KB: Setup mixed sim in Altium Designer
Created: March 25, 2021 | Updated: March 08, 2024
Altium Designer
Starting in version: 18
Up to Current
How to activate the Mixed Simulation tool in Altium Designer? Where can I find more information about simulation?
Solution Details
To install the simulator plug-in do the following:1- Check first if you have installed the system extension “Mixed Simulation”
2- If the “Mixed Simulation” extension has not yet been installed, please go to the “Purchased” tab and install it. In case the extension does not appear in the “Purchased” tab, check Preferences ► System ► Installation to make sure the “Global installation service” radio button is selected, and try again.
3- Once the “Mixed Simulation” extension is installed, when a schematic circuit is open within in a PCB project, the Design ► Simulate Mixed Sim choice should be available.
Here's a link with more information about extending Altium Designer:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/extending-altium-designer
Keep in mind that to simulate an electronic design successfully, all circuit components must be ready for simulation, this means that each one must have a linked simulation model defined. Just as a symbol must be defined for a component, a simulation model for that component must be acquired and then linked, so that component is ready for simulation.
https://www.altium.com/documentation/knowledge-base/altium-designer/supported-spice-model
https://www.altium.com/documentation/knowledge-base/altium-designer/linking-spice-model
Here is more documentation that may be of interest:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/mixed-signal-circuit-simulation-overview
(also see the sub-pages [A Guide to Spice Simulation & Working with the Simulation UI] in the left panel)
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/spice-simulation-guide
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/simulation-user-interface
It is also worth paying attention to what has been changed in the latest releases, especially for this simulation domain with many enhancements:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/new
These are old, but may help your overall understanding:
https://techdocs.altium.com/display/AMSE/Defining+&+Running+Circuit+Simulation+Analyses
https://techdocs.altium.com//display/AMSE1/Mixed+Simulation
https://techdocs.altium.com/display/AMSE/Linking+a+Simulation+Model+to+a+Schematic+Component
Spice Simulation training course:
https://www.altium.com/training/spice-simulationVideos from older training course:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3aaAq2OJU5HQJ5zoXAzTjY8uhk_DLBIJ
Other videos available from the Altium Academy:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AltiumAcademy/search?query=simulation
There are Preference settings that may be helpful:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/simulation-general-preferences
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/simulation-mixed-sim-preferences
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/simulation-simetrix-interface-preferences
Limited and quick signal integrity analysis is available involving actual pcb layout in Altium Designer.
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/signal-integrity-analysis
For a full-blown analysis, possibly of multi-physics, you may be opt to export the design to some external full 3D solver tool:
https://forum.live.altium.com/#/posts/246101/769517
https://resources.altium.com/p/pcb-thermal-analysis-software
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/interfacing-with-ansys-simulation-tools