Simulation Examples for KiCad 8.0 Using Ngspice

The subfolders contain KiCad 7.99/8.0 projects with schematics containing ngspice simulations, created by Holger Vogt, originally published in a KiCad forum post

⚠️ Directories in this repository are named after the original 7z file name and may differ from the xxx.7z folder name and the contained xxx.kicad_pro project file. This should probably be refactored to follow KiCad best practices of naming the folder the same as the contained .kicad_pro file. This is, however, not a trivial task, as several of the original 7z archives contain multiple .kicad_pro project files.

FOSDEM 2024 presentation

A number of these circuits were included in a presentation on FOSDEM 2024: ngspice circuit simulator - stand-alone and embedded into KiCad (slides)

Ngspice User's Manual

For convenience, here are some useful links to ngspice documentation:

• ngspice User's Manual
• Tutorial: ngspice simulation in KiCad/Eeschema

Simulation Examples

The new simulator interface in KiCad 8.0 is offering a lot of enhancements, which make it absolutely worthwile to have a look at.

The examples provided should all run out-of-the-box:

1. Locate the project subfolder
2. Open the *.kicad_pro project or directly open the schemtic in the *.kicad_sch file
3. In the KiCad Schematic Editor: Inspect ➡️ Simulator ➡️ Run (green triangle).

Simulation Circuits

The circuits shown below are not optimized, but may serve as a good starting point.

• RC Low Pass Filter, see rc-filter
• Boost Converter, see Boost
• Regulated boost converter, see boost-complete
• Regulated boost converter, see boost-regulated-os
  Version which does not need ngspice-42, as it relies on a pwm generator made with the vernerable one-shot code model.
• Buck Converter, see Buck
• Royer Converter, see Royer
• LLC Converter, see LLC
• Digital PWM amplifier, see pwm-audio
• Digital PWM amplifier update, see pwm-audio-2
• Another Class-D 2.5 kW audio amplifier, see Class-D
• Analog multiplier, see analog-multiplier
• Generic symbols with generic models, see intro4
• IBIS interface simulation, see ibis-test
• Amplifier with controlled gain, using TI TCA810, see gain-ctrl-amp
• Up-Down Counter, see up-down-counter
• Triangle generator with MAX9000, see MAX9000
• The venerable ICL8038, see ICL8038
• Generating a negative voltage from a positive supply with LTC1044, see LTC1044
• Integrated linear amp (LM3886), simple, real, Tian Probe, see LM3886-Tian
• A bipolar 741 operational amplifier, see 741
• Q17, a redesign of the famous QUAD405 High-End Audio Amplifier, see Q17
• Quadrature Rotary Encoder (Digital Simulation), see QEI_public_8_mod
• 40106-Based Oscillator, see rel_osc
• A simple Phase Shift, Single Bipolar Transistor Oscillator, see bip-osc-2
• CMOS555_4, see CMOS555_4
• Full Bridge N-CMOS Circuit, see FullBridge
• 555 Bipolar, see 555-bipolar
• Pass Labs F5 Turbo V2 thermal simulation, see PassLabsF5
• Sallen-Key low-pass Filter
• Sallen-Key high-pass Filter