electronics workbench/multisim software

ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH/MULTISIM
SOFTWARE: A Computer-Based
Laboratory Simulation
- A Practical Solution to Laboratory
Challenges
PRESENTED BY
EVERTON LEWIS
&
CLIVE THOMPSON
PRESENTATION TOPICS
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DEFINITION
BENEFITS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
MAIN FEATURES OF ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH
STUDENT’S OPINION OF SOFTWARE
EWB APPLICATIONS
MAIN FEATURES OF MULTISIM
APPLICATIONS OF MULTISIM
COMPARISON OF MULTISIM AND EWB
WORKING WITH PROJECTS
DEFINITION
 Electronics Workbench/Multisim
are simulation programmes for
educators and engineers that can
model the behavior of analog /
digital circuits and provide a
means of analyzing them in a
safe and efficient manner.
BENEFITS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
 Calls upon the learner to respond through
decision making and problem solving.
 Can be used in any phase of learning for
teaching and guiding the learner in
acquiring the requisite information or skills
without concern for materials, equipment,
safety hazards, or physical damage.
 Provides opportunity for practice in order to
enhance retention.
BENEFITS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
 Provides real-life experiences not
readily available due to lack of
resources.
 Be able to control the complexity of the
learning process/environment.
 Motivates the learner.
 Costs less than the physical equipment.
 Encourages discovery learning
BENEFITS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
 Assists in the transfer of skills or
knowledge learned in one situation
to be applied to another; more than
when formal lecture is utilized.
 Encourages higher order thinking
 Technological developments are
readily accessible via software
upgrades
BENEFITS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
 Offers a wider scope of equipment types
to practice with.
 Specific skills or attitudes can be
focused on.
 Increases independent learning
opportunities.
 Be able to study phenomena that are
normally not visible to the naked eye.
WHY USE ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH?
• Available at UTech (through a Server)
• FELS has challenges with laboratory
resources
–Equipment, components
• Mr. Thompson introduced EWB to
Electrical Technology Programme in
1998 in the ‘new’ B.Ed. Degree
PROBLEMS TEACHING TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Too many of our current “Technical
Programs” are ‘Theory Based’.
• Knowledge and skills taught in a typical
Class today do not always meet the
needs of modern Industries/Society
• Training of learners must meet needs of
today’s Industrial demands
THEORETICAL BASES FOR USING
SIMULATORS IN THE CLASSROOM
• Bridge the gap between student’s learning
preferences and instructor’s teaching style
• Useful for remedial, accelerated, and
independent learning and experimentation
• Consistent with Experiential Learning
• Consistent with Constructivist Learning
Theory
• Consistent with Theory of Constructivism
• Consistent with Social Cognition
VERSIONS OF ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH
AND MULTISIM SOFTWARE
• Student version
– Home study, experimentation, distance
education
• Undergraduate Lab. version
– Experimentation, troubleshooting, projects
• Academic version
– Teaching, presentations, textbooks
• Professional version
– Circuit design, circuit verification, manufacturing
FEATURES OF ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH
• Emulates test-equipment, components, and
troubleshooting techniques
• Parts bin, equipment rack, work-space area
• Passive, active, and linear components
(AC/DC sources)
• Test equipment (somewhat limited)
• Add-On products available (e.g. RLC, Filters,
Troubleshooting circuits, etc)
FEATURES OF ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH
• Software is included in many textbooks
• Over 4,000 components available
• Instructor can ‘hide’ equipment, ‘fail’
components, or interject ‘faults’ (i.e.
