND LABELLING THE NODES

 Place the part called agnd connected to the circuit.

 TEST YOUR COMPREHENSION BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT

Do the following exercise.

Draw the circuit below using a schematic simulation package.

Get the correct answer from your lecturer.

If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t really trying.

2.11 SAVING THE SCHEMATIC CAPTURE

 Click “file” on main menu and “save as”.

 TEST YOUR COMPREHENSION BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT

Do the following exercise.

a. Draw the circuit as shown above. (10pts.)

Have you tried to answer ???

Get the answers from your lecturer!

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