Project Report:

Design and simulation

of a RLC filter Circuits

Hazza Salem Almemari 1075860

Musallam Rashed Alamerie 1077505

Supervised By: Eng. Maha Yaghi

Submitted: June 3, 2021

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Contents
1 Introduction 5
1.1 Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2 Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Literature Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2 Design 7
2.1 Requirements Constraints, and Considerations . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Design Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2.1 Circuit 1: Parallel RLC Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2.2 Circuit 2: Series RLC Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.3 Component design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.4 System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3 Experimental Testing and Results 11

3.1 Testing Plan and Acceptance Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2.1 Result of Circuit 1: Parallel RLC Circuit . . . . . . . . 11
3.2.2 Result of Circuit 2: Series RLC Circuit . . . . . . . . . 13
3.3 Analysis and Interpretation of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

4 Conclusion 15
4.1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2 Future Improvements and Takeaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.3 Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.4 Team Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.5 Impact Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

List of Figures
1 Band-pass and Band-stop filter working . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2 Circuit 1 Diagram and on Tinkercad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3 Circuit 2 Diagram and on Tinkercad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4 RLC Project System Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5 Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at F=100Hz. . . . . . . . . . 12
6 Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at Resonance F = 876Hz. . . 12
7 Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at Frequency F = 2kHz. . . 13

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 8 Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at F = 200Hz. . . . . . . . . 13
9 Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at Resonance F = 876Hz. . . 14
10 Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at Frequency F = 1kHz. . . 14
11 Gantt Chart for Design and Simulation of RLC Filter Circuit. 17

List of Tables
1 Frequencies and the Corresponding Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2 Frequencies and the Corresponding Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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 Abstract
This report caters to the design and simulation of series/parallel
RLC filters in computer-aided design software TinkerCAD. The re-
port attempts to explain the core concepts involved in the RLC filter
design, along with a discussion about the key phenomenon such as res-
onance. After making the circuits, the waveforms and output voltages
are observed with the help of an oscilloscope. A key facet of the report
is the design of components and a step-by-step approach is taken for
the formation of each circuit. Additionally, some methodologies for
testing the final circuit are also discussed.

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1 Introduction
RLC filters form an important group of circuits with vast applications in
oscillators. For this reason, engineers around the world are trying to improve
them and achieve sharper cut-off. Television and radio sets use such RLC
circuits to select a specific frequency range. These circuits are used in the
design of low pass and high pass filters. Owing to the huge importance of
the Resistor, Inductor, and Capacitor (RLC) circuits, the design of series
and parallel RLC circuits was undertaken in class. TinkerCAD was the
software of choice for the modeling process. Both the series and parallel
circuits are constructed similarly but the only difference is in the placement
of the components. In series RLC, the resistor, capacitor, and inductor are
connected in a series manner. In parallel RLC, a resistor branch is connected
in parallel with the capacitor and inductor branch.

1.1 Motivation
Understanding these RLC filters is vital to electrical engineers because they
can be used to select a specific frequency range. Frequency selectiveness is
just one attribute, they can be used to attenuate, reject and even amplify sig-
nals. Two distinct bands exist while dealing with RLC circuits, namely the
passband and the stopband. The passband is the bunch of frequencies that
the circuit permits while the stopband is the bunch that gets stopped. Band-
pass filters are the kind of filter that allows a particular band of frequencies,
stopping all other frequencies. Bandstop filters stop a particular frequency
while allowing all others to pass. While dealing with bandstop filters, a high
frequency marks the upper end of the stopband while a low frequency marks
the lower end of it. All frequencies greater or lesser than these upper/lower
end frequencies get passed. The following diagram illustrates the difference
between the pass and stopband filters:

1.2 Problem Statement

Electrical engineers often need to work at a very specific frequency to achieve
the desired results. Some cases require the selection of a high-frequency band
while others might require the choice of a lower frequency. Some equipment
like Radio and wireless walkie-talkie sets work at a particular frequency. For
such cases, engineers need a tool that can enable them to attenuate signals,

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 Figure 1: Band-pass and Band-stop filter working .

reject frequencies or amplify signals at times. RLC circuits are a type of signal
shaping circuits that enable engineers to achieve frequency specificity. These
circuits find broad application in waveform/signal generators for generating
exact frequencies.

