labview/equivalent mobo electrical simulation?

Apr 4, 2015
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Anyone know how motherboard are fully electrically simulated in software?

I expect its multisim or labview, or a proprietary solution...

I'm still a junior in BSEE but i'd like to learn more about designing motherboards, i thought I should start with simulating.
 

freeskier93

Senior member
Apr 17, 2015
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SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis). There are some freeware platforms you could mess around with but usually it's done in the big boy PCB design programs like Altium.
 

Hitman928

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2012
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Define fully electrically simulated and exactly what you want to simulate. Are you looking for circuit level stuff or more full EM simulations?
 

videogames101

Diamond Member
Aug 24, 2005
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Motherboard design is PCB design and uses specific EDA tools - look up Altium, Allegro, Eagle, etc.

I would recommend the free version of Eagle, or maybe your school has licenses for the bigger fancier stuff.

Most are based on various SPICE models. I don't think anyone does Full EM on a motherboard sized PCB? Although I'm coming from an IC perspective, so I could be wrong. Maybe for DDR channels they might do it? The eye's on those get pretty small afaik.
 
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Hitman928

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2012
6,686
12,345
136
Motherboard design is PCB design and uses specific EDA tools - look up Altium, Allegro, Eagle, etc.

I would recommend the free version of Eagle, or maybe your school has licenses for the bigger fancier stuff.

Most are based on various SPICE models. I don't think anyone does Full EM on a motherboard sized PCB? Although I'm coming from an IC perspective, so I could be wrong. Maybe for DDR channels they might do it? The eye's on those get pretty small afaik.

No, and you don't really need to. As a learning project you could take this in a lot of directions and I just wanted a little clarification as to what he was trying to accomplish.

Multisim is a good place to start to learn, but as videogames101 said, if you are actually wanting to design and fab a motherboard, you'll need more specific pcb software.