PSpice

[Michael]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money
What do you people think? Can anybody recommend a book?
Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Frithiof Andreas Jensen]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money

Not *your* money, so not your problem!

 

[Jim Thompson]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money

Though I've never had a course in any kind of Spice, I'd recommend
taking a course... otherwise the learning curve is pretty intense.

What do you people think? Can anybody recommend a book?
Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

The classic text is...

"SPICE, A Guide to Circuit Simulation & Analysis Using PSpice"
by Paul W. Tuinenga
Prentice Hall
ISBN 0-13-158775-7

It's out-of-print, but can be found used.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Joel Kolstad]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package.

Actually -- like most EDA packages -- ORCAD has all sorts of license
configuration options, some including PSpice, some not. Do you already use
ORCAD for schematic entry?

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money
What do you people think?

If I were you I'd download LTSpice (or the limited "student edition" of
PSpice) (both free) and play with one for awhile to get comfortable with
what SPICE can do for you; save the money until you know what you really
want out of the tool and then try out a handful of SPICE packages to see
which one suits your needs best.

Can anybody recommend a book?

Mmm... not a good one. Tell Amazon.Com to search for books on "PSpice" and
then start reading reviews and pay attention to the "Customers who bought
this item also bought..." and "...bought this instead..." lines.

---Joel

 

[Sean]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money
What do you people think? Can anybody recommend a book?
Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

PSpice comes free with the equally free demo version of Orcad/Capture,
which you can get by applying at their site. It's fully featured but
the number of nodes in your circuit is restricted to 64 and there are
other restrictions as well.

But it's a good way to learn how to use PSpice.

Amazon has numerous books on PSpice and Orcad.

I'd suggest getting the demo version, fooling around with it for a bit
to get the feel of it and then decide what books you want.

 

[Charlie Edmondson]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money
What do you people think? Can anybody recommend a book?
Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

Michael,
Who do you have as the teacher for the class? If you have Ray, then
TAKE THE CLASS! He has been working and teaching PSpice, esp. with
Capture, longer than almost anyone (except Keilkowski! ;-) )

For that price, you probably signed up for both Capture and PSpice
classes. As a recommendation, go ahead and get the software loaded
beforehand. Open the PSpice Users Guide in the documentation (its on
your hard drive) and go through the tutorial. That way, you will have
some good questions to bug him with!

Charlie

 

[Aviator]

There been much good advice given, and not much I can add except not to
abandon Excel and MathCAD once you come up to speed with PSPICE. There
are a lot of people who think you can do design in a vacuum with the
simulation tool, but this is no substitute for a basic understanding of
how your circuit should work. It's always a good idea to run through
the math, using tools such as Excel and MathCAD to crunch the numbers
*AFTER* you've set up the equations. Once you're satisfied with your
design, then run your simulations. If your calculation and simulation
results don't agree, you should go back and forth between the two until
you find your problem and bring them into agreement.

The simulator is particularly useful for doing worst case or
monte-carlo simulations, showing how your design will perform in
production, verifying your design margins. Then and only then should
you build your design, and at that point, it's a confirmation of your
design. Test reults on your design should agree with your analysis and
simulation. If not, you need to understand and resolve any
discrepancies.

I've come across a number of engineers who think they can design in a
vacuum with PSPICE, and who are often surprised when the actual design
fails to perform as expected. You should be careful not to fall into
that trap.

Good luck!

 

[qrk]

I need to learn how to use PSpice. It's a shame I don't use it
considering that PSpice is included in ORCAD package. I have been doing
everything I need in Excel and Mathcad so far (and in many cases it's
almost like using abacus or rule slider instead of calculator).
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The company has OK-ed spending $2100 for the EMA Design Automation
class I am just about to sign in for. Now I am thinking whether it's a
waste of money
What do you people think? Can anybody recommend a book?
Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

There are many basic tutorials on Spice on the Web. They are usually
supplements to college courses. They will teach you Spice the proper
way where you enter the net list by hand in an ASCII file. It would be
a good idea to go through some of these tutorials. LTspice and PSpice
both accept ASCII net lists.

 

[Jim Thompson]

[snip]

I've come across a number of engineers who think they can design in a
vacuum with PSPICE, and who are often surprised when the actual design
fails to perform as expected. You should be careful not to fall into
that trap.

Good luck!

[snip]

Then there are those of us who design ONLY in PSpice, with successful
design rates in excess of 99% ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[D from BC]

[snip]

Any (relevant) opinion will be appreciated.
Thanks!

Here's my thoughts from the poor mans hobbyist perspective....
I'm self taught in a few SPICE programs.. All my study material was
downloadable.
I treat SPICE like what it is...A symbolic math program..
The more math stuck in ..the more accuracy out..

Software makers Want You! to use their product. To help make it easy,
watch for SPICE software makers including helpful documentation at all
levels. It's can be turned into selling point.
Perhaps try a deal with the SPICE software company...
"Ummm...The only way I'm be able to use and buy your program is if I
know how to use it. Could you include some famous SPICE books too?"
Unlikely ..but you never know...

D from BC

 

[Charlie Edmondson]

[snip]

I've come across a number of engineers who think they can design in a
vacuum with PSPICE, and who are often surprised when the actual design
fails to perform as expected. You should be careful not to fall into
that trap.

Good luck!

[snip]

Then there are those of us who design ONLY in PSpice, with successful
design rates in excess of 99% ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Hi Jim,
But then, 1000 years of experience is hardly a vacumn, now, is it?

Charlie

 

[Jim Thompson]

[snip]

I've come across a number of engineers who think they can design in a
vacuum with PSPICE, and who are often surprised when the actual design
fails to perform as expected. You should be careful not to fall into
that trap.

Good luck!

[snip]

Then there are those of us who design ONLY in PSpice, with successful
design rates in excess of 99% ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Hi Jim,
But then, 1000 years of experience is hardly a vacumn, now, is it?

Charlie

Yep, I do have many hours of soldering-iron-created breadboards under
my belt.

Just got back from my epidural... looks like they had it nailed for
problem area... until the local lidocaine wore off I was feeling no
pain... let's hope the steroids fix the problem.

...Jim Thompson