📰 Ansys Just Released Its Free Electronics Desktop Student
Ansys recently announced the release of its industry gold-standard simulators in Ansys Electronics Desktop Student, a free software product available for download to anyone who wants to learn about electronics simulation.
Ansys Electronics Desktop Student offers free access to the industry simulators for work with antenna, RF, microwave, PCB, IC and IC package designs, along with electromechanical devices such as electric motors and generators.
Included software:
▫️ Ansys HFSS is a multipurpose, full-wave 3D electromagnetic simulation software.
▫️ Ansys Maxwell is a 3D electromagnetic simulation solver for electric machines and electromechanical devices.
▫️ Ansys Q3D Extractor calculates the parasitic parameters of resistance, inductance, capacitance and conductance for electronics designs.
▫️ Ansys Icepak is a computational fluid dynamics solver for electronics thermal management.
Download the software...
#news #design
Ansys recently announced the release of its industry gold-standard simulators in Ansys Electronics Desktop Student, a free software product available for download to anyone who wants to learn about electronics simulation.
Ansys Electronics Desktop Student offers free access to the industry simulators for work with antenna, RF, microwave, PCB, IC and IC package designs, along with electromechanical devices such as electric motors and generators.
Included software:
▫️ Ansys HFSS is a multipurpose, full-wave 3D electromagnetic simulation software.
▫️ Ansys Maxwell is a 3D electromagnetic simulation solver for electric machines and electromechanical devices.
▫️ Ansys Q3D Extractor calculates the parasitic parameters of resistance, inductance, capacitance and conductance for electronics designs.
▫️ Ansys Icepak is a computational fluid dynamics solver for electronics thermal management.
Download the software...
#news #design
This step-by-step guide will teach you the development process for a new electronic product.
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💻 How to Select the Best PCB Design Software for Your Project
This article will help you to understand what features you can expect from an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool.
▫️ Allegro Design Authoring (HDL) has two major benefits: it allows for managing PCB physical constraints in the schematic editor, which is very helpful for communicating complex constraint information. For PCB layout, Allegro is a very capable PCB editor overall. It’s worth noting that some advanced features in Allegro require an additional license.
▫️ Altium is another popular tool, which has schematic capture and layout capabilities in one tool. This EDA tool also allows for SPICE simulation, and includes an Electro-Magnetics solver for accurate impedance and propagation delay calculations during PCB layout.
▫️ KiCad comes with a standard component library, and supports many advanced schematic and layout techniques. It does lack some important features, especially for complex designs.
#articles #electronics #design
This article will help you to understand what features you can expect from an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool.
▫️ Allegro Design Authoring (HDL) has two major benefits: it allows for managing PCB physical constraints in the schematic editor, which is very helpful for communicating complex constraint information. For PCB layout, Allegro is a very capable PCB editor overall. It’s worth noting that some advanced features in Allegro require an additional license.
▫️ Altium is another popular tool, which has schematic capture and layout capabilities in one tool. This EDA tool also allows for SPICE simulation, and includes an Electro-Magnetics solver for accurate impedance and propagation delay calculations during PCB layout.
▫️ KiCad comes with a standard component library, and supports many advanced schematic and layout techniques. It does lack some important features, especially for complex designs.
#articles #electronics #design
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📃 5 Embedded Technologies to Master in 2022
Article describes different technologies in the embedded systems industry and provides suggestions on the technologies that developers and teams should investigate and try to start mastering.
▫️ Embedded DevOps: First, learn how to use Docker to set up an embedded toolchain. Next, automate your build processes using a CI/CD server. Finally, as time allows, continue to improve your CI/CD process by adding code analytics, unit testing, integration testing, and so forth.
▫️ Automated Hardware-In-Loop Testing: Over time, manual testing will be removed and replaced it with automated tests that will save everyone time, stress, and your company money.
▫️ Multicore Microcontroller Development: Over the next few years the use of multicore microcontrollers is going to skyrocket because of the fact that many applications need isolation run-time environments. Additionally, the cost for multicore microcontrollers is dramatically coming down.
#articles #design
Article describes different technologies in the embedded systems industry and provides suggestions on the technologies that developers and teams should investigate and try to start mastering.