short, open, leakage)
• May be used in conjunction with LCD
projector
BENEFITS OF USING EWB
• Very simple to learn,
– Saves time, friendly user interface, fun to use
– Provides immediate, reliable feedback
• Improves the pedagogical effectiveness of the
learning process
• Experiments in a safe environment
• Students can experience typical electrical/electronic
circuit behaviour
• Lower costs to equip a ‘virtual lab’
• Available 24 x 7 (at any location)
• Results are very realistic
BENEFITS OF USING EWB
• High level of learner satisfaction
• Great for ‘What if’ experimentation
– Promotes creativity
• May be manipulated by the Instructor
– Can hide or insert faults (shorts, open, leakage)
– Can change values ‘on-the-fly’
• May be used In/Outside of Class
• Great for troubleshooting activities
STUDENT’S OPINION OF EWB AND
MULTISIM SOFTWARE
• 100% of students used EWB/MultiSim
software on a regular basis in the completion
of their related assignments
• 80% considered EWB/MultiSim to be a
simple and effective tool that aids their
learning
• 100% feel confident when they can verify
their assignments using EWB/MultiSim
• 40% often experiment with EWB/MultiSim
STUDENT’S OPINION OF EWB AND
MULTISIM SOFTWARE
• 100% rely on EWB/MultiSim to verify their
assignments
• 100% plan to continue using EWB/MultiSim
after graduation
• 100% believe that EWB/MultiSim caused
them to be more interested in their Program
of Study
• 40% use EWB/MultiSim in-class as well as
outside of class
STUDENT’S OPINION OF EWB AND
MULTISIM SOFTWARE
• 80% believe that EWB/MultiSim helps them
to remember and understand concepts
taught in class
LIMITATIONS OF ELECTRONICS
WORKBENCH
• Simulation can not really substitute for
real-life practice at handling components
(e.g. soldering)
• Cost (Personal copy)
• Lack of Technical Support
ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH
APPLICATIONS
MAIN FEATURES OF MULTISIM
 User-friendly - Easy-to-use interactive
circuit teaching and student learning
environment.
 Exploration with simulation-driven
instruments.
 Easy-to-use Electrical Rules Check,
which features visual error markers and
"zoom to error" functionality.
 In-depth analysis of circuit.
MAIN FEATURES OF MULTISIM
 Ability to compare simulated data and
real-world measurement.
 Multisim circuits can easily be
transferred to Ultiboard for PCB layout.
 Professional functionality.
 Ability to customize the Multisim to
control what a student can see and
access within a circuit.
MULTISIM APPLICATIONS
USER-FRIENDLY
 Quick access to the most
commonly used tools.
 Components are well organized
and easy to find.
 Simple procedures in developing
circuits.
USER-FRIENDLY
USER-FRIENDLY
USER-FRIENDLY
 Interactive components such as switches
and potentiometers can be manipulated
while the simulation is running.
 Animated components such as LEDs and
seven-segment displays change their
appearance in response to simulation results.
 Virtual components allow you to set their
parameters to any value you like — even if
you cannot actually find a part with those
values in real life. This is great for illustrating
theoretical concepts.
USER-FRIENDLY
 3D components use photographs that look just
like the real thing to replace traditional
schematic symbols. This helps students in
introductory courses make the leap in
understanding the difference between
schematics and real circuit designs.
USER-FRIENDLY
EXPLORATION WITH SIMULATIONDRIVEN INSTRUMENTS
MULTIMETER
EXPLORATION WITH SIMULATIONDRIVEN INSTRUMENTS
AMMETER
EXPLORATION WITH SIMULATIONDRIVEN INSTRUMENTS
OSCILLOSCOPE
EXPLORATION WITH SIMULATION-DRIVEN
INSTRUMENTS
BODE PLOTTER
Graph the output magnitude and phase as a function of the
input frequency
EXPLORATION WITH SIMULATION-DRIVEN
INSTRUMENTS
SPECTRUM ANALYZER
Identify the components of a complex waveform (Amplitude vs
Frequency)
DIGITAL INSTRUMENTS
LOGIC CONVERTER
DIGITAL INSTRUMENTS
LOGIC CONVERTER
DIGITAL INSTRUMENT
LOGIC ANALYZER (BIT COUNTER)
DIGITAL INSTRUMENT
LOGIC ANALYZER
CURRENT PROBE
CURRENT PROBE
EASY-TO-USE ELECTRICAL RULES
CHECK
 The easy-to-use Electrical Rules Check,
which features visual error markers and
"zoom to error" functionality, helps
students quickly locate and correct their
own wiring errors to avoid frustration
and save valuable lab time.
EASY-TO-USE ELECTRICAL RULES
CHECK
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
 Students can explore how different
configurations, component
selections, noise, and signal sources
affect circuit designs.
