Date: 08/06/2010

Vishay enhances its online MOSFET thermal simulation tool

Vishay has announced that it has improved its ThermaSim online MOSFET thermal simulation tool to provide designers with increased simulation accuracy, efficiency, and user friendliness. It is a free tool that aims to speed time to market by allowing detailed thermal simulations to be performed before prototyping. It is a MOSFET simulation that uses structurally detailed power MOSFET models created using finite element analysis (FEA) techniques.

Though it can power any MOSFET application. ThermaSim is especially suggested for use in high-current, high-temperature applications such as automotive, fixed telecom, desktop and laptop computer, and industrial systems.

Various enhancements in ThermaSim are:

For improved simulation accuracy:
--The component pads/footprints are separated from the component model
--It has higher internal/external meshing resolution
--New features:
--Users can now define and evaluate impact of solder thickness (from 100 % to 150% of the nominal thickness of 0.1 mm).
--Users can now define the thermal glue thickness between the component and a heat sink.
--Component model accounts for the air gap between the component and PCB surface where applicable.
--Additional materials for PCBs, heat sinks, and the thermally conducting insulators

For improved simulation efficiency:
--Improved meshing methods
--Smaller pdf file sizes

For improved user friendliness:
--Features several completed examples that can be downloaded to user environment, modified, saved, and used
--Offers user tips
--Parametric range limits and prevents wrong inputs
--Allows selection of steady-state, transient, or RC network simulations
--Better selection/manipulation:
--Same component in different location on PCB
--Select/Edit internal PCB layers from side-view picture
--Select/Edit via zones from top-view picture
--Select/Edit solder thickness

For better documentation capabilities:
--An expandable summary tree of the entire simulation is provided just before running the simulation.
--The filename and defined commenting text field are feedback on the simulation results.

For more information visit: http://www.vishay.com.