Moving to Altium Designer from KiCad

Why Designers are Switching From KiCad to Altium Designer

KiCad users have access to an open-source platform that users can adapt and customize to their own workflows as long as they have some software experience. However, KiCad has been continuously developed without critical integrations into enterprise systems or automation systems focusing on volume manufacturing and lifecycle management. This is why it tends to occupy the hobby and maker spaces and only now is including features available in paid PCB design software a decade ago.

These features that go above and beyond KiCad include:

• Automated placement features that expedite PCB design
• Automated routing features that are required for advanced digital designs
• Managed libraries with direct links to supply chain inside the library data
• Instant access to component lifecycle statuses in libraries and in the BOM
• Automated documentation generation for volume manufacturing deliverables
• Integrations into MCAD software for instant error-free collaboration with mechanical designers
• Integrations that support volume builds and ongoing revision control (e.g., PLM systems, ERP, MRP, etc.)

As soon as you intend to move up the value chain in the electronics industry, free platforms like KiCad are totally unable to keep up. They can't handle the basic documentation, collaboration, and management tasks that are demanded in real products.

That’s the core reason many designers treat a paid EDA software seat as an investment rather than a cost. The value isn’t just “more features,” it’s the ability to access projects and clients at the enterprise level.

Cost is also often misunderstood. When you compare the pricing of enterprise PCB design platforms, Altium is frequently positioned as a practical step up: it offers all the workflow features you’d expect in higher-tier tool suites without forcing you into the kind of licensing costs you find in platforms like Siemens and Cadence. For an individual designer, consultant, or growing team, that matters: it makes the highest-value professional design experience attainable earlier in your career.

What Projects Can You Pursue In Altium Designer?

Whether you're an innovator building a startup, independent freelance designer, or you run a design services firm, you can pursue any project you like, including enterprise-level projects that carry the highest value.

Most importantly, using the same toolchain that many professional teams standardize on tends to expand the set of projects you can credibly pursue. Clients and employers who care about manufacturability, documentation quality, collaboration, and lifecycle management, which includes many of the world's largest and highest-paying companies, expect you to work in an environment that supports those requirements out of the box. If your goal is to move up the value chain, getting away from Arduino clone boards and into production hardware and long-lived products, your PCB design software is a major part of that transition.

Companies in every industry use Altium Designer, including today's high-value industries developing advanced products:

• Defense and aerospace
• Advanced industrial equipment
• Robotitcs and autonomous systems
• Automotive
• Energy and grid infrastructure
• Medical devices
• Data center infrastructure

If you want to make the shift to Altium Designer while leveraging your current set of design data and library components, Altium makes the migration process easy.

Challenges When Switching From KiCad to Altium Designer

Anytime a designer or a company needs to switch software providers, there is a larger process that will be involved which spans beyond file format conversion. There are supporting applications, libraries, team dynamics, workflows, and data management to consider. All of these are impacted by the move to a new design platform; this is certainly true when a user is moving up the electronics value chain by migrating to Altium Designer.

Before importing all of your legacy data, it’s important to ask yourself, “why do I need to import my legacy data?” Below are some of the most common considerations to consider when deciding whether to import legacy data into Altium Designer.

“We have dozens of projects, and we don’t want to leave the data behind.”

This is a common challenge for established companies and highly experienced designers, and it's understandable that project data should not be left behind during a migration. However, when moving from KiCAD, there is no need to convert all data in one sitting, projects can be converted on an as-needed basis. The most common time to run a conversion is when a product requires updates to support field deployments, recalls, or extending lifecycle.

• Is the legacy data for a product with a very long expected lifetime?
• Is it easier to start new designs rather than re-work the imported data to make it usable?
• How is the older project data catalogued and managed? Is there a version control system in place?

“We have some ‘golden’ designs and reference circuitry that we need to bring into Altium Designer to up-issue them.”

The reference circuitry and validated components used in your design library should be reviewed carefully when migrating into Altium Designer. However, you do not need to import it all at once, as was mentioned above. As you migrate each piece of design IP into Altium, make sure you develop your own design review checklist to ensure the migrated data is correct and matches the original KiCad data.

• How do you plan to verify the imported data?
• How much re-work is going to be needed after importing?
• Do you need to take advantage of additional Altium Designer features once the data is imported? 

“We have a library of trusted parts which we’d like to bring into Altium.”

Parts libraries are the cornerstone of a design, and these parts can be converted in multiple ways. Parts can be converted directly by converting library files, or parts can be converted within each project conversion. When a single project conversion is executed, any libraries contained within the project are also converted. There is no requirement to convert your entire library all at once.

However, if you would like to immediately use all your validated parts in Altium, run the migration on your entire library. The Altium library outputs can then be put into your cloud workspace with the Library Migration tool, or you can install the file-based libraries on your desktop.

• Are there any exotic parts that you may have trouble representing within Altium?
• Do you need to add Altium-specific features (like custom pad shapes) for every part?
• Are you using generic symbols and footprints for certain parts, like SMD passives?

After reviewing these considerations, read on to learn how to import your legacy data into Altium Designer.

How to Translate From KiCad to Altium Designer

If you're ready to make the transition into Altium Designer, the rest of this article provides a guide on the process. Before you get started, you will need to make sure the KiCad importer extension is installed with your version of Altium Designer. The KiCad importer is a free extension which is available for download inside of Altium Designer from the Extensions and Updates page. This page is accessed from the top toolbar as shown below.

