ROHM has launched the ROHM PLECS Simulator on its official website, providing designers of power electronics circuits and system engineers with a fast and convenient way to simulate the behavior of ROHM power devices online. The tool is built on the widely used PLECS simulation platform.
In power electronics design, simulation is often used instead of physical prototypes because building hardware can be expensive and time-consuming. ROHM previously introduced the ROHM Solution Simulator in 2020, which allows users to evaluate power devices and ICs together. Since then, it has continuously expanded its supported circuit topologies and device models. Thanks to its highly accurate SPICE models, the simulator can closely replicate real-world waveforms and deliver reliable results. However, during the early stages of design, users still needed a faster way to identify the most suitable power devices based on power loss and thermal performance analysis.
In response to this demand, ROHM has launched the ROHM PLECS Simulator, which specializes in loss and thermal calculations. This allows users to simulate power loss and temperature rise in a matter of seconds to minutes by selecting a power electronics circuit topology from a list on the website and choosing from the various power devices offered by ROHM. This significantly reduces the time and effort required for optimal device selection during the early stages of circuit design. Twenty different topologies are already available, and ROHM plans to expand the range of device models and topologies in the future, including SiC devices, IGBTs and power modules.
By utilizing the ROHM PLECS Simulator for rapid initial analysis using PLECS and the detailed, high-precision verification for which the ‘ROHM Solution Simulator’ is renowned, and by selecting the appropriate tool according to the development phase, it is possible to perform end-to-end simulation, ranging from design loss and thermal verification to waveform checking.
This simulator is available free of charge simply by registering as a user on the ROHM website. In addition, the dedicated page provides access to the simulator as well as the information required for its use (user manual, application notes explaining circuit operation).
Terminology
PLECS
A simulator for power electronics circuits and systems, developed to model and simulate complex electrical and power systems involving control in a virtual environment. It excels at high-speed calculations of factors such as losses, enabling rapid verification of the overall system response during the early stages of development.
