Reserch Report-Suitability Analysis of LTSpice and

Proteus
2019ee54
Sehar Khan
December 31, 2020

Abstract—Motivation: Simulation softwares solves real-world

problems safely and efficiently. They provides an important
method of analysis which is easily verified, communicated,
and understood. Across industries and disciplines, simulation
modeling provides valuable solutions by giving clear insights
into complex systems. This is big motivation to research about
the thick and thin of Ltspice and Proteus. Because Ltspice and
Proteus are two of the commonly used simulation softwares
worldwide. Fig. 1. LTspice versus Proteus
The problems which are going to be discussed related to
the softwares include license problems, some limitations, tools
available in softwares and PCB designing. Some problems don;t
have solutions in the same software but we have to switch to the going to be discussed in detail in this report. These problems
other software but in some cases like limitation cases we devise are signinficantly related to the License requirments, some
some ways to solve the problems of limitations.After reading limitations, tools available in both softwares and some
this report you will come to know about the simplicity and easy errors encountered in these softwares. There is not enough
comprehension of LTspice and a bit complex but more advanced
research work done about these softwares. Only few points of
proteus software.
guidlines are available on the internet. So here in this report
I. I NTRODUCTION we will discuss important problems regarding simulations,
Computer simulation technology has developed in close their solutions and then discuss the resultas and outcomes.
relation with both the computer industry and engineering pro-
cesses. Associated with the process manufacturing industries, This paper is organized as follows: The next section de-
simulation has been customarily used as a tool to increase the scribes the license problem with its introduction, problem
production capacity. description and Proposed Soltion in its subsections. Sec.
In the early stages, computer simulation was not very acces- III describes the limitation problems with its introduction,
sible; a lengthy process, the ambiguity of resulting models, and problem description, implementaion, Proposed Soltion in its
a large number of required specialists resulted in prohibitively subsections. Sec. IV describes the PCB designing problems
expensive associated costs. Until the wide-scale adoption of with its introduction, problem description, implementaion,
computing algorithms in 1970’s, industrial engineers learn Proposed Soltion in its subsections. Sec. V describes the prob-
about computer simulation models in schools but rarely apply lems related to tools with its introduction, problem description,
them. implementaion, Proposed Soltion in its subsections. Finally,
Development in computing, modern programming language, there is discusion, conclusions and an outlook are given in
visualization tools, and graphics have had a huge impact on Sec. VI and Sec. VII respectively.
the evolution of simulation technology. II. L ISENCE R EQUIREMENT
So simulation softwares are playing an important role at
the students education level as well as industry level. So the A. Introduction
main purpose of this research report is to tell about the thick A software license also provides legally binding definitions
and thin of the two widly used simulation softwares, LTspice for the distribution and use of the software. End-user rights,
and Proteus. Simulation software is used widely to design such as installation, warranties, and liabilities, are also often
equipment so that the final product will be as close to design spelled out in the software license, including protection of
specs as possible without expensive in process modification. the developer’s intellectual property. Here, Out of LTSpice
Simulation software with real-time response is often used in and proteus, we cannot proceed with proteus without license.
gaming, but it also has important industrial applications.

LTSpice and Proteus are the two widly used softwares for B. Problem Description
simulation purposes. But there are some shorcommings in The cost of software is often one of the most frustrating
these softwares. S the problems related to these softwares are parts of a small business’ technology budget. This is espe-
cially true because most software packages require individual For the case of proteus limitation, in case of parallel connected
licenses for each user and the licensing costs can add up fast! inductor, we should connect a very very small resistance in
In order to avoid these costs it is not uncommon for businesses series to that inductor. That resistance will prevent the circuit
to turn to alternative sources for their software, including the from giving error on running the simulation .
use of unlicensed software. While this choice may initially
seem like a great way to save pennies, the truth is that this D. Implementation and Results
places you at risk for heavy fines that will cost far more than Let see the limitatin casse of LTspice by using the following
the necessary licenses ever would. example to study its implementation. Here we consider the
active low pass filter response.
C. Proposed Solution
Here, In order to solve this problem of license we can
prefer LTSpice instead of proteus, because for LTSpice we
don’t need license.LTspice is completely free and has no
limitations (no max number of parts, for example, like the
free crippled version of other commercial simulators).LT spice
is a powerful, fast and free simulation software, schematic
capture and waveform viewer with enhancements and mod-
els for improving the simulation of analog circuits. LTspice
for Windows PC provides macromodels for most of Analog
Devices’ switching regulators, linear regulators, amplifiers, as
well as a library of devices for general circuit simulation.
Selected Analog Devices devices also have demonstration
circuits available for free download. LTSpice can be free Fig. 2. Active low pass filter with Ideal Operational Amlifier
downladed through this link:
https://www.filehorse.com/download-ltspice/download/
But for proteus we has to have a license key.
III. L IMITATION OF SOFTWARES
A. Introduction
LTSpice and proteus both are very efficient softwraes, but
there are some limitations with both the softwares. Sometimes
we find errors on running the circuits, at times we find
different outputs for same circuit with only changing some
comppponent of the circuit. The details of such problems will
be discussed below.
Fig. 3. Output Response of Active low pass filter with Ideal Operational
Amlifier
B. Problem Description
In LTSpice when we replace an amplifier with another
different amplifier in a filter, we found different results on the
output side. The problem is that the circuit remains the same
but only by changing the type of amplifier we get completely
different output.
In proteus when we connect an inductor in any circuit in
parallel, we start seeing a simulation error on running the
simulation. The circuit patched is completely fine, there are no
connection problems, all the settings are fine. Even then pro-
teus shows error for such circuits where inductor is connected
in paralel e.g. RLC and RL parallel circuits. But if inductor is
connected in series then we found normal simulation without
any error.
C. Proposed Solution Fig. 4. Active low pass filter with LM324 Operational Amlifier

