SOFTWARE TOOLS - Visual tool compares performance, size, and cost of power solutions

Santa Clara, Calif. - WEBENCH Visualizer from National Semiconductor Corp. is a comparison and selection tool that enables engineers to rapidly select an optimal power system design. WEBENCH Visualizer creates a graphical snapshot of options across multiple criteria, such as power efficiency, footprint and system bill of materials (BOM) cost.

Drawing from 25 different switching power supply architectures and 21,000 components, the company claims that engineers can navigate through billions of power supply design alternatives in seconds. Design criteria can be modified and the real-time effects observed, allowing engineers to select the best DC-DC power supply based on their unique needs.

National's WEBENCH Visualizer tool supports a variety of power supply topologies such as buck, boost, buck-boost, SEPIC and flyback. Several alternative circuit configurations are also available to address specific needs, such as fixed-frequency and constant-on-time architectures as well as current-mode and voltage-mode control loops.

With the power parts library from 110 manufacturers, designers can specify a wide range of parameters: VIN from 1V - 100V, VOUT from 0.6V - 300V, power up to 300W, efficiency up to 96 percent, frequency up to 3 MHz, footprint from 14 mm by 14 mm.

How WEBENCH Visualizer Works
The WEBENCH Visualizer tool features an optimizer dial that enables engineers to dial in their preference for footprint, system BOM cost and power efficiency. The tool instantly creates 50-70 designs from 48 billion possible design options. It then highlights the smallest and most efficient designs, with one recommended as a starting point for further optimization.

A second visualizer control panel allows engineers to adjust their design options for voltage, current and temperature. In seconds, an updated set of solutions appears, highlighting each design's topology, schematic, footprint, efficiency, operating values and BOM cost/count. The tool's interactive filter allows engineers to further fine-tune the power supply design to meet the target system's exact requirements.

Once a design is selected, WEBENCH offers the ability to further tune and optimize that design through additional component options and electrical and thermal simulation. With the Build It! feature, National ships a custom power supply prototype kit within 24 hours.

To view a video demonstration or begin an analysis with the WEBENCH Visualizer tool, go to www.national.com/visualizer.