Spice as a design tool..the kosher list

Do your designs work first article and everafter? If they don't, you didn't understand them completely. Do you simulate? If you do, you didn't understand the design.

Processes change, parts have

I can simulate tolerances, too. I do, rarely.

Actually, few of us ever design circuits that we truly understand. Do you understand the quantum mechanics and the actual Maxwell electromagnetics of the circuits you design? All the semiconductor physics? All the thermal considerations? How can you really understand a circuit that is full of millions of transistors inside ICs for which you have behavioral models at best, and often have no models?

Electronic design is about producing documents to manufacture, test, and apply electronic asemblies that work. That's all. It's great to understand things, but it's not mandatory, and sometimes it's not possible. If you refuse to design things that you don't fully understand, somebody else will.

John

Crabby old hen. What "error" do you refer to now?

John

--
They are legion, as you well know, but I have neither the time nor the
inclination to rehash them and get into a protracted, meaningless,
"discussion".

Maybe we could compile a list ?:-) ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

In other words, you can't point to one. Unless you want to argue about relays again. You probably do.

How come you have so little to say about actual electronics?

John

--
The fact that I choose not to doesn't mean that I can't, regardless of
your childish attempt at engagement.

In other words, you can't point to one.

No. You wanted at argue about the philosophical meaning of "infinite", and we disagree. Disagreeing with old hens doesn't sting.

In other words, you don't have much to say about electronics.

Maybe you can help Jim with his storage baskets and goldfish.

John

--
I'd be reticent to take on a tome that large! ;)

I found his "charge is not conserved" the most humorous :-)

...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Ding!,

Round 10?

Jamie

--
The fact that I choose not to doesn't mean that I can't, regardless of
your childish attempt at engagement.

Did you hear about how Larkin tried out Viagra?

All he got was a stiff tongue ;-) ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

it's semantics..

the word is synthesis..

SPICE is not a synthesis tool.

SPICE is an analysis tool

design is a combination of synthesis and analysis...

as such you could say spice is a tool that can be used for the analysis part of design...

Mark

So what IS a design tool? Besides a brain?

John

Pale Ale? Because, given enough quantity, it'll influence the way designs go :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam.
Use another domain or send PM.

Yuk. Nasty stuff.

We went to the Truckee Fathers Day Ribfest, and I got introduced to Fat Tire on draft. Tasty stuff, a little dark but not over the top.

Fathers day. Ribs. Somebody finally figured things out.

John

Hey, someone else gets it!

is an example of a filter synthesis and analysis tool.

in the synthesis portion, you enter specs like cutoff freq, transition BW etc and the tool spits out a schematic with component values.

in the analysis section, (like SPICE) you enter the schematic and component values and the program spits out the frequency resoponse phase response etc...

I would say that synthesis AND analysis are both parts of "design".

If you want a tool that you enter specs like "I need an amplifier with

60 dB gain" and the tool spits out a schematic for a push pull amplifier, then yes the brain is probably the best example, and that is a good thing, else we would all be out of jobs. :-)

Mark