▫️ Embedded DevOps: First, learn how to use Docker to set up an embedded toolchain. Next, automate your build processes using a CI/CD server. Finally, as time allows, continue to improve your CI/CD process by adding code analytics, unit testing, integration testing, and so forth.
▫️ Automated Hardware-In-Loop Testing: Over time, manual testing will be removed and replaced it with automated tests that will save everyone time, stress, and your company money.
▫️ Multicore Microcontroller Development: Over the next few years the use of multicore microcontrollers is going to skyrocket because of the fact that many applications need isolation run-time environments. Additionally, the cost for multicore microcontrollers is dramatically coming down.
#articles #design
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🚗 Prototyping an Electric Vehicle in MATLAB Simulink
Designing an EV is an elaborate process as it involves a lot of different sub-systems, and in order to maximize the performance of an EV, a lot of parameters and testing need to be done.
The MATLAB Simulink and Simscape provide features to design and simulate essential Electric Vehicle use cases.
The most important use cases for Matlab are:
▫️ Tune regenerative braking algorithms
▫️ Explore electric powertrain architectures
▫️ Modify a suspension design
▫️ Optimize vehicle performance
▫️ Develop active chassis controls
▫️ Validate ADAS algorithms
▫️ Test using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)
More information...
#articles #design #matlab
Designing an EV is an elaborate process as it involves a lot of different sub-systems, and in order to maximize the performance of an EV, a lot of parameters and testing need to be done.
The MATLAB Simulink and Simscape provide features to design and simulate essential Electric Vehicle use cases.
The most important use cases for Matlab are:
▫️ Tune regenerative braking algorithms
▫️ Explore electric powertrain architectures
▫️ Modify a suspension design
▫️ Optimize vehicle performance
▫️ Develop active chassis controls
▫️ Validate ADAS algorithms
▫️ Test using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)
More information...
#articles #design #matlab
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📃 Five Trends That Will Define Simulation and Test in 2023
▫️ In 2023, the digital twin concept is evolving into something much slicker and incredibly practical: the executable digital twin (or xDT). In simple terms, the xDT is the digital twin on a chip. The xDT uses data from a small number of sensors embedded in the physical product to perform real-time simulations using reduced-order models.
▫️ Engineers will increasingly use machine learning and AI to amplify an individual engineer’s knowledge, increase the amount of learning provided through simulation and tests, and transfer accumulated knowledge between projects.
▫️ Model-Based Systems Engineering puts modeling and simulation at the heart of the system design process, meaning that individual components no longer have to be considered in isolation and can be designed and developed with the whole system's performance in mind.
More information...
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▫️ In 2023, the digital twin concept is evolving into something much slicker and incredibly practical: the executable digital twin (or xDT). In simple terms, the xDT is the digital twin on a chip. The xDT uses data from a small number of sensors embedded in the physical product to perform real-time simulations using reduced-order models.
▫️ Engineers will increasingly use machine learning and AI to amplify an individual engineer’s knowledge, increase the amount of learning provided through simulation and tests, and transfer accumulated knowledge between projects.
▫️ Model-Based Systems Engineering puts modeling and simulation at the heart of the system design process, meaning that individual components no longer have to be considered in isolation and can be designed and developed with the whole system's performance in mind.
More information...
#articles #design
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🎛 Designing Potentiometer Knobs
Rotary potentiometers, switches, and encoders all share a basic design: adjustment is done via a shaft onto which a knob is attached, and knobs are sold separately. That doesn’t mean one knob fits all; there are actually a few different standards. But just because knobs are inexpensive and easily obtained doesn’t mean it’s not worth making your own.
Why bother 3D printing your own knobs instead of buying them? For one thing, making them means one can rest assured that every knob matches aesthetically. The ability to add custom or nonstandard markings are another bonus. Finally, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel, because author's guide to making your own knobs has it all figured out, with the OpenSCAD script to match.
Who needs to buy new potentiometer knobs when you can make your own? Armed with patience, calipers, and a 3D printer, this is quite doable.
More information...
