Proteus Professional
Version 9.1 SP2 · Labcenter Electronics · Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) · ranked #161 in the library
Schematic capture, board layout and mixed mode simulation in one environment, with the unusual ability to run compiled microcontroller firmware against the simulated circuit before any board has been ordered.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
Proteus covers the full path from a circuit idea to manufacturing output, and it is the simulation half that sets it apart from the other packages in this category. ISIS handles schematic capture with a large component library, hierarchical sheets and proper design rule checking against the netlist. ARES handles board layout with autorouting, manual routing, copper pours, differential pairs and a 3D viewer that shows the assembled board against a mechanical enclosure model.
The simulator is mixed mode, which means analogue SPICE models and digital logic coexist on the same schematic and interact correctly at the boundary. You place a virtual oscilloscope, a logic analyser, a signal generator, a spectrum analyser or a protocol decoder directly onto the sheet and read the circuit as if you had the instruments on the bench. Interactive components respond while the simulation runs: switches close, potentiometers turn, motors spin, displays light up and a keypad accepts input, so a design can be exercised rather than merely calculated.
Firmware simulation is the feature people install it for. Compile your code for one of the supported microcontroller families, attach the hex or elf file to the part on the schematic, and the processor core executes that firmware against the rest of the simulated circuit in real time. Breakpoints, single stepping, register and memory windows and source level debugging all work, which means an I2C sensor read, a display driver or a motor control loop can be debugged before the board is fabricated. Peripheral models cover the common serial buses, displays, sensors and communication modules.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Schematic capture with hierarchy
Multi-sheet designs with hierarchical blocks, bus routing, netlist generation and electrical rule checking against the connectivity.
Mixed mode SPICE simulation
Analogue and digital models on the same sheet with correct interface handling, transient, frequency, noise, distortion and sweep analysis types.
Virtual instruments on the sheet
Oscilloscope, logic analyser, signal generator, spectrum analyser, counter, voltmeter and protocol decoders for the common serial buses.
Microcontroller firmware simulation
Run compiled firmware on a simulated processor core with source level debugging, breakpoints, single stepping and register inspection.
PCB layout and routing
Autorouting and manual routing with design rules, copper pours, via and clearance control, layer stack management and length matching.
Manufacturing output and 3D view
Gerber, drill, pick and place and bill of materials output, plus a 3D board view exportable for mechanical fit checking against an enclosure.
Changed in this build
Version 9.1 SP2
- Additional microcontroller variants added to the simulation model library.
- Faster simulation on large mixed mode schematics with many analogue nodes.
- Improved autorouter results on dense boards with tight clearance rules.
- 3D viewer performance improved on boards with high component counts.
- Fixed a netlist mismatch that could appear when a hierarchical block was renamed after placement.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Go offline before starting.
- Extract the archive to a local drive.
- Disable real time protection for the whole process.
- Run setup as administrator and install the full component and simulation model libraries.
- Close the installer rather than launching from the finish screen.
- Start the schematic editor, confirm the simulation models load, then re-enable protection.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- Install the complete library set. A partial install leaves parts on the schematic with no simulation model attached and they behave as open circuits.
- Keep the update checker disabled. An update replaces the licensing components.
- Designs saved in this version will not open in an earlier one. Export a netlist if you have to move backwards.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel or AMD, 2 GHz or faster, higher single core clock helps simulation more than core count |
| Memory | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended, 16 GB for large boards with heavy simulation |
| Graphics | GPU with OpenGL support for the 3D board viewer |
| Storage | 6 GB of free space including the full component libraries |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Which microcontroller families are simulated?
- The common eight and thirty two bit families used in hobby and industrial work, with the model list visible in the component browser.
- Does firmware simulation need the real toolchain?
- No, it takes the compiled output. You build with whatever compiler you normally use and attach the resulting file to the part.
- Can it export manufacturing files?
- Yes, Gerber, Excellon drill, pick and place and bill of materials output are all included.
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