1.3 Literature Review

A thorough literature review was conducted which brought forth the various
type of RLC circuits available. There are High pass, Low pass, bandpass,
band stop, and all-pass filters available.
In Ref. [1], the author discussed a second-order bandpass filter which was
constructed by the use of inductors. The circuit had a tunable quality factor
and fc (center frequency) was also tunable. The circuit drew 8.7 mA current
at 2.8 V supply voltage while operating at fc = 1.8 GHz and a quality factor
of 35 was achieved. The compression was 1 dB while the dynamic range was
40 dB.
In Ref. [2], a passive RLC filter was used to create three conveyor-based
lowpass filters. The authors discussed two grounded capacitor current mode
low pass filters. Finally, PSPICE simulation results were added to support
the research.
In Ref. [3], an impedance matched filter was discussed which was constructed

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with the help of RLC components. These circuits form an important group
as they can be utilized to match impedance between a load and a source.
The research discussed that impedance matching circuits have a “potentially
troublesome resonant point”. PSPICE model was analyzed and calculation
of output voltage was done. The circuit had a low operating voltage of 500
mV and a narrow frequency range between 0 and 1 kHz.

2 Design
After a thorough discussion with course TAs, the design of two filters for
removing low/high frequencies from signal was undertaken. The design and
implementation of the circuits using TinkerCAD’s online website.

2.1 Requirements Constraints, and Considerations

The presence of an inductor in a circuit allows low frequencies to pass. Sim-
ilarly, the presence of the capacitor facilitates the passing of higher frequen-
cies. A good RLC circuit shows high impedance for both high and low
frequencies if the inductor and capacitor are parallel to each other. Such as
the circuit only allows mid-level frequencies to pass. Such a parallel connec-
tion can be referred to as a bandpass filter. In contrast, if the capacitor and
inductor are connected in parallel, the mid-range frequencies get stopped.
Such a circuit is called a band stop filter.

2.2 Design Process

Two different RLC circuits are designed and simulated with the help of Tin-
kerCAD. The resonant frequency is calculated for each and the output wave-
form is critically analyzed.

2.2.1 Circuit 1: Parallel RLC Circuit

For the first part, a bandpass filter is created with the help of TinkerCAD.
For the bandpass filter, the capacitor and inductor are parallel with each
other and in series with the resistor. This circuit would allow a certain band
of frequencies marked by an upper cut-off and lower cut-off frequency.
The following steps are adopted for making the circuit:

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1. In this step, all the components are selected. The components include a
one kilo-ohm resistor, a 33 mH inductor, and a 1 micro-Farad capacitor.
The function generator is needed to subject the circuit to a sinusoidal
waveform, the oscilloscope is needed to view the circuit’s behavior and
the breadboard is required for attaching the components.

2. Resistors are non-polar components. Attach one component of the

resistor with the positive terminal of the function generator. The other
end of the resistor is joined with the capacitor.

3. In a parallel fashion, the capacitor is joined with the inductor.

4. The positive terminal of the capacitor is connected with the positive ter-
minal of the inductor. The negative terminal of the capacitor-inductor
junction is connected with the negative end of the function generator.

5. The resonant frequency is computed using the following formula:

1
f= √ (1)
2π LC
1
f= √ (2)
2π 33mH × 1µF
f = 876Hz (3)

6. In the last step, the response of the circuit is viewed with the help of
an oscilloscope. The circuit is tested for values above, below, and equal
to the resonant frequency.

Figure 2: Circuit 1 Diagram and on Tinkercad.

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2.2.2 Circuit 2: Series RLC Circuit
In the second phase, a bandstop filter is designed with the same elements.
Here the parallel combination of the capacitor and inductor is replaced by a
series combination of the capacitor and the inductor.
The following steps are adopted for making the circuit:

1. The first step is to choose the circuit elements. We would need a func-
tion generator, an oscilloscope, a breadboard for attaching the com-
ponents, a resistor of value 1kΩ, an inductor with value 33mH, and
finally, a capacitor of value 1µF.

