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circuit design software ( Cheap or Free ) — Parallax Forums

circuit design software ( Cheap or Free )

FklaasFklaas Posts: 15
edited 2005-02-21 02:40 in BASIC Stamp
am looking for some software "circuit design" shareware or Reaally Cheap
Thanks, Frank

Comments

  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-02-20 19:58
    First this post will probably get more input if you get it moved to the sandbox.

    Second what is your desire or intent? Simulation, Schematic, Board layout? Free programs exist for the last two (Eagle from CadSoft, ExpressPCB's software, etc), but quality simulation systems cost money (cheaper if your a student). ExpressPCB's software is designed for thier own production service, Eagle outputs into many different formats (including the industry standard OrCAD and Gerber formats)
  • SteveWSteveW Posts: 246
    edited 2005-02-20 20:16
    > quality simulation systems cost money

    LTSpice, available free from http://www.linear.com/company/software.jsp , is an industrial strength simulator.
    Linear Technology publish it for free, since it lets them get their IC models used in designs - but it's also what they use in-house for silicon and board designs, apparently.
    Its digital simulation isn't particularly refined, certainly not compared to some of the educationally biased simulators (but the analogue simulator is second to none). The built-in help and example files answer most questions (that I've had, anyway [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    It's got a good support mailing list, but it's not ideal for complete novices, since it's support for the program, rather than for analogue design questions.
    I've got no connection, I just use it from time to time. (and yes, it does occasionally get me to specify LTC parts, so I guess it's doing its job)

    Steve
  • FklaasFklaas Posts: 15
    edited 2005-02-20 20:23
    Great Thanks, As far a application I am building a machine with solinoids and controlling with bs2p
    I have program to control on off sequence· I am looking at solinoids . One set Numatics is 24v 7watts,·Other set is SMC 24volt 170ma·Relay I'm·trying to use is a laa110· I need basic circuitry to accomplish this without burning the Stamp Thanks

    http://www.clare.com/home/pdfs.nsf/www/Laa110.pdf/$file/Laa110.pdf

    Load Voltage 350 V
    Load Current 120 mA
    Max RON 35 Ω
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-02-20 20:59
    Glad to hear a spice variant is still free, I did most simulation in college using the P and H version. PSPICE was easily availible a while back, but they started to concentrate on the commercial version and the free version wasn't as well maintained and was difficult to find.
  • NateNate Posts: 154
    edited 2005-02-20 21:27
    PSPICE ver. 9.1 is free, available on-line·and works great.· Of course there are limitations (eg 10 transistors, I think) but it still is very helpful and many times quicker than actually building the circuit.· Of course, as with any tool, one needs to have an idea of what it is doing "in the black box" to avoid problems.

    That's my 2 cents.

    Nate
  • MacGeek117MacGeek117 Posts: 747
    edited 2005-02-20 22:18
    For the circuit design you could use Paint. You probobly have it on your computer.
    bugg

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Geordi: "It's like the laws of physics went right out the window!"
    Q: "And why shouldn't they, there so inconvinent!"
  • FklaasFklaas Posts: 15
    edited 2005-02-21 00:27
    Yepers ... I used to know this stuff. But I gave my ITT home study course to my Brother (older) .... what a dummie of me.... he lost it...#$%^&*()_
  • upand_at_themupand_at_them Posts: 61
    edited 2005-02-21 02:40
    The student version of CircuitMaker is free.

    http://www.microcode.com/downloads/student.htm

    Mike

    ·
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