AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments has announced new enhancements to the NI Multisim and NI Ultiboard printed circuit board (PCB) design experience, including the release of the Multisim and Ultiboard 10.1.1 software packages.

The latest versions of the software deliver functional enrichments, such as several enhancements to user interface functionality including improved database synchronization, added temperature simulation parameter support and more than 300 new components from leading third-party manufacturers. These new resources help those new to circuit design with National Instruments tools quickly begin prototyping with improved accuracy.

With the latest versions of the software, users can simulate popular device designs by including SPICE models from National Semiconductor, a leading manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors. As a part its contribution to the NI design resources, National Semiconductor makes models of operational amplifiers and company-approved land-pattern definitions available to students, academics and professional designers. This ever-expanding community of device manufacturers simplifies the component and design evaluation process.

To make prototyping easy, National Instruments now offers new community elements that help make efficient design possible. A new online community for Multisim provides professionals, educators and students a forum to discuss and collaborate on circuit design. Through the NI Circuit Design Community, users can share and create custom components and circuit designs and discuss a variety of electronic design topics such as custom design for NI embedded platforms like NI CompactRIO or NI Single-Board RIO.

The NI Circuit Design Community delivers easy access to resources that facilitate design, regardless of the user’s experience. Domain experts, students and experienced designers can share development techniques, learn about advanced technologies and connect with circuit design experts working on prototyping applications.

As part of this community, National Instruments also helps PCB designers meet prototyping needs beyond the design process. Sunstone Circuits, a circuit fabrication house, is now a contributor to the National Instruments circuit design resources for PCB designers. Sunstone has established itself as a leader in online ordering of quick-turn prototypes. With this relationship, engineers who export designs for fabrication can take advantage of order integration and online resources provided through the Sunstone ECOsystemSM Design Environment, which removes the traditional barriers to effectively transitioning to physical prototypes.