2. In the first step, one end of the resistor is joined with the positive side
of the capacitor. The negative terminal of the capacitor is connected
with the inductor in series.

3. To complete the pathway for current, the positive terminal of the re-
sistor is connected with the function generator while the negative end
of the function generator is connected with the inductor.

4. To display the input waveform, one end of the oscilloscope is connected

with the positive end of the capacitor while the other end is connected
with the junction between the inductor and the function generator.

5. The resonant frequency is same as computed in the Parallel circuit i.e

876Hz.

Figure 3: Circuit 2 Diagram and on Tinkercad.

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2.3 Component design
• The capacitor is a charge storing device. It can store energy and pro-
vide it to the circuit when needed. A typical capacitor charges and
discharges rapidly.

• The breadboard is a cheap and safe way of implementing a circuit.

It allows the students to study the individual behavior of all circuit
elements and compare them with the simulation results.

• The oscilloscope is used to display and analyze function generator wave-

forms. The graphical approach makes analysis easy.

• Resistors offer resistance to the flow of current. These devices allow

the reduce the flow of current at certain places within the circuit.

• Inductors are an energy storage element that stores energy in its mag-
netic field.

2.4 System Overview

The Project is divided in two parts.

Figure 4: RLC Project System Overview.

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3 Experimental Testing and Results
3.1 Testing Plan and Acceptance Criteria
Testing Plan: 3-5 pre-designed test cases. Test cases look like the following:

• Test Name:“TinkerCAD design” was the name given to the test.

• Test Description: A thorough inspection of all the connections was

done and Oscilloscope connections were checked.

• Steps: The simulation was started. No errors were observed, and the
simulation runs smoothly.

• Expected Results: The waves produced on the oscilloscope were ob-

served.

• Observed Results: The variation in the input signal caused changes

in the output signal. Some frequencies were passing while others were
being stopped.

• Acceptance Criteria: The oscilloscope waveforms varied with the changes

in input frequency.

• Test Result: The test proved successful.

3.2 Results
3.2.1 Result of Circuit 1: Parallel RLC Circuit
In this task, the parallel RLC circuit or bandpass circuit was constructed.
The circuit was frequency sensitive and the waveform for 100 Hz was much
stretched as compared to the one whose frequency was 876 Hz. When the
circuit was subjected to the high frequency of 2000 Hz, the wave became
strange and irregular in shape. Near resonance frequency, the high output
voltage was observed. At low frequencies like 100 Hz, the low output voltage
was observed. Meanwhile, at a high frequency of 2000 Hz, the output voltage
was 0.4V.

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 Figure 5: Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at F=100Hz.

Figure 6: Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at Resonance F = 876Hz.

Table 1: Frequencies and the Corresponding Voltage

Frequencies Output Voltages
100Hz 0.1V
876Hz (Resonance Frequency) 4V
2kHz 0.4V

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 Figure 7: Simulated Circuit 1 in Tinkercad at Frequency F = 2kHz.

3.2.2 Result of Circuit 2: Series RLC Circuit

In the second task, a series RLC circuit or a band stop circuit was con-
structed. This circuit also had the same resonant frequency of 876 Hz. At
low frequencies such as 200 Hz, the high output voltage was observed. At the
resonant frequency, the least output voltage was observed at 0.04 V. At fre-
quencies higher then the resonant frequency like 1200 Hz, a moderate output
voltage of 0.4 V was observed.

Figure 8: Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at F = 200Hz.

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 Figure 9: Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at Resonance F = 876Hz.

Figure 10: Simulated Circuit 2 in Tinkercad at Frequency F = 1kHz.

