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Multisim Templates For Custom Arduino Shields - National Instruments

This document provides templates for Multisim and Ultiboard software to help users design custom shields for various Arduino boards. The templates include schematic files with connectors mapped to the appropriate pins and PCB layout files with the board outline and placed footprints. Users can open a template, add their custom circuit design in Multisim, and use forward annotation to update the PCB layout in Ultiboard. This allows for accelerated development of Arduino shields within a standardized template format.

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efasaravanan
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views

Multisim Templates For Custom Arduino Shields - National Instruments

This document provides templates for Multisim and Ultiboard software to help users design custom shields for various Arduino boards. The templates include schematic files with connectors mapped to the appropriate pins and PCB layout files with the board outline and placed footprints. Users can open a template, add their custom circuit design in Multisim, and use forward annotation to update the PCB layout in Ultiboard. This allows for accelerated development of Arduino shields within a standardized template format.

Uploaded by

efasaravanan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Multisim Templates for Custom Arduino Shields - National Instruments

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http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52405/en/

Multisim Templates for Custom Arduino Shields


Publish Date: Aug 28, 2014

Overview

This document includes template files for Multisim and Ultiboard to define and customize Arduino shields.
Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Requirements
3. Using the Templates
4. Additional Resources
1. Introduction

Users of Arduino boards that need to design custom shields can now accelerate the development by using predefined
templates in Multisim and Ultiboard. Each template includes a Multisim schematic with connectors to define inputs and outputs
and also an Ultiboard layout with the pin mapping and board outline.
Here is a list of the templates available:
Arduino Uno
Arduino Due
Arduino Pro
Arduino Ethernet
Arduino Leonardo
Arduino Mega 2560
Arduino MEGA ADK
Arduino Micro
Arduino Mini 05
Please note that although these files are intended to be as accurate as possible and have been checked by Applications
Engineers at National Instruments, it is recommended to closely check the documentation provided with the hardware
purchase. It is always suggested that you reference materials associated with the hardware to verify correct pin assignments
and to check correct layout guidelines and pin spacing.
2. Requirements

Software
You will require Circuit Design Suite (Multisim and Ultiboard) version 13.0 (or later) to be able to utilize the attached resources.
Click here to download an evaluation edition (http://www.ni.com/multisim)
Templates and Component Library
Go to the Downloads section and download the arduinotemplates.zip file. Unzip this file. You will find a component library
(UsrComp.usr) with custom symbols and footprints and all the template files (*.mst13 extension).
To install the component library:
Launch Multisim.
Select ToolsDatabaseMerge database.
Select your User Database as the Target database.
Click on the Select a Component Database Name button
Browse the UsrComp.usr database file, and click on Open.
Click on the Start button.
Select the Auto-Rename option.
Click on OK.
Once status is "Done" click on the Close button
3. Using the Templates

Follow the next steps to use the template files to create custom Arduino shields with Multisim and Ultiboard.
1. Launch Multisim.
2. Go to FileOpen and select one of the template files. For this example we will use the Arduino Due Shield Template.mst13.
Multisim unpacks the contents of the template and creates a schematic in Multisim and a layout in Ultiboard, as shown
below:

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Multisim Templates for Custom Arduino Shields - National Instruments

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http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52405/en/

Figure 1. Arduino shield template in Multisim and Ultiboard


The Multisim schematic includes all the necessary connectors for the various input/output pins. On the other hand the
Ultiboard file includes the board outline and footprints of the connectors placed at specific coordinates.
3. Save both the Multisim and Ultiboard files using the same name.
4. Capture your custom circuitry in Multisim. Note that you can use On-page connectors (PlaceConnectors) to create virtual
connections to the appropriate pins, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Capturing your schematic in Multisim


Once you have completed your schematic you will update the changes to the layout by using Forward Annotation.
5. Select TransferForward annotate to UltiboardForward annotate to Ultiboard 13.0.
6. Save the netlist (*.ewnet) file.
7. Review the changes in the Forward Annotation window and click OK. Parts will be placed outside of the board outline.
8. Place the parts and route the board.

Figure 3. Arduino shield design in Ultiboard


If you need to make any changes to your design simply open the Multisim schematic, make the changes and use Forward
Annotation to update the layout.
Finally, here is a 3D View of the custom shield. You can open this view by selecting View3D Preview.

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Multisim Templates for Custom Arduino Shields - National Instruments

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http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52405/en/

Figure 4. 3D View of the custom board


4. Additional Resources

Reference Designs and Templates for Digilent Boards (http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52342/en/)


Synchronize Schematic and Layout for Student Design with Templates (http://www.ni.com/white-paper/14744/en/)
NI Multisim and Ultiboard Technical Resources (http://www.ni.com/multisim/technical-resources/)

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