Mobile menu
Home Altium Experts

About Author

Recent Articles

Increase Your Component and Trace High Density With Via-in-pad Technology Increase Your Component and Trace High Density With Via-in-pad Plated Over Technology I’ve got this awesome four-speaker stereo system with a subwoofer in my apartment that my neighbors love to hate. As much as I enjoy listening to music on this thing, the only part I hate is the mess of audio cords that hide behind the speakers. The last time I tried to clean behind my system, I nearly ripped out some of the audio cords. If only routing my high density of audio cords was as easy as routing traces on an HDI printed circuit board Read Article
Component Information Management in a Unified Design Environment Component Information Management in a Unified Design Environment Selecting components for your PCB device gives it life and should be performed carefully. If you have ever looked for components to use in your PCB, you will find that the list of available components is massive. Each component has a long datasheet that defines its footprint, electrical specifications, pin arrangement, etc. Rather than read through datasheets all day trying to decide which components you need, all this information should be Read Article
Design for Easy Processes: Create and Link Supplier Data to Any Component Design for Easy Processes: Create and Link Supplier Data to Any Component If you’ve spent any time with Altium Designer, you’ll already have some familiarity with the ease and simplicity behind such a powerful library platform. There are times, however, when these libraries will require you to get your hands dirty. Whether it be a simple part number change, or re-engineering some key parameters, your edits can be simplistically updated in a matter of moments. In this specific example, we’ll take a look at a common Read Article
The PCB Design Advantages You Can Expect with Altium Designer 3D Viewing The PCB Design Advantages You Can Expect with Altium Designer 3D Viewing I read once about a test pilot during World War II who complained about how a new fighter plane’s engine quit on him when he rolled the plane on its back. This is a pretty basic maneuver for a fighter, but because the engine wasn’t designed for inverted flight it couldn’t perform as it was expected to. I remember that story because I have had a similar experience with many of the PCB CAD systems that I have used over the years. Because those Read Article
EMI Reducing PCB Shielding Techniques to Incorporate in Your Designs EMI Reducing PCB Shielding Techniques to Incorporate in Your Designs I spent most of my twenties producing and mastering music for local artists. As much as I love older consoles, it gets annoying to listen to audio from one channel bleeding over to other channels. Newer consoles are built with proper EMI shielding and crosstalk reduction measures, and the analog signals in these newer consoles are much cleaner. Digital devices are not immune either. Modern computers and smartphones continue to pack more silicon Read Article
Let Your Designs Talk for You: Export Altium 3D Layout Artwork to Adobe® PDF Let Your Designs Talk for You: Export Altium 3D Layout Artwork to Adobe® PDF It wasn’t long ago that getting to new places around town required talking and writing down verbal instructions from another. I’d pull out my city map and study the route, having to note each street and intersection where I’d turn. It worked, but it took concentration and good map-reading skills. Today, I use my smart phone’s map feature and audio capabilities to get where I’m going. Assembly instructions for printed circuits contain the same Read Article
PCB Design Software Upgrades: Progressive Releases Build Confidence PCB Design Software Upgrades: Progressive Releases Build Confidence There is pain and pleasure when anticipating new technology. All of us have been through steep learning curves that wear down the elation to use technology that’ll do something cool. Soon we abandon newly-adopted technology given its lack of delivery on the promise. There are some gadgets, however, that not only perform but are easy to use. Ease of use with powerful features is a pleasure. When powerful features evolve we’ve got a home run! Each Read Article
Smart Self-Check Process to Optimize Power-Up for Embedded Systems Smart Self-Check Process to Optimize Power-Up for Embedded Systems I’ve been obsessed with morning routines ever since I started sending my son to kindergarten in the morning. From making breakfast to ensuring that his schoolbag is properly packed, I rarely mess up, except for a rare occasion where I forgot to place his water bottle in his bag. Despite the rarity of that occurrence, my son wasn’t impressed with my forgetfulness even though I promised it wouldn’t happen again. Now, when checking through his Read Article
