Get Web-based design help
-- EDN, January 4, 2001
The Webench 2.0 Web-based workbench from National Semiconductor provides wireless, power, and thermal simulators. You can access Webench 2.0 for free at www.webench.national.com. The interactive collection of tools enables designers to more efficiently move from component selection to design, analysis, and sampling. The Webench tools include EasyPLL for simulating PLL designs, the WebSim simulation tool, and WebTherm for thermal design and analysis.
You access EasyPLL through www.wireless.national.com, an interactive online simulator for PLL design and analysis. When you enter the desired frequencies, you generate an electrical circuit that includes selections for a PLL, a VCO, and passive components from a catalog of more than 350 devices. The resulting simulations cover PLL and loop-filter performance, including phase noise, Bode plots and lock time.
National Semiconductor developed WebSIM in cooperation with Transim Corp (www.transim.com). The updated design flow now integrates the Switchers Made Simple software. The four-step process allows engineers to build power-supply circuits, select from more than 2000 components from a large selection of vendors, perform online simulations, create physical layouts, and develop prototypes within the same environment. You can access WebSIM at www.power.national.com.
National developed WebTherm in cooperation with Flomerics Corp (www.flomerics.com). WebTherm combines physical layout with thermal modeling to generate full-color thermal images of board designs. You access Webtherm through www.power.national.com. WebTherm produces a thermal picture by calculating the heat transfer and interaction between components on the board and the environment to generate junction temperatures at the die level. The process allows designers to adjust environmental and airflow parameters and to optimize heat dissipation and electrical performance.
National Semiconductor, www.national.com.
-by Gabe Moretti
