Introduction to multisim

Introduction to Multisim:
Learn to Capture and Simulate in Less Than 30 Minutes
Overview
NI Multisim is an easy-to-use schematic capture and simulation environment that engineers, students, and professors can use to define and simulate circuits. This article shows you how to capture and simulate a simple circuit in Multisim. This tutorial takes less than 30 minutes to complete and consists of50 short steps. The example circuit in the article is an amplifier circuit. This noninverting operational amplifier configuration consists of one active component (the operational amplifier) and two passive resistor components that will be used to complete the feedback network to provide gain in this circuit.
Table of Contents
1. Example Circuit
2. Step 1: Open Multisim
3. Step 2: PlaceComponents
4. Step 3: Wire Components
5. Step 4: Place a Simulation Source
6. Step 5: Place Measurement Instruments
7. Step 6: Run a Simulation
Example Circuit
For this introductory example, simulate a standard noninverting operational amplifier circuit (pictured in Figure 1).
The gain of this noninverting amplifier is calculated simply with Gain = 1 + R1/R2.
Therefore if R1 = R2 then the gainis equal to 2, which you can verify when you run an interactive simulation in NI Multisim software.
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Figure 1. Example Circuit
Step 1: Open Multisim
Begin by drawing your schematic in the Multisim environment.
1. Select Start»All Programs»National Instruments»Circuit Design Suite 11.0»Multisim 11.0 to open Multisim.
2. Multisim opens showcasing the default capture andsimulation environment.
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Figure 2. Multisim Environment
There are two fundamental tasks in the design of a circuit: the placement of components and the wiring of these components to create a complete design.
3. To select a component, go to Place»Component …
4. The Select a Component dialog appears (also known as the Component Browser).
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Figure 3. Select aComponent Dialog
The component browser organizes the database components into three logical levels. The Master Database contains all shipping components in a read-only format. The Corporate Database is where to save custom components to be shared with colleagues (via a network collection and so on). Finally, the User Database is where custom components are saved that can be used only by the specificdesigner.
Additional Points
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o The components (or parts) are organized into Groups and Families to intuitively and logically group common parts together and make searching easier and more effective.
o The component selection box shows the Component name, Symbol, the functional description, Model, and Footprint all in a single popup.
Step 2: Place Components
To invoke simulation, you need apower source and a ground somewhere in your circuit to correctly reference voltages and currents in your circuit simulation.
5. To place a Ground, go to the Sources group and highlight the POWER_SOURCES family.
6. Highlight the GROUND component (as shown in Figure 4).
7. Click OK.
8. The component selection window temporarily closes and the ground symbol is "ghosted" to the mouse pointer.
9. Movethe mouse to the appropriate place on the schematic and left-click once to place the component.
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Figure 4. Placing a Ground Symbol
To place a DC power supply:
10. Go to the Sources group again and highlight the POWER_SOURCES family (if not already highlighted from the previous selection).
11. Select is called DC_POWER symbol.
12. Place the DC Power source on the schematic.13. Repeat steps 10, 11, and 12 to place a second DC_POWER symbol.
Additional Points

o Without a power and ground your simulation cannot run.
o If you need multiple components you can repeat the placement steps as shown or place one component and use copy (Ctrl-C) and paste (Ctrl-V) to place additional components as needed.
o By default, the component selection box keeps returning as a...