Elektor_Mag_-_January-February_2021

lektor January & February 2021 33

SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) is the
best-known software for simulating analogue and digital electrical
circuits. Unfortunately, it is not that user-friendly and it requires the
circuit diagram to be expressed in its own special format. So it is good
news that a graphical interface, Tinkercad Circuits, has been developed
that allows you to use it online. There is no need to install any software
and you can build your circuit exactly as if it were on a breadboard.
It also also offers integration of ATmega (as used in the Arduino Uno)
and ATtiny microcontrollers. You can write and execute your programs
in C or C++, or simply use the Scratch visual programming language.

Switch to the Circuits section of the Dashboard. At the bottom edge,

you can change the language if necessary.

Start by logging in to the website https://www.tinkercad.com. You
can either create a new account or use a third party account such
as Google. From the dashboard, go to the area called Circuits. At the
bottom of the screen you can change the user interface language if
you wish. As a new user you will not have any designs visible.
The project created for this article can be found at
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/az1gBrXUclZ.

1. Click on ‘New circuit’. The breadboard view is similar in many
   ways to that offered by Fritzing. Therefore, it is a good idea to get to
   know Fritzing and read our article about that tool it in the previous
   issue.


2. Your design will be permanently stored in the cloud. At the top
   of the screen next to the Tinkercad logo you will find that a made-up
   name has already been assigned to your project. You can click on the
   text there and change it to something more appropriate.


3. On the right-hand side you will see a selection of example
   projects and components. Under Basic in the selection list you
   can find a number of examples that you can try out. Since we
   are creating a new project from the beginning choose All under
   Components.


4. From the component selection list choose a power source
   (bench supply), the Arduino Uno  R3 and the small breadboard.
   Click on each symbol in turn and place them in the working area.