Simulations are typically performed before the prototype design phase to reduce development efforts, not only in the automotive and industrial equipment markets. During electronic circuit board design, simulations are also used to minimize the time and effort required for component selection, as well as to identify potential or critical problems before actual equipment validation. This significantly reduces labor hours during the prototyping and evaluation phases of the boards.
To date, ROHM has provided a range of solutions that address challenges across a variety of user development workflows. These include SPICE models that accurately reproduce product electrical characteristics through simulation, along with thermal design support to validate both heat generation phenomena and dissipation results using fluid dynamics analysis. Now, in addition to focusing on the development and support of application circuits that maximize the capabilities of driver ICs and power devices designed to deliver high power in the automotive and industrial equipment markets, ROHM is offering the cutting-edge ROHM Solution Simulator. This simulator enables users to perform comprehensive verification of complete power device and IC circuits. Among these, the validation of SiC devices and SiC gate driver ICs is among the most advanced initiatives in the industry.
The ROHM Solution Simulator is a new web-based electronic circuit simulation tool capable of performing a wide range of simulations, from initial development involving component selection and individual device verification to system-level verification. This enables the quick and easy implementation of comprehensive verification of ROHM power device circuits (i.e., SiCs) and ICs (e.g., controller and power supply ICs) in simulated circuits under near-real-world conditions, significantly reducing application development effort.
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The simulator was developed to work with the SystemVision Cloud simulation platform from Mentor, a Siemens company and a leader in electronic design automation software with a broad portfolio in the automotive and industrial equipment industries. As a result, users with an SVC account can also perform verification in a more realistic environment by incorporating the simulation data run by the ROHM Solution Simulator into their own SVC workspace.
“ROHM is committed to reducing development time and costs for customers by providing a complete online solution designed using SystemVision, a multi-domain, cloud-based platform,” says Darrell Teegarden, product manager for SystemVision Cloud at Mentor, a Siemens company. “By focusing on maintaining and enhancing reference device and circuit models operating in the SystemVision Cloud environment, ROHM can further contribute to solving customer problems.”.
The ROHM Solution Simulator can be used free of charge simply by registering on the official ROHM website. In addition to the simulator, the following dedicated page provides access to video tutorials and the necessary documentation for its use.
ROHM will continue to contribute to reducing application development efforts by adding solution circuits and products compatible with the ROHM Solution Simulator and providing some EVK solutions (evaluation kits) capable of evaluating the simulated circuits as is.
Key Features of ROHM Solution Simulator
1. Enables comprehensive verification of power device and IC circuits using a solution circuit closely resembling the real-world application environment.
ROHM Solution Simulator is a cutting-edge, web-based simulator capable of simultaneously verifying power devices and ICs. This allows for quick and easy validation of ICs (i.e., power supplies and driver ICs) along with power devices (such as ROHM's SiC and IGBT products) under near-real-world conditions. This enables users to perform simultaneous simulation of features not visible on the device alone, including peripheral circuitry, significantly reducing application development efforts.
Currently, 44 solution circuits are available, with additional circuits to be added to expand the range of applicable power supply and LED driver ICs. ROHM also plans to release thermal simulation models in the near future.
List of available circuits and solution products (table)
2. Simulation data can be transferred to the user's own development environment.
ROHM Solution Simulator has been developed to work with Mentor's SystemVision Cloud (SVC) simulation platform. Existing SVC users and those with newly registered SVC accounts can incorporate simulation data run in ROHM Solution Simulator into their own SVC environment (workspace) to verify system circuits under near-real-world conditions (including customizations).
ROHM Solution Simulator Page:
Simply click here to access the dedicated page and register with MyROHM to start using the ROHM Solution Simulator. Supporting materials, such as manuals and video tutorials, are also provided on the ROHM Solution Simulator page.
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Solutions(Evaluation Kit)
In addition to the solution circuits registered for the ROHM Solution Simulator, ROHM will provide a solution EVK (Evaluation Kit) that allows customers to evaluate the same circuit they simulate in its current state. To begin, we have released a power tree board for automotive power supply ICs. This proposes the ideal power supply IC configuration for the power systems required in automotive applications. It also includes support for noise (CEM) and thermal designs prone to causing problems during application development. Customers can use these not only for simulation but also as design and verification tools.
SystemVision Cloud by Mentor
is a cloud-based software service (SaaS) provided by Mentor that enables users to perform the latest multidomain simulations. Accessible via a web browser for anytime, anywhere analysis on a PC, this system supports encrypted VHDL/AMS and SPICE models for import into Mentor's printed circuit board (PCB) design environment (Xpedition™ software suite).
