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Created: March 25, 2021 | Updated: March 10, 2022
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
Once you have installed the Mixed Simulation extension, you can find the installed libraries under the "C:\users\Public\Public Documents\Altium\<AD Version>\Library\Simulation" folder. Descriptions of the library contents can be found here:
https://techdocs.altium.com/display/AMSE1/Simulation-ready+Components
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.
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
Sometimes the new announcement pages have useful information:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/nfs-20-0new-simulation-support-ad?version=20.0
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/nfs-21-0simulation-interface-updates-ad
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
Videos SPICE Simulation training course
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3aaAq2OJU5HQJ5zoXAzTjY8uhk_DLBIJ
This link will bring up 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
You may also be interested in our Power Delivery Network (PDN) Analyzer
The PDN Analyzer panel provides the user interface for the Altium PDN Analyzer powered by CST® (Computer Simulation Technology) Power Deliver Network (PDN) analysis tool, available as an Altium Extension application for Altium Designer (requires a license.) The highly configurable tool analyzes a board design's DC performance based on its electrical and physical properties, and thanks to its direct integration into the design software, displays real time network Power Integrity results in the PCB editor using both the 2D and 3D view modes.Here's a link to documentation about Power Delivery Network Analysis:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/power-delivery-network-analysis-ad
Here's information about the panel:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/pdnanalyzer-pnl-pdnanalyzerpdn-analyzer-ad
Here's a link to start a free trial:
https://www.altium.com/pdn-analyzer/free-trial
If it doesn't work in the automated way as described, you can contact your account manager to have a PDN trial license added to your account licenses.
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