Design Libraries

37 Keepout & Component Selection Redesign Watch Video

3:31 About the Altium Designer 19.1 Update In this video, Ben Jordan talks about the Altium Designer 19.1 software update, what’s new with some features and bug fixes, and why anyone with Altium Designer should update to this latest release. Watch Video

Why PCB Data Management is Important

Why PCB Data Management is Important Recently, I celebrated a birthday. Although I do not want to give away my age, let us say I can easily order from any senior menu in a restaurant. I realize the older I get that either I am slowing down or things are speeding up. I concluded it was a bit of both, but much more of the latter. In the words of Charles Dickens in the literary classic A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times it was the worst of times.” Those in the electronics Read Article

PCB Designers Motivated by Data Quality

PCB Designers Motivated by Data Quality When you look at the many steps involved with a single PCB design, it is easy to get lost in those details. Figuring out our next steps is often overwhelming. When that happens to me, after taking a deep breath, I repeat a common phrase that has become my professional mantra. “Eat the Elephant.” The old riddle is, how do you eat the elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. It is a skill to take a massive project and break it down to its parts Read Article

How to Build a Clean and Consistent PCB Data Library

PCB Library Standardization: How to Build a Clean and Consistent PCB Data Library Judy Warner: Cherie, before we get started, please take a moment to define what a “library” is and what the full scope of that entails. Cherie Litson: Most of us would define a “library” as a consistent file of symbols and a consistent file of footprints (decals, land-patterns, etc.) connected with some form of a database. You don’t even need to have the database, just a good schematic symbol file and a footprint file and a method to link them Read Article

What is PCB Data Management

What is PCB Data Management? Successful design and manufacture of any PCB requires managing data. Every PCB project includes a ton of data on the components, front-end schematics, the physical layout, and manufacturing files. There is other documentation that may be needed that is not captured in your PCB design software. This all has to be tracked and managed by the designer because working with incomplete or out-of-date data will result in a design that doesn't perform as Read Article

Datasheet Reliability with Ben Jordan

Datasheet Reliability with Ben Jordan In this OnTrack episode Judy Warner and Ben Jordan discuss about Datasheet Reliability. Can you trust them? And what does “Gilded” mean? This & more about verifying app notes. Watch the full episode. Read Article

21:37 Output Job Files for Rapid, Repeatable PCB Manufacturing Data Generation Watch Video

49:24 New Product Overview: Altium Concord Pro Altium Concord Pro^™ as a standalone product and brand name has been discontinued and the capabilities are now available as Watch Video

Design Release Management

ECAD Design Data Release Management There is no question that many of the our recent technological advancements, have been in fact within the communication realm! From the internet, cell phones, satellites, Facebook, and so on, it’s all been geared for us to easily communicate and collaborate. However, with all this technology in the palm of our hands, many companies today still struggle communicating their ECAD data releases. Whether it is to internally collaborate with peers and Read Article

The 4 Challenges to Transforming Data Management and Documentation into Designs

The 4 Challenges to Transforming Data Management and Documentation into Designs To learn more about this topic please see the full solution - The 4 Challenges to Transforming Data Management and Documentation into Designs - at Altium.com. Read Article

Data Management - Pain Point Assessment

Data Management - Pain Point Assessment It’s that phase of the project when you’re about to hand over a development released product to production. From the development perspective, everything, from designs, parts, models, BOMs, and documentation, are all in their release state. It’s a time that calls for a true celebration after weeks of sleepless nights to finish the design on time and within budget. Then you get the flash back with few what-if questions; did sourcing get the new Read Article

Managing Your PCB Work-in-Progress Data

Managing Your PCB Work-in-Progress Data The recent trends of shorter product lifecycles have resulted in increased customer expectations that crave quick delivery of feature-rich products. Electronic companies that haven’t progressed their design process and remain stuck with the conventional way of managing their ECAD data find it to be very costly and inefficient. With market pressures that leave no margin for error, electronic companies that don’t address the needs of today’s Read Article

47 How To - Using File-Based Libraries in the New Components Panel Watch Video

Flexible Circuit Base Materials

Flexible Circuit Base Materials Question: As someone new to designing with flex materials, what is important to understand about the base materials? For people new to calling out flex materials, it can be a little intimidating. Just like their rigid material counterparts, there are so many options to choose from, it can be mind-boggling. But, also just like their rigid material counterparts, once you learn the “basics”, most designs will fit within common parameters. Once those Read Article

35:34 New Experiences of Part and Library Component Search Watch Video

Am I Big Enough for Data Management?

Am I Big Enough for Data Management? If we have only one or two EEs, do we really need data management? Data management systems for electronics design brings value to small businesses and individual design contractors. Learn more. Read Article