If we talk about the limitation case of LTSpice, Firstly we

have to stick to one amplifier that is universal amplifier in the
library of LTspice. Secondly in proteus we don’t encountger
such problems so proteus is better for such sort of simulations.
Fig. 5. Output Response of Active low pass filter with LM324 Operational
Amlifier

Fig. 8. RLC parallel circuit with a very small resistance in series with
From the above figures we found that In LTSpice when Inductor
we replace an amplifier with another different amplifier in a
filter, we found different results on the output side though the
remaining circuit is same. From the above figures we found that in proteus when we
Nw let see the limitatin case of Proteus by using the following connect an inductor in any circuit in parallel, we start seeing a
example to study its implementation. Here we consider an simulation error on running the simulation. But if inductor is
RLC parallel circuit. connected in series then we found normal simulation without
any error.

IV. PCB D ESIGNING

A. Introduction
A printed circuit board mechanically supports and elec-
trically connects electrical or electronic components using
conductive tracks, pads and other features etched from one
or more sheet layers of copper laminated onto and/or between
sheet layers of a non-conductive substrate.
Proteus is a complete development platform from product
concept to design completion. Its advantages are intelligent
Fig. 6. RLC parallel circuit without a small resistance in series with principle layout, hybrid circuit simulation and accurate analy-
Inductor
sis, single-chip software debugging, single-chip and peripheral
circuit co-simulation, PCB automatic layout and wiring.

B. Problem Description
The problem that we met here is actually with LTSpice
because on LTSpice we cannot design printed circuit boards
in an efficient manner as in Proteus. In SPICE analysis, there
is no concept of a pin number per se. And yet in LTspice
you can choose to export a netlist of type, say, PADS, and
it will dutifully create it, complete with pin numbers for all
the devices. So a major question becomes, How does LTspice
assign pin numbers to devices? And if they are not correct,
the question becomes, ”How do I get LTspice to assign the
Fig. 7. Simulation Errors when RLC parallel circuit without a small correct pin numbers”?
resistance in series with Inductor

C. Proposed Solution
So in order to solve this problem Proteus is recommended.
The Proteus Design Suite is a proprietary software tool suite
used primarily for electronic design automation. The software
is used mainly by electronic design engineers and technicians
to create schematics and electronic prints for manufacturing
printed circuit boards.
 Fig. 11. Digital Osciloscope showing the input and output wave in Proteus

Fig. 9. Printed Circuit Board designed with Proteus

V. T OOLS (S OURCES , S INKS , M EASUREMENTS )

A. Introduction
For the simulation purposes, lots of sources, sinks and
measurement tools are available in both, LTSpice and Proteus.
The sources can be voltage sources, current sources and the
voltage source in the form of DC voltage ordifferent AC
waves like sine ,pulse etc. For measurement purposes ,there are
different probes and tools for through measurement of current Fig. 12. Analouge Graph drawn with Graph Mode option from Voltage
and across measurement of voltage. There are efficient options and Current Probes in Proteus
of grapgh drawing in both softwares.
B. Problem Description
Both the softwares are doing good job with the tools but
there are some tools which are missing either in one or the
other. For example in LTspice we don’t have the facility of
oscilloscope but in proteus we do have. In both softwares there
are probes for measurements of current voltages, but in proteus
we cannot measure power because there is no power probe but
in LTspice we do have a power probe as well.
In LTspice we can draw the graph justby clicking the run
button but in proteus we have to go to the Graph Mode option
to see the behavior on graph. Moreover, in LTspice there is Fig. 13. Graph drawn in LTSpice
no need to attach current and voltage probes, in fact there are
already there. We can just stand on the device and measure
When we draw the graphs, if we want to take some
its current.Similarly voltage and power can also be measured
measurement somewhere in the graph, we cannot take it just
just by bringing the mouse to that devoce.
by ciking at that point in the graph in LTSpice. But in Proteus
C. Implementation and Results we do have this option. We just click at some point in the graph
and found both the values of x axis and y axis at exactly the
bottom of graph as shown in figure 12 for proteus graph.

Fig. 10. Osciloscope, Voltage and Current Probes in Proteus

 VI. D ISCUSSION
From the above implementatins and results, we can say that
LTSpice is comparatively a simple and decent software. It
do have less complexities as compare to proteus ans easy to
cmprehend and command on LTspice. But we can;t say that
proteus is better in all way. Though proteus is a bit complex
but it offers more efficiency and options towards simulation.
VII. C ONCLUSIONS AND O UTLOOK
Simulation softwares solves real-world problems safely and
efficiently. They provides an important method of analy-
sis which is easily verified, communicated, and understood.
Across industries and disciplines, simulation modeling pro-
vides valuable solutions by giving clear insights into complex
systems. Ltspice and Proteus are two of the commonly used
simulation softwares worldwide. It was important to research
about the thick and thin of these two softwares. In some cases
LTspice is better while in other Proteus is better. For example
LTspice was good with the license purposes and tools. While
proteus is good for PCB designing. For limitation cases both
softwares have some limitations somewhere. There is not much
research work done on the simulation softwares. It should be
done because simulation really helps to design cicuitries at the
industry level or any ohter higher level.