Altium Designer

Altium Designer

Managing Net Connection Order from Schematic to Layout When I first started designing printed circuit boards, it was a very unorganized process. We would create the schematics in our department, and then the system administrators would work their voodoo and transfer all that data from us into the layout department. The layout guys were an even bigger mystery, working all hours of the night and day on these complex Unix machines that supported their CAD layout tools. We would communicate our design Read Article

1:34 How to Set Up Custom Grouping in Components Panel in Altium Designer 19 To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Altium Engineer David Marrakchi discuss this latest Altium Designer release with Watch Video

Optimal Multi-Board Assembly Placement with Object Smart Mates Ensuring the form and fit of multiple boards in an enclosure can challenge the most seasoned professional. Accurate 3D modeling gives you an intuitive way to picture and understand how your design will be manufactured and assembled. The problem gets worse when you start mixing traditional PCB and rigid-flex designs into a single assembly. Without insight into the complete multi-board assembly build, you have a better chance of finding a needle in Read Article

Using Library Search Features for Easier Component Selection Components are those critical elements in your PCB that keep it ticking along and doing its job. Your component libraries contain all the information about available components in a single location, making it easy to add components to your board and use component information with your simulation and rules-checking features. Other design software packages like to separate these features into different programs, or they force you to use an external Read Article

2:49 How to set up and use microvias in your design Watch Video

How to Use Libraries in Altium Designer 19 To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Altium Engineer David Marrakchi discuss this latest Altium Designer release with Watch Video

1:03 How to Use Altium Content Vault in Altium Designer 19 To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Altium Engineer David Marrakchi discuss this latest Altium Designer release with Watch Video

Addressing Forward and Backward Crosstalk in PCB Design If you’ve ever been at a raucous party in your college days, then you know how tough it is to talk over everyone else in the room. Signals in your electronics can propagate into neighboring traces, making it difficult for messages to reach their destinations. With faster signal speeds comes more crosstalk in your PCB. But crosstalk actually comes in two varieties. Each can have a serious effect on signal integrity at each end of a trace, but you Read Article

Layout Guidelines for Embedded Power Supplies I don’t get out to raucous parties as much as did in my 20’s. The thought of yelling over other people just to have a conversation is about as enticing as getting a tooth pulled. Crosstalk doesn’t just kill the mood at a party, it can ruin the functionality of electronic systems. Most PCB designers worry more about crosstalk between signals traces, but your power supply and power components can have an even greater impact. Thankfully, some simple Read Article

When Trace Resistance Trumps Trace Impedance Unless you have a photographic memory, you probably don’t have every single design formula memorized. It’s understandable; looking throughout the compendium of knowledge in physics and engineering, there are far too many formulas for any one person to memorize. Thankfully, some folks have created useful calculators that help you save time when designing a new system. The resistance and impedance of traces in your PCB have major impacts on power Read Article

How Integrated Libraries Help You Manage Your PCB Supply Chain If only sourcing PCB components worked like e-commerce. Recommendation engines are great in that they can help you decide what to buy when your preferred item is not available. Most PCB design packages don’t have this type of functionality, which would save a massive amount of time when planning a manufacturing run. Whether you’re sourcing electronic components or some other parts for your next product, you’ll need access to updates supply chain Read Article

Make Sure the PCB Layout Software You Use has All the Tools You Need When I was learning to fly part of my training included a long cross-country trip to practice the fine art of aerial navigation. Being a student pilot I, unfortunately, got a little lost, and before I got myself headed in the right direction again it was much later in the day than it should have been. Here I was; a student pilot that was lost flying an airplane and it was getting dark. I have never felt so alone in all of my life. Since I’m Read Article

2:18 How to Setup and Use Courtyard, Assembly and Other Component Layer Pairs in Altium Designer 19 To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Altium Engineer David Marrakchi discuss this latest Altium Designer release with Watch Video

How to Search Filter and Find The Right Part For Your Design in Altium Designer 19 To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Altium Engineer David Marrakchi discuss this latest Altium Designer release with Watch Video

How to Calculate Impedance for Single and Differential Transmission Line in Altium Designer 19 Learn how to configure, define, and use your design’s impedance requirements for single-sided and differential on each layer, with Altium Watch Video

52 How to Define Reference Plane for Impedance Calculation in Altium Designer 19 Learn how to define reference planes for your design’s impedance calculations. To learn more about Altium Designer 19, listen to Watch Video

1:28 How to Use Stack Up Materials Library in Altium Designer 19 Learn how to use and leverage Altium Designer’s large array of predefined material definitions, and ensure your boards are always Watch Video