3.3 Analysis and Interpretation of Data

In the first circuit, the highest voltage is achieved at the resonant frequency.
This is because the parallel RLC circuit is a bandpass circuit and at the res-
onant frequency, it achieves the highest output voltage. Beyond the resonant

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 Table 2: Frequencies and the Corresponding Voltage
Frequencies Output Voltages
200 Hz 2V
876Hz (resonance frequency) 0.04V
2kHz 0.4V

frequency (on either side), the output voltages are lower comparatively. In
the first case, the parallel branch acts as an open circuit and high voltage is
observed. In the second case, at the resonant frequency, the inductor appears
to be shorted causing the current to increase which subsequently causes the
voltage to decrease. Hence at the critical frequency (second case), a very
low output voltage is observed. In the parallel RLC filter, the resonance
frequency will have the highest voltage while in the series RLC filter the
resonance frequency will have the lowest voltage.

4 Conclusion
4.1 Summary
The goal of this project was to create a band-pass and band-stop filter.
There are various tools available, but TinkerCAD was chosen for our purpose
because of its ease of use and user-friendliness. The band-pass and band-stop
capabilities of the two circuits were explored and the results were viewed on
TinkerCAD. Simulation provides an easy method to view the circuits and
analyze the results.

4.2 Future Improvements and Takeaways

This project allowed us to explore the various kinds of filters available for
filtering different categories of signals. TinkerCAD tutorials are available
online which were used for understanding how to correctly connect a circuit.
Knowledge was acquired about the stopband, passband, resonant frequency,
etc. This knowledge will act as a good foundation for future research regard-
ing filters. In the future, more research can be done about improving filter
performance and achieving sharper cut-off.

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4.3 Lessons Learned
Group projects like these are beneficial as they enable the students to get
the first-hand experience of the latest technologies such as TinkerCAD. Using
TinkerCAD was an enriching experience as the software is easy to use and
allows students to create complex projects before joining the hardware in real
life. The students learn to work together in a respectful environment that
fosters a sense of togetherness, inculcated empathy, and promotes teamwork.
The student learned to create basic circuits and analyzed the waveforms
generated with the help of an oscilloscope. This step promoted student’s
investigative abilities.

4.4 Team Dynamics

Hazza Salem Almemari is the team leader and he developed a plan of action
to handle this challenging design project. Resources were collected and tu-
torial sites were searched. The team leader has strong leadership skills, the
team leader successfully conducted a collaboration-filled activity with suc-
cessful results. The strengths and weaknesses of each group member were
addressed on an individual level which caused the project to succeed eventu-
ally. The second memeber of the group, Musallam Rashed Alameri devised
a Ghantt Chart to plan the tasks. Making the Ghantt Chart allowed the
team leader to form timelines and set small measurable, achievable goals.
The project ended with the achievement of goals, and it was an enriching
learning activity for both of us.

A Gantt Chart for Design and Simulation of RLC Circuit is given below

4.5 Impact Statement

RLC circuits are beneficial for engineers and the world for multiple reasons:

• These circuits are employed in several practical technologies such as

radio and walkie-talkie sets.

• These circuits are not fetching jobs away from people and several jobs
have been created where people are working on improving the cut-off

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 Figure 11: Gantt Chart for Design and Simulation of RLC Filter Circuit.

of these circuits. There is no possibility of data loss because of these

circuits.

• These circuits consume considerably less energy as compared with the

old school devices.

• The circuits are cost-efficient, and the parts used in the making of these
circuits are locally available.

References
[1] Soliman, A. M. (1998). Generation of current conveyor-based lowpass
filters from a passive RLC filter. Journal of the Franklin Institute, 335(7),
1283-1297.

[2] S. Pipilos, Y. P. Tsividis, J. Fenk and Y. Papananos, ”A Si 1.8 GHz RLC

filter with tunable center frequency and quality factor,” in IEEE Journal
of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 1517-1525, Oct. 1996, DOI:
10.1109/4.540064.

[3] M. Gupta, ”Georg Simon Ohm and Ohm’s Law”, IEEE Transactions on
Education, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 156-162, 1980.

[4] Gomez, Frederick. (2018). Design of Impedance Matching Networks

for RF Applications. Asian Journal of Engineering and Technology. 6.
10.24203/ajet.v6i4.5450.

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