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Visual System Simulator

Define requirements before designing the blocks

VSS simulates the complete RF system at architecture level, showing you what each block must deliver for the whole to work. It is more cost-effective to adjust a requirement here than to fix it in an amplifier design later.

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3,600+ installations throughout the Nordics

The challenge

It costs you time and money

  • Individual block requirements are based on assumptions
  • The system is only integrated once all parts are designed
  • One block is over-specified while another becomes the bottleneck
  • Support responses that take days

The solution

We give you control back

  • Requirements calculated from overall system performance targets
  • Architecture validated before anything is designed
  • Performance measured against actual standard metrics
  • Local hotline with responses from a specialist on the same day
Martin Lange

HOW IT WORKS

System before components

Architecture as blocksThe chain of amplifiers, filters, mixers, and converters is set up with their properties. That is enough to identify where the bottleneck will be.
Measured against actual requirementsThe system is evaluated on metrics defined in specifications — such as bit error rate and EVM — rather than gain and noise figure alone.
Detailed when necessaryA block can be replaced with the actual circuit from Microwave Office, allowing system simulation to run with real-world behavior instead of an idealized model.
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VALUE

VSS covers the system before it becomes a circuit

Architecture, requirements, and performance calculated for the whole — with the option to import actual circuits along the way.

Architecture

The primary question is not how to build the block, but what it needs to deliver.

Signal chain as blocksGain, loss, noise, and linearity
Requirement distributionWhat each block must deliver
BottlenecksWhere overall performance is truly determined

Analyses

A system must be calculable in both time and frequency domains, depending on the question.

Time and frequency domainTwo views of the same chain
Circuit envelopeModulated signals through the chain
Virtual testbenchesSetups that mirror physical measurements

The results

The system is evaluated on the metrics referenced by customers and standards.

Bit error rateWhether the link holds
EVMThe quality of the modulated signal
Requirement marginsHow close the system operates to the limit

From system to circuit

The value lies in switching between levels without rebuilding the model.

Block replaced by circuitThe actual design from Microwave Office
Identical setupSystem calculation continues without restructuring
Requirement verifiedWhether the block meets its allocated specifications

Applications

System simulation is used where the chain is long and requirements are defined externally.

Wireless communicationsModulated signals and standards
RadarChains with high dynamic range demands
Satellite and navigationSystems with long signal paths

Implementation

How VSS works in practice

Cadence provides the tool. Nordcad helps you apply it to early design decisions.

Start with the chain you already know

An existing solution is the simplest starting point. It allows the model to be verified against physical measurements.

Guidance on model fidelity

A system model must be high-level enough to iterate quickly and precise enough to be useful. We help you find that balance.

Local expertise and ongoing support

You gain access to specialists who work with RF from system to circuit level, capable of supporting decisions at both stages.

Ready?

Ready to design with peace of mind?

A brief conversation is usually enough to clarify whether system-level modeling addresses your uncertainties. No pitch. No pressure. Just a straightforward technical discussion about your signal chain.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

When the chain is long enough that the critical block is not obvious — and when requirements are dictated externally by a standard. For a single amplifier stage, Microwave Office is sufficient.

Yes. A block can be replaced with the actual design from Microwave Office, allowing the system to run with real-world behavior instead of an idealized model.

Accurate enough to rank order. The purpose is to determine where requirements should be set and where the bottleneck lies — not to predict the final tenth of a dB.

They are designed in Microwave Office, and the structures are verified in AXIEM or Analyst. VSS is the level above, and the four tools are typically used in that sequence.

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Let us review your setup – without obligation.

A brief dialogue is often enough to clarify if Nordcad is the right choice for you. No pitch. No pressure.

Contact us +45 96 31 56 90
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