Flex Power Modules updated its Flex Power Designer software to include a reference design tool for Xilinx-based field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The 4.0 release also provides further system optimization and loop compensator features, to improve overall power-stage design analysis, helping power designers to accelerate time to market.
Primarily, the latest major upgrade to this software version provides a load-based design capability that enables a more accessible and accurate load simulation based on the needs of Xilinx FPGAs. Xilinx Power Estimator (XPE) files for the Virtex Ultrascale+ series can now be effortlessly imported into Flex Power Designer.
Once relevant load input data is selected, the software automatically detects potential design issues (for example, addressing transient power requirements). It also suggests suitable parts to deliver optimized power to rails based on performance and cost. This advancement simplifies pre-design, power architecture evaluation, and power module device selection.
In other enhancements to Flex Power Designer, a system optimization feature has been introduced to the System view. Starting with a load, it can be used to automatically find suitable products and optimize bus voltage based on several configurable parameters.
Two features have also been added to the Loop Compensator tool. The first is an option to automatically adjust the Vout setpoint to compensate for Vout droop. The other is an option to include Vout accuracy and ripple in load transient plot and optimization, providing designers with the means of directly taking into account device tolerances and ripple in load transient simulations. Additionally, the upgraded software version offers extended support for the PMU series of Analog Point of Load (POL) regulators.
Flex Power Designer is available to download free of charge from https://flexpowerdesigner.com.