Computer-aided circuit analysis and design projects for electronic engineering students

Abstract

The integration of circuit simulation programs into an undergraduate electronics curriculum is discussed. Several projects are presented which combine application of a computer package with corresponding practical experiments in the electronics laboratory. In this way, students learn that electronic circuits are not simply blackboard theory but tangible objects which only given the optimum performance predicted by theoretical analysis following a careful design, simulation and test. Furthermore, some ideas for diploma thesis projects are presented, which offer students an opportunity to understand better the limitations of the software package and to extend its capabilities to new applications.