Preparing to Migrate Your Legacy Data

There are four phases of legacy data migration.

Phase 1: Prepare Original Data

It is prudent to clean up your design before attempting to export. Below is a checklist of data cleanup best practices to help you as you prepare your data:

Schematic considerations:

• Individual pin connectors (example: Block connectors) in KiCad must be modified at the KiCad tool level before migration. Alternatively, you can replace pin connectors in Altium Designer post-migration.
• Connectors should be represented as one-gate-per-pin with over 256 “gates.”
• Ambiguous connectivity for reuse blocks must be broken apart in KiCad. 
• Remove hidden pins or implicit connections.
• Local net names placed at wire intersection must be placed at correct locations (away from intersection point)  
• Are schematic symbols mapped to correct PCB footprints?
• Schematic and PCB are in sync?

PCB Considerations:

• Large numbers of graphical objects like mechanical drawing or non-ECO-registered drawing primitives must be migrated on documentation layers.
• Perform a star point grounding check.
• Remove deliberate DRC violations.
• Remove objects extending beyond the environment.
• Known PCB layer assignments need to map correctly with existing Altium Designer PCB, especially with the power plane or signal layer.
• Do the auto-named nets match with the schematic?
• Remove dimensions in KiCad PCB(Ver. 6.0x)

Library considerations:

• Do the schematic symbols match with PCB footprints?
• Does the library contain correct supply chain information and BoM parameters?
• Does 3D information need to be imported? If yes, then the height attribute should be assigned in KiCad.
• Check for correct representation of custom pads, copper shapes, solder mask, and resist.

Phase 2: Save Data in a Suitable Format

Supported Version and File Formats

The following table shows KiCad PCB Design Formats and versions that can migrate into Altium Designer. This list is updated regularly, so please check with us before starting a new migration. Refer to this link for updated information.

Layout/PCB and Schematic files translate to Altium Designer as follows:

Each schematic sheet will create a separate *.SchDoc file.

Schematics and PCB files will grouped be and placed in an automatically-created Altium Designer project (*.PrjPCB).  

Library files translate as follows:

Phase 3: Import Data into Altium Designer

Using the Import Wizard for KiCad Files

You can launch the Altium Designer Import Wizard from the File menu. 

• Choose the KiCad Design Files option, as shown below. 
• On the “Importing KiCad Designs” screen, click the Add button to choose Layout or Logic files. 
• You can translate multiple files at the same time. 
• Step-by-step instructions on using the Import Wizard follow next.

Starting the Import Wizard for KiCad files

Step-by-Step Import Instructions on Importing a KiCad Design file

• Start the Import Wizard with File » Import Wizard

• Select Type of Files to Import —> KiCad Designs Files

• Add the file(s) to be translated. In this case, the “CM4IO-KiCAD” file has been used.

• In the next step you can add your Symbol/Footprint Library Files to import (if available).

• Set the options for what level of reporting is done after the translation has been completed.

• A preview of the files being translated, and their output directories are shown. You can change the main output directory if desired.

• Set the schematic import options.

• Set the PCB import options.

• MMap KiCad board layer to Altium Designer board layer.

• Click the final Next button and the Import Wizard will take care of the rest.

• Congratulations! Your design has been imported into Altium Designer!

• Follow the Post Import Tidy Up checklist to ensure the design has been fully reviewed and verified. 

Phase 4: Post Import Tidy Up

Once your migration is complete, we recommend checking your converted Altium design and the original KiCad files to ensure that all data has transferred correctly. Below is a list of key checks to perform post-migration:

• Physical check
  • Open Altium Designer and select View » Fit Document
  • Board shape and cutouts
• Electrical check
  • Netlist
• Rules
  • Have all rules been imported
  • DRC check
  • Check settings for polygons - Island removal, minimum primitive size
  • Thermal reliefs, direct connect
  • Check power plane settings
  • Copper feature pullback from board edges
  • Solder mask, paste mask rules
  • Via tenting
  • Testpoint assignments
• Power check
  • Nets
  • Planes
  • Polygons
• Documentation check
  • Layers
  • Text/Strings
  • Legends
• PCB reports
  • Number of components/nets
  • All nets routed

Getting Help

There are many ways to learn more about Altium Designer:

• F1 over any object, editor, panel, menu entry, or button to open a brief description in your web browser
• Press Shift+F1 or ~ key while running a command for a list of shortcuts you can use in that command.

• Access our complete Altium Designer Documentation online.
• Visit the Altium Video Library where you can watch training on over 150 different topics. Each video walks you through the steps needed to complete a task.
• All Altium Designer subscription levels include easy access to real-time support, user communities, comprehensive product documentation, training videos, and a knowledge base of targeted solutions for common user experiences. Contact Altium Support Here.

Additional Resources

Online Resources:
If you’re ready to dive deeper into the powerful features of Altium Designer, below is a list of articles that provide information to help you get started.

• For a full overview of the PCB design process with Altium Designer, check out this tutorial: A Complete Design Walkthrough with Altium Designer.
• For a look at the basics of creating components, read A Look at Creating Library Components.
• For a tutorial that steps you through all the basics of editing multiple objects, take a look at Schematic Placement and Editing Techniques in Altium Designer.
• For an overview of Altium Designer’s FPGA design, development and debugging capabilities, read Soft Design.

Software Platform Resources:
Another great way to get the most out of your Altium Designer installation is by exploring its help section. You can launch the help menu on the left side of Altium Designer by clicking Help and navigating to Exploring Altium Designer.

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