#design #3d_modeling
Rotary potentiometers, switches, and encoders all share a basic design: adjustment is done via a shaft onto which a knob is attached, and knobs are sold separately. That doesn’t mean one knob fits all; there are actually a few different standards. But just because knobs are inexpensive and easily obtained doesn’t mean it’s not worth making your own.
Why bother 3D printing your own knobs instead of buying them? For one thing, making them means one can rest assured that every knob matches aesthetically. The ability to add custom or nonstandard markings are another bonus. Finally, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel, because author's guide to making your own knobs has it all figured out, with the OpenSCAD script to match.
Who needs to buy new potentiometer knobs when you can make your own? Armed with patience, calipers, and a 3D printer, this is quite doable.
More information...
#design #3d_modeling
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🎬 Self-Soldering Circuits
In this video, author shows how to create a PCB that will solder itself after plugging in. Compare reflow soldering with pizza making: the PCB is like the dough the solder paste is the sauce, and the toppings are the electronics, the oven's heat is what bonds these individual items together. So using the same analogy making a self-soldering circuit is going to be like putting the oven in the dough and make it edible PCBs are made from multiple layers of copper stacked together one. One of those layers is usually a solid ground plane and if we chop this up into a one long track it can also be used as a small resistor that heats the board up and melts the solder.
https://youtu.be/r0csHZveVvY
#video #electronics #design
In this video, author shows how to create a PCB that will solder itself after plugging in. Compare reflow soldering with pizza making: the PCB is like the dough the solder paste is the sauce, and the toppings are the electronics, the oven's heat is what bonds these individual items together. So using the same analogy making a self-soldering circuit is going to be like putting the oven in the dough and make it edible PCBs are made from multiple layers of copper stacked together one. One of those layers is usually a solid ground plane and if we chop this up into a one long track it can also be used as a small resistor that heats the board up and melts the solder.
https://youtu.be/r0csHZveVvY
#video #electronics #design
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💻 Event-based Firmware (Part 1)
You start with small, simple firmware. But with each added feature, the complexity grows and grows. Soon, you need a good design in order to maintain the firmware and ensure the code remains clean and readable.
In this article, author explains the event-based approach for writing firmware. He uses the term “event-based” because it is similar to events systems for desktop applications, but it is also minimalistic and more straightforward. The “events” he uses here are just functions, called at defined times.
This is nothing new or innovative; the demonstrated approach is just one effective design to make your firmware modular and extensible.
Using practical examples, the article will guide you through this complex topic. Each chapter will improve the code in small iterations, meaning you can stop at any point. So, try to fully understand each example before you continue in the tutorial.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
You start with small, simple firmware. But with each added feature, the complexity grows and grows. Soon, you need a good design in order to maintain the firmware and ensure the code remains clean and readable.
In this article, author explains the event-based approach for writing firmware. He uses the term “event-based” because it is similar to events systems for desktop applications, but it is also minimalistic and more straightforward. The “events” he uses here are just functions, called at defined times.
This is nothing new or innovative; the demonstrated approach is just one effective design to make your firmware modular and extensible.
Using practical examples, the article will guide you through this complex topic. Each chapter will improve the code in small iterations, meaning you can stop at any point. So, try to fully understand each example before you continue in the tutorial.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
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Embedded Systems
💻 Event-based Firmware (Part 1) You start with small, simple firmware. But with each added feature, the complexity grows and grows. Soon, you need a good design in order to maintain the firmware and ensure the code remains clean and readable. In this article…
💻 Event-Based Firmware (Part 2)
In the first part of this series, we explored the general concept of event-based firmware. Mastering the event-driven computing model is particularly important for embedded developers, given that embedded systems are predominantly reactive by nature.
In the second part, the discussed concepts were directly tailored to one specific firmware. Now, let’s develop those concepts further to build an event system that can be integrated into many different applications.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
In the first part of this series, we explored the general concept of event-based firmware. Mastering the event-driven computing model is particularly important for embedded developers, given that embedded systems are predominantly reactive by nature.
In the second part, the discussed concepts were directly tailored to one specific firmware. Now, let’s develop those concepts further to build an event system that can be integrated into many different applications.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
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📃 3 Modern Trade-Offs in Embedded Systems Design
Every embedded systems developer needs to balance these trade-offs carefully
In any system design, there are always trade-offs that need to be made. Unfortunately, there is rarely a time when you can get your cake and eat it, too! Modern embedded systems have exceptionally interesting trades that need to be made that often result in complex choices.
