Use of CAD in circuit analysis

Multisim Tutorial

DEPARTMENT OF
ELECTRICAL &ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

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1. Learning Outcomes:

Introduction to NI Multisim

2.Lab Introduction: (Adopted from http://www.ni.com/multisim/what-is/)

Multisim is an industry-standard, best-in-class SPICE simulation environment. It is the

cornerstone of the NI circuits teaching solution to build expertise through practical application in
designing, prototyping, and testing electrical circuits. The Multisim design approach helps you save
prototype iterations and optimize printed circuit board (PCB) designs earlier in the process.
Multisim includes a library of resistors, capacitors, inductors, power sources, switches, bipolar
junction transistors, and field effect transistors while the environment comprises oscilloscope
instruments, probes, and SPICE analyses to truly build analog electronics expertise. Multisim offers
seamless transition to hands-on experimentation with the integration to NI hardware.
Other than that, Multisim includes digital logic gates, counters, and microcontrollers to augment
the teaching approach of introductory digital electronics topics such as Boolean algebra. The specialized
programmable logic device schematic gives students the ability to translate digital logic gate circuits into
raw VHDL deployed to FPGA targets from partners such as Digilent so students can deploy to hardware
to learn digital fundamentals without needing to learn complex syntax.

3. Introductory Tutorial
This tutorial shows you how to capture, simulate, and layout your first design in Multisim. This
tutorial offers introductory descriptions and examples on how to construct basic circuit and use basic
instrument. NI Multisim is a powerful schematic capture and simulation environment with vast and
countless applications which are unfeasible to be delivered during this laboratory session. For more
information on applications not described in this tutorial, please refer to http://www.ni.com/multisim/

3.1 Getting Started

Click on Start  All Program  Electronic Workbench  Multisim
An interface similar to Figure 1 should be displayed. Figure 2 shows the panel on the top of the
interface, in which you can find toolbars which provide one-click shortcut to components and
measurement tools. You can add/remove toolbars by right-clicking on the top panels and tick/untick the

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menu, as shown in Figure 3. For example, if you un-tick “measurement components”, the
ammeter/voltmeter toolbars would not appear on the top panel.

This is where
your circuit will
be constructed

Figure 1: Multisim Interface

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Figure 2: Interface Toolbar

1.Right-click
any space

2.Select / untick
toolbars

Figure 3: Tick/Untick Toolbars

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3.2 Simulate a Simple DC Resistive Circuit

For this introductory example, you will simulate a simple resistive circuit as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Simple DC circuit

3.2.1 Placing Components

Select Place»Component. The Select a Component window appears (also known as the Component
Browser), as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Select a Component

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The components are organized into Groups and Families to logically group common parts together and
make searching easier.
To place the 9 V voltage source, select the following: Database: MasterDatabase, Group: Sources,
Families: Power Sources and Components: DC_Power as shown in Figure 6. Click Ok and place the
voltage shown in the schematic as shown in Figure Q7.
Double-click the dc power supply (the same goes for other components) will bring forward the property
table as shown in Figure 8. You can change the name and value of the components under label tab and
value tab respectively. In this tutorial, the dc power supply will be named as Vs and set to 9V.

Figure 6: Selecting DC Power Supply

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Figure 7: Placing Components

Figure 8: Components Properties

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Alternatively, right click on the top panel, tick Power Source Components (Refer to Figure 3) and you
will easily find the symbol of DC Power Supply as shown in Figure 9. Click on the symbol and place the
components on the schematic. This method of placing components is preferred since it is faster.

Power Source
Components Toolbar

Figure 9: Using Toolbars

Similarly, right click on the top panel, tick Basic and select virtual resistor. Note that you can rotate a
component by using the <Ctrl+R> shortcut on your keyboard when the component is selected.
Change the label and value of the resistors as shown in Figure 10.

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Figure 10: Placing Components

3.2.2 Connecting Components and Placing Ground

To connect components, click on Place/Wire drag and place the wire. Components can also be
connected by clicking the mouse over the terminal edge of one component and dragging to the edge of
another component (check out demo from lab instructor). All circuits must be grounded before the
circuit can be simulated. Click on Ground in Power Source Components toolbars to ground the circuit.
Figure 11 shows the schematic with all the components connected.

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Figure 11: Connecting Components.

3.2.3 Circuit Simulation

To simulate the completed circuit, click on Simulate/Run or F5. However, without placing any
measurement tools /analyzer, it is meaningless to simulate the circuit.

3.2.4 Measurement Components

Multimeter can be used to measure AC or DC voltage or current. Click on the Multimeter button in the
Instruments toolbar (panel on the right side of the interface)and place it on the schematic. Double-
click on the multimeter symbol to open the window which used to modify multimeter property and view
measurements, as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12: Multimeter

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As shown in Figure 13, place multimeter in parallel with the component (Resistor etc) to measure
voltage. Meanwhile, place the multimeter in series with the component to measure current. Press F5 to
simulate the circuit, double click on the multimeter to view the measurement as shown in Figure 14.

Measure current
Measure voltage

Figure 13: Placing the Multimeter

Figure 14: Reading Multimeter Measurement

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3.2.5 Your Task

Note: Prepare a report according to template shown in appendix 1.

1. Based on circuit given in Figure 11, use Wattmeter to measure power dissipated by R3. Find
wattmeter from Instrument toolbar (right side of the interface). (3 marks)

2. As compared to multimeter, voltmeter and ammeter (to measure voltage and current respectively) take
up less space in a circuit since you can rotate its terminals to suit your layout. Experiment with all four
orientations, ie: ammeter horizontal, ammeter horizontal rotated, ammetervertical, ammeter vertical
rotated to measure current flowing between point 2 and point 3 (refer to Figure 4). In your opinion,
which orientation of ammeter is most suitable for this circuit? Justify your answer.
(5 marks)

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4. Multisim Exercises
By using Multisim, construct and simulate all the following exercises. Capture screen shot of the
simulation and prepare a report according to template shown in appendix 1.

4.1 Exercise 1
a) Calculate the current flowing through each resistor and the voltage at each
labeled point with respect to ground in the circuit shown in Figure 15.
(9 marks)

b) Verify the values obtained in Q4.1 (a) with MultiSim. You should attach
screenshots that clearly show the value of current across each resistor and the
value of voltage at labeled nodes. (10 marks)

1 kΩ
4.7 kΩ

3.2 kΩ
1 kΩ
1 kΩ

1.2 kΩ

Figure 15

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4.2 Exercise 2
(a) For the multiple ladder network shown in Figure 16, determine I, I4, I6 and I10 with
MultiSim. You shall reconstruct the circuit (hint: three parallel branches). (7 marks)

(b) Show with Multisim, how would you identify the presence of short circuit in the ladder
network. Explain your method. (6 marks)

Figure 16: Ladder network

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5. Circuit Design
Note: This is an open-ended question in which it is possible to have more than one solution.

5.1 Delta-to Wye-Conversion

Figure 17: Delta-to-Wye Conversion

Delta-to-Wye conversion is a common circuit-modification technique. The transformation is used to
establish equivalence for networks with three terminals. By using Multisim, show how would you prove
that Delta-network and Wye-network are equivalent. Explain your method. Note: Use design other than
Wheatstone bridge.
(10 marks)

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