Circuit Design
Before anything is made, it has to be designed. And a circuit is no exception. To give a physical form to an electronic circuit, the makers first construct an electronic circuit design. In other words, a circuit design is the blueprint for making an electronic circuit.
Circuit design process
The process of circuit designing encompasses a variety of systems that may range from the complex electronic systems to transistors with integrated circuits. An individual is capable of undertaking the designing of basic electronic circuits, but a team of designers may be required for more complex designs. They are now being increasingly assisted by computer simulation.
Planning a circuit design
Planning a circuit design involves a number of stages – more complex the design, more the stages. In the first stage, all the information required for physically constructing the circuit is gathered and translated into a block diagram. This diagram depicts the various functions that the circuit must perform. This approach helps break a complicated task into smaller tasks and enables the engineers to undertake most complex electronic design projects.
Verifying and testing the design
The most important step is to verify and test a circuit design. Verification involves revisiting each stage of designing to see if the circuit delivers all specifications it is designed to do. This highly complex mathematical process may involve the use of circuit simulators to simulate the circuit designs. Testing involves building a circuit prototype and checking it in actual real-life conditions. Any failure gets the circuit back to the design board.
Prototyping
Before the actual circuit is designed and launched, it needs to be prototyped. A prototype is the first design of the circuit to gauge its efficacy. Its success gives the green signal for mass manufacturing of the final product. Prototyping also helps in identifying the areas where modifications are required.
Common software used for circuit design
● EasyEDA: This web-based EDA tool facilitates designing, simulating, sharing, and discussing the schematics, simulations and printed circuit boards. It also enables creation of a Bill of Materials, Gerber files and documentary outputs in PDF, PNG and SVG formats.
● gEDA: It can either mean a set of software applications used for electronic design released under the GPL or a collaboration of free software/open-source developers. In the former sense, gEDA is mainly oriented towards printed circuit board, as opposed to integrated circuit design. In the latter sense, it enables the developers to communicate via gEDA mailing lists.
● KiCad: This free software suite for EDA facilitates the design of schematics for electronic circuits. It also assists their conversion to PCB designs. It possesses tools for creating a Bill of Materials, artwork, Gerber files and 3D views of the PCB and its components.
● OrCAD: This proprietary software tool suite is mainly used for EDA. Electronic design engineers use this to create electronic schematics and electronic prints for printed circuit boards.
Conclusion
Had it not been for circuit designs, the world would not have witnessed the amazing technological advancements and mindboggling inventions of the present day.
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