The following post explores the three most significant trade-offs facing many teams today:
▫️ Power consumption versus system performance
▫️ Cost versus reliability
▫️ Scalability versus complexity
Successfully balancing them will determine whether you successfully launch a product or whether your product and company struggle to succeed.
More information...
#articles #design
Every embedded systems developer needs to balance these trade-offs carefully
In any system design, there are always trade-offs that need to be made. Unfortunately, there is rarely a time when you can get your cake and eat it, too! Modern embedded systems have exceptionally interesting trades that need to be made that often result in complex choices.
The following post explores the three most significant trade-offs facing many teams today:
▫️ Power consumption versus system performance
▫️ Cost versus reliability
▫️ Scalability versus complexity
Successfully balancing them will determine whether you successfully launch a product or whether your product and company struggle to succeed.
More information...
#articles #design
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📃 5 tips for writing configurable firmware
Embedded products today are no longer one-off products that are manufactured for years to come. Innovation and changes in technology are exponential, with teams needing to develop platform code that can be reused to launch many products in the years ahead. To meet this need, you must embrace configurability in firmware.
In some instances, configurable firmware will increase complexity and starting costs, and perhaps even be less efficient from a memory and performance perspective. However, configurability will give businesses developing embedded products the flexibility and scalability to meet their customers challenges into the future. Let’s explore five tips for writing configurable firmware that will dramatically improve your software.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
Embedded products today are no longer one-off products that are manufactured for years to come. Innovation and changes in technology are exponential, with teams needing to develop platform code that can be reused to launch many products in the years ahead. To meet this need, you must embrace configurability in firmware.
In some instances, configurable firmware will increase complexity and starting costs, and perhaps even be less efficient from a memory and performance perspective. However, configurability will give businesses developing embedded products the flexibility and scalability to meet their customers challenges into the future. Let’s explore five tips for writing configurable firmware that will dramatically improve your software.
More information...
#articles #programming #design
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📃 5 Practical Tips for Low-Power Design
Low-power design is crucial for optimizing energy consumption in electronic devices. By implementing efficient power-saving techniques, designers can extend battery life and reduce overall power consumption.
Here are five practical tips for achieving low-power design:
▫️ Use power management techniques: Dynamic voltage scaling and clock gating reduce power during idle periods.
▫️ Optimize software: Minimize unnecessary computations and utilize sleep modes effectively.
▫️ Minimize leakage current: Employ power gating techniques and optimize transistor sizing.
▫️ Efficient power supply management: Use LDOs or SMPS for regulated voltages and consider multiple voltage domains.
▫️ Select energy-efficient components: Choose components with low-power modes and optimal power requirements.
By following these practical tips, designers can implement effective power-saving techniques and achieve significant energy savings.
More information...
#articles #design
Low-power design is crucial for optimizing energy consumption in electronic devices. By implementing efficient power-saving techniques, designers can extend battery life and reduce overall power consumption.
Here are five practical tips for achieving low-power design:
▫️ Use power management techniques: Dynamic voltage scaling and clock gating reduce power during idle periods.
▫️ Optimize software: Minimize unnecessary computations and utilize sleep modes effectively.
▫️ Minimize leakage current: Employ power gating techniques and optimize transistor sizing.
▫️ Efficient power supply management: Use LDOs or SMPS for regulated voltages and consider multiple voltage domains.
▫️ Select energy-efficient components: Choose components with low-power modes and optimal power requirements.
By following these practical tips, designers can implement effective power-saving techniques and achieve significant energy savings.
More information...
#articles #design
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📃 5 Tips for Better High-Speed Circuit Design
Improve printed circuit board performance by ensuring impedance matching and following these 5 design recommendations.
High-speed circuit design is one of the most fundamental, yet challenging areas of electronics design. High-speed circuits are commonly used today and require most professional electrical engineers to delve into the world of high speed.