 Data can be displayed using NI
grapher.
 Exports to various file formats.
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
Measurement probe
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
 DC Operating Point Analysis
determines the DC operating point
of a circuit.
 The results of DC analysis are
usually intermediate values for
further analysis.
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
COLPITTS OSCILLATOR
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
DC OPERATING POINT VALUE
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
 A DC sweep consists of a DC voltage or
current source swept over a range of
values to see how the circuit behaves to
various conditions.
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
DC TRANSFER CHARACTERISTIC
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
 The transient analysis computes various
values of a circuit in the time domain
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
TRANSIENT ANALYSIS
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
 AC Analysis is used to calculate the frequency
response of linear circuits.
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CIRCUIT
IV ANALYSIS
ABILITY TO COMPARE SIMULATED
DATA AND REAL – WORLD
MEASUREMENTS
3D BREADBOARDING (ELVIS-Education Laboratory
vertual instrumentation suite)
ABILITY TO COMPARE SIMULATED DATA
AND REAL – WORLD MEASUREMENTS
• 3D BREADBOARDING (MULTISIM)
MULTISIM CIRCUITS CAN EASILY BE
TRANSFERRED TO ULTIBOARD FOR PCB
LAYOUT.
ULTIBOARD
PROFESSIONAL FUNCTIONALITY
 Multisim form functionality
 Project Management
 Create instruments using LabVOLT.
 Easily Interface with other
simulation software (SPICE, ELVIS).
 Generating reports.
ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE THE MULTISIM TO
CONTROL WHAT A STUDENT CAN SEE AND
ACCESS WITHIN A CIRCUIT.
 RF Model maker
 Assign fault to a component
 Edit components parameters
ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE THE MULTISIM TO
CONTROL WHAT A STUDENT CAN SEE AND
ACCESS WITHIN A CIRCUIT.
COMPARISON WITH EWB
EWB
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Number of analyses
Simulation driven instruments
Device library
Grapher annotations
Measurements probes
Re-architected Forward/Backward
annotation with Ultiboard
 Mouse-click control of interactive
components
 Rated/3D virtual components
 Virtual instruments
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5,255
MULTISIM
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14,697
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COMPARISON WITH EWB
EWB
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Project Management capabilities.
Create components.
Design PCB layout using Ultiboard
Move from circuit simulation in
Multisim to real-world circuits with
one click of the mouse using NI ELVIS.
Check connection correctness based
on the ERC rules
Form functionality.
Module maker.
Can display and analyze more than one
circuit at a time
MULTISIM
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WORKING WITH PROJECTS
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR A DC POWER SUPPLY
WORKING WITH PROJECTS
LAYOUT DIAGRAM OF COMPONENTS
WORKING WITH PROJECTS
WIRING DIAGRAM
WORKING WITH PROJECTS
WORKING WITH PROJECTS
CHASSIS DESIGN
How Can I Try EWB/MultiSim
• Get a FREE 30 day trial version at:
• http://www.ni.com
or
• http://www.lumen.ni.com/nicf/us/academice
valmultisim/content.xhtml
END
Social Cognition
• Curriculum should actively reflect social
context of knowledge
– Working environment
– Employers expectations
– Learners needs
• Technical knowledge and proficiency should
encourage higher-order thinking skills
Theory of Constructivisim
• Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980)
– Humans generate knowledge and meaning from
an interaction between their experiences and
their ideas
– Learning is an Active, Social process
– The Instructor is a Facilitator of learning
• Vygotsky (1896 – 1934)
– Zone of Proximal Development
Constructivist Learning Theory
• Jerome Bruner (1915 - )
• Advocated the use of Hands-On Learning
• Learners takes responsibility for their own learning
• Authentic activities
– related to real life, content in context
• Student-centered (meaningful to the learner)
• Learning results from thoughtful reflection (willing,
able)
Experiential Learning
• Dewey (1859 – 1952)
– Learners learn best by ‘doing’
• Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987)
– Learners learn best:
• from real-world experiences
• when they can apply their new knowledge
– Education occurs by direct participation in the
events of life