Augment This! How AR is Changing PCB Design Augment This! How AR is Changing PCB Design If you’ve yet to play with an AR or VR experience, you should! The emerging technology is quickly becoming a game changer for industries such as entertainment, healthcare, education, military, and the list goes on. Providing, quite literally, an infinite amount of potential applications, it’s no wonder that so many industries are affected by and are embracing the new tech. While VR places the user inside an entirely manufactured environment, AR Read Article
Easy PCB Routing Board Layout with Altium Designer Easy PCB Board Layout Routes with Altium Designer There are not too many things better than a good road trip to a new location. The excitement mixed with anticipation is like a perfectly proportioned libation. However, I always have the same apprehension in looking at a new map and wonder how I will ever become familiar with all the streets. Yet, somehow I always manage to learn them. A map is just a layout which is just the realization of a plan and underneath every plan are patterns to be Read Article
Why You Need BOM Management Tools for PCB Design Why You Need BOM Management Tools for PCB Design Although, I do not drive as much as I once did being on the road is still one of my most favorite activities. Not many things can equal the thrill and freedom that comes from being behind the wheel. Yet, there can be a great deal of difference in the experience depending on the vehicle you are driving. Almost any vehicle will perform the basic function of getting you from point A to point B, but there comes a time when basic is not enough. Moving Read Article
The Fundamentals of Programming a PIC Microcontroller The Fundamentals of Programming a PIC Microcontroller One thing I’ve learned from parenting: it can be incredibly difficult to teach a child something. While they might be very interested, and they might have all the time and resources in the world, if the child isn’t ready to learn or is missing some crucial building block, they might just not get the skill or lesson. Thankfully, programming a PIC microcontroller unit (MCU) is considerably easier. With the right programming tools, circuit, and Read Article
What PCB Designers Need to Know About Conductive Ink Printing With 3D Printers Conductive Ink Printing for PCB Designers: What You Need To Know When you’re a father, there are many things that you have to get really good at doing really quickly. While I could take some time in prototyping to work out all the kinks in my designs, I don’t have that luxury when trying to decipher why my kid is crying at 3 in the morning. As a result, I’ve developed some skill at making milk formula and changing diapers quickly. If only I could’ve developed that sense of god-like speed in printed circuit Read Article
What’s the Future of WiFi for the Internet of Things? What’s the Future of WiFi for the Internet of Things? I’ve come to adopt several different modes of communication between the different social circles in my life. Slack, messenger, texting, calling, letter writing and various other messenger services - all of which are unique to particular people or friend groups. Most of the time, I can barely keep track of them all and more often I end up sending the right text to the wrong person. IoT protocols are just as diverse, and new options come out Read Article
Pin Swapping Without Back Annotation Using Straightforward PCB Design Software Pin Swapping Without Back Annotation Using Straightforward PCB Design Software When working with high pin count, fine pitch components like FPGAs or memories, pin swapping may need to be performed when laying out your PCB. Designing schematics based on these devices that perfectly translate into a sane layout is extremely difficult. But as you start placing components and routing connections, you may find that your initial layout is a tangled, crisscrossed mess. This is where pin swapping becomes invaluable. Once you start Read Article
Altium User Groups: Starting, Finding, and Joining Altium User Groups: Starting, Finding, and Joining Back in my youth, I fondly remember the days of after-school clubs. Whether it be chess, band, or robotics clubs, these were the places to go to find like-minded, passionate folks eager to talk the talk. Although the days of youth are likely well behind most of us (rest in peace monkey bars), there still exist social environments where we can meet up with like-minded individuals. However, this time around, we’ll be able to reap far more than just Read Article
Painless Circuit Creation with a Hierarchical Schematic Design System that Works Effortless Circuit Design with a Hierarchical Schematic System There is a lot of joy in creating a new world schematic circuit design. Placing and connecting the netlist together so that their logic flows naturally can give you a feeling of great accomplishment. Using a hierarchical schematic circuit design flow to organize a larger schematic makes it even better. By including a top hierarchical sheet in your schematic, you can represent the circuit creation design with a logical hierarchical block that Read Article