Electronics Workbench Announces DesignSuite Version 9

Series 9 DesignSuite Integrates with NI LabVIEW, SignalExpress to Enhance Simulation, Testing

Electronics Workbench Corporation, has announced Multisim 9, Ultiboard 9 and Ultiroute 9. Together these products form the Electronics Workbench Series 9 DesignSuite, a tightly integrated, end-to-end solution that engineers can use to efficiently take electronics projects from initial concept through capture and simulation to final layout and production. Multisim seamlessly integrates with the recently released NI LabVIEW 8 graphical development environment as well as NI SignalExpress interactive measurement software to help design engineers increase productivity and reduce time to market by bridging the disconnect between popular design and test tools. Using Multisim 9, engineers can access enhanced simulation capabilities by using real-world data acquired by LabVIEW as the source that drives virtual circuits during testing. By integrating their simulation data and real-world measurements, engineers can reduce errors, shorten design time and create more robust designs. Engineers also now can use LabVIEW to graphically create fully customized virtual instruments to use in the Multisim environment in addition to the software’s 20 supplied instruments.

Engineers now can quickly import their Multisim 9 simulation results into LabVIEW or SignalExpress in their native file formats. With this capability, they can more efficiently share and compare real-world and simulated data. They can use these results as benchmarks during project testing and debug phases, improving efficiency and interdepartmental communications by easily comparing measured data with expected or desired results. With native file formats, engineers can eliminate the need to convert files and can significantly reduce errors and inefficiencies associated with data sharing.

Click here for technical details on the new product release.

Click here to download the Version 9 Freeware Edition.

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Multisim Featured on National Semiconductor’s “Analog by Design” Show hosted by Bob Pease
Electronics Workbench Multisim was recently featured on the highly popular online webcast for design engineers hosted by National Semiconductor.  The approximately 45-minute webcast walks viewers through the process of designing and analyzing a low-noise amplifier, using Multisim and National Instruments SignalExpress. 

Click here to view the webcast.

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Design and Implement the Freescale MMA7260Q Low-g Sensor in a Custom NI CompactRIO Module with Multisim and Ultiboard
This tutorial highlights Electronics Workbench DesignSuite as a powerful design tool for creating a custom CompactRIO module. National Instruments CompactRIO is an embedded prototyping platform that consists of a 200MHz processor running a real-time operating system, a Xilinx Virtex-II FPGA, and general purpose I/O modules such as analog, digital, CAN, and more. When prototyping with CompactRIO, both the real-time controller and the FPGA are programmed with the LabVIEW graphical-programming environment. CompactRIO is an open platform, and as such, many companies have designed specialized modules ranging from ECU sub-system designs in the automotive space, to the implementation of communications protocols in the telecommunications space, to something as simple as an IC sensor interfaced to the existing FPGA of CompactRIO.

In this tutorial, a custom CompactRIO module is designed to evaluate the Freescale MMA7260Q low g 3-axis accelerometer in an embedded prototype. Electronics Workbench DesignSuite was chosen for the schematic capture and board layout due to its ability to easily import the IC characteristics and footprint of the MMA7260Q chip with the built-in component wizards of Multisim and Ultiboard. Additionally, the CompactRIO module templates were placed directly from the Board Outline database in Ultiboard to save time during the board layout phase.

Click here for the complete tutorial.

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New Technology in Multisim 9

Multisim 9 offers a wealth of productivity enhancing features. Highlights of this new version include:

• Expressions may be entered into analyses to customize the results to your exact requirements
• The ability to create your own instruments – LabVIEW Virtual Instruments can now be used inside Multisim
• Seamless file interchange with NI LabVIEW – Multisim can read and write NI LVM and TDM files: Use captured data as a source in Multisim – drive your circuit with real-world data
• Export simulation results to LabVIEW – easily compare predicted and actual results
• Enhanced variant support through the spreadsheet view
• Additional circuit wizards – easily create Op Amp circuitry and MOSFET amplifiers
• The improved piece wise linear source supports large data files and allows you to “loop” data
• Improved error checking (support for “no-connect” pins)
• Better performance when capturing large designs
• Improved printing of multiple-page projects

Click here for more details on Version 9.

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January 2006

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