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How to Use WEBENCH
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On the top of each screen in WEBENCH is a navigation header that indicates in which step of the design process the user is.  The steps currently highlighted in red, "Analyze a Design" and "Electrical Simulation," indicate your current place in the process

An example Loop Gain Measurement Test / Bode Plot...
 

A. Select "Loop Gain Measurement" in the Control Panel.

control panel
B. Click "GO."  When the simulation is done, the Bode Plot appears showing the frequency response for this circuit. The gain (in red) and the phase (in blue) are displayed together.  You can also click on the "Show Results" button to show the Bode Plot at any time.

Bode Plot example
  • The Bode Plot shows the phase and gain on the same graph plotted vs frequency. 
  • The phase should be at least 25 degrees above -180, and preferably 45 degrees above -180. 
  • The phase margin is the phase when the gain = 0 (crossover frequency). 
  • We are not worried about the phase when the gain goes below zero. 
  • If the phase gets close to -180 and comes back up, that is conditional stability which is still acceptable as long as the phase is good at the crossover frequency.
  • A regulator or any feedback controlled system is unstable if its total phase shift around the control loop is 360 degrees when the gain is 0dB (unity). 
  • The use of negative feedback contributes 180 degrees, and the amplifiers and other circuitry used in the power stage of a regulator contribute additional phase shift. 
  • The difference between the 360 degrees and the actual total phase shift at unity gain is the phase margin. If the total phase shift is 360 degrees, then there is no phase margin.
Other WebSIM test help pages:
Startup Test help page
Load Transient Response Test help page 
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