High-speed signals introduce extra complexity and unique technical challenges that make designing hardware less straightforward. One of these technical considerations is impedance matching—a unique and lesser-known area of circuit design. In this contribution, author covers the basics of impedance matching and share 5 tips to ensure that any high-speed circuit design works as intended.
More information...
#articles #electronics #design
Improve printed circuit board performance by ensuring impedance matching and following these 5 design recommendations.
High-speed circuit design is one of the most fundamental, yet challenging areas of electronics design. High-speed circuits are commonly used today and require most professional electrical engineers to delve into the world of high speed.
High-speed signals introduce extra complexity and unique technical challenges that make designing hardware less straightforward. One of these technical considerations is impedance matching—a unique and lesser-known area of circuit design. In this contribution, author covers the basics of impedance matching and share 5 tips to ensure that any high-speed circuit design works as intended.
More information...
#articles #electronics #design
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The article provides five key tips for aspiring embedded software architects to achieve success in their roles.
Firstly, it emphasizes the necessity of acquiring a profound understanding of both hardware and software components within embedded systems. This foundational knowledge empowers architects to make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of their projects effectively. Secondly, a strong emphasis is placed on perpetual learning, urging architects to stay abreast of evolving technologies and industry trends. This commitment to continuous education ensures that professionals in this role remain adaptable and capable of integrating the latest advancements into their work.
Furthermore, effective communication emerges as a pivotal skill for embedded software architects. Clear and concise communication is seen as the linchpin for successful collaboration within cross-functional teams, fostering an environment where everyone is aligned with project objectives. The fourth tip underscores the value of honing problem-solving skills. Given the inherent complexities of embedded systems, architects who can adeptly navigate and resolve challenges are better equipped to deliver successful outcomes. Lastly, the article encourages a holistic perspective, advocating for an approach that considers not only the technical intricacies but also the broader business context. By aligning technical solutions with overarching organizational objectives, embedded software architects can maximize their impact and contribute meaningfully to project success.
#articles #design
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The pcb2blender tool revolutionizes the way KiCad projects are rendered in Blender. It streamlines the process of creating professional-looking product renders by allowing users to export their KiCad boards as .pcb3d files and then directly import them into Blender.
This innovation eliminates the tedious cleanup work usually involved, enabling users to focus on scene composition and lighting. Notably faster than previous methods, pcb2blender supports rendering work-in-progress boards or those undergoing last-minute revisions.
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#libraries #tools #3d_modeling #design #electronics
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When building embedded databases, there are several key considerations to ensure reliable and efficient data management. In particular, this article highlights the importance of understanding non-volatile storage (NVS) challenges, such as data corruption and system compatibility.
It also explores various existing database implementations and custom solutions, offering practical advice for optimizing storage and managing records in embedded systems. By focusing on these aspects, developers can create durable and maintainable embedded applications that perform reliably under real-world conditions.
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Dive into embedded systems with this free hands-on guide, perfect for newcomers. Across twelve chapters, you'll learn to build a smart home device with features like fire alarms and motion detectors.
No prior experience in programming or electronics is needed—each concept is introduced step-by-step through practical examples using the
Designed to fit a typical semester, this textbook helps you gain real-world skills in embedded system design, from basic serial communication to advanced Bluetooth and web server projects.
#books #design #beginner #stm32
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Hardware often arrives late in product development, but embedded systems engineers can use simulation techniques to test and validate software without physical hardware. These methods accelerate development and improve product reliability.
Implementing these techniques enhances development efficiency, accelerates time to market, and reduces costs by identifying and fixing issues early in the development cycle. Start with basic simulations like functional and behavioral approaches to maximize ROI and project success.
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This article explores advanced techniques for simulating embedded systems, helping developers streamline testing and development. Readers will learn about leveraging virtual hardware simulators, such as Wokwi, Renode, and QEMU, which mimic microcontrollers and external components with varying levels of fidelity. It discusses how these tools can model real-world hardware interactions and evaluates their ease of use, integration with build systems, and support for specific microcontrollers.
The article also covers the use of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to enhance simulation realism and usability. Developers can transition from text-based inputs and outputs to interactive dashboards with buttons, sliders, gauges, and graphs. This makes simulations more intuitive, akin to operating a physical device, while improving debugging and control capabilities.
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