Easy, Powerful, Modern

The world’s most trusted PCB design system.

Learn More

Unified Design

Customize designs with Consistent and Flexible Custom Rules and Queries

Customize designs with Consistent and Flexible Custom Rules and Queries In the early stages of a circuit design, I frequently consider mechanical dimensions along with circuit requirements. Knowing dimensions of large components helps me visualize where they will fit with respect to overall three-dimensional device enclosure and the board’s location within the space. During the thought experiment for fit, I begin making notes about tolerances I’ll push as a tradeoff between electrical functionality and mechanical Read Article

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: Use Altium Multi-Channel Design for Easy Repeat Circuit Use

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: Use Altium Multi-Channel Design for Easy Repeat Circuit Use If you are like me, you would agree that one of the most wasteful exercises is repeating the same task over and over again. Of course, I am not referring to activities that require repetition in order to achieve a good level of competence. After all, practice does make perfect. Instead, I am speaking of the wasteful recreation of a completed PCB design to use in a different product, which is akin to reinventing the wheel when it is already in use Read Article

How to Panelize Your PCBs Before Lunch with Altium Designer

How to Panelize Your PCBs with Altium's PCB Panelizer Whether you have a slew of PCBs to mass produce for your customers or a handful of project boards you wish to prototype all in one simple swoop, PCB panelization is an effective way to bring high throughput and efficiency to PCB production. In earlier days of PCB design, you would need additional software, hours of clunky engineering, and maybe even feasibility meetings with manufacturing teams for PCB panelization. However, today's PCB design 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

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

How to Use Altium Designer to Quickly Place Components

How to Use Altium Designer for Quick PCB Component Placement “A place for everything, everything in its place” are profound words by the incomparable Benjamin Franklin that are especially applicable when applied to component placement on PCBs and in your Altium library loader. Let’s see how to use Altium Designer to put these words into action for your PCB design Placing Components Directly with no Schematic Whether you are creating a relatively simple printed circuit board or adding to an existing design Read Article

Beyond Unified Workflow: True Unified PCB Design

Beyond Unified Workflow: True Unified PCB Design When it’s crunch time my only focus is on getting my PCB design to the finish line correctly and out the door to manufacturing - unified workflow comes later. I know from experience that there are a number of obstacles in that can get in my way and cause a delay. You know, unavailable parts, feature creepage - I’m used these obstacles, they are part of the job. But I am routinely stressed by needing to manipulate different design tools and data Read Article

Multiboard vs. Multilayer PCB Design Systems

Multiboard vs. Multilayer PCB Design Systems In the past, PCB designers were limited with system designs spanning more than one board. However, recent developments in mechanical CAD systems have given designers the ability to now design multiple boards for a system with relative ease. Thanks to 3D PCB design tool technology, designers are able to save both time and money previously spent on prototypes by confirming that their designs are system-ready Click the PDF above to read more about Read Article

How an Integrated PCB Library Can Reduce Development Cost

How Integrated PCB Libraries Can Lower Development Costs Editorial credit: MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com I’m pretty stubborn when it comes to developing new recipes for my kid. Just last week, I insisted on preparing the bolognese sauce from scratch as I tried to whip up a decent pasta dish. I ended up taking more time than I should have, as my son grew in frustration and hunger by the minute. That’s when I decided to just buy off-the-shelf pasta sauce next time. When I started working on electronics, I Read Article

Add Any Component to Your Design With Unified Component Libraries

Add Any Component to Your Design With Unified PCB Component Libraries When embarking on the PCB design journey, there are some initial hurdles you’ll need to overcome in order to get your design process running smoothly and without interruption. Sometimes the hurdle is as manageable as making sure you get your coffee in the morning. Sometimes the hurdle is as tall as not having the knowledge, comfort, or software you need to accomplish your design tasks. Oftentimes, when sketching out an initial PCB design, there Read Article

Universal Language: PCB Design to Minimize EMI in Communications Systems

Universal Language: PCB Design to Minimize EMI in Communications Systems Can you imagine what a world without lines would be like? At first, it seems wonderful to not have to wait around anymore, trusting that people will figure their business out. Disneyland, happiest place on Earth, receives about 44,000 people per day. Imagine a thousand people all rushing to get on the next available log flume. No longer just a tower of terror, but a whole theme park. When designing PCBs, your traces are the lines and each has a Read Article

Be the Expert When it Comes to Designing Your Power Distribution PCB

Be the Expert When it Comes to Designing Your Power Distribution PCB Editorial credit: Paolo Bona / Shutterstock.com Around my house, we seem to undergo a transformation to obscure-sport experts every four years, and coincidentally it occurs at the same time that the Winter Olympics is taking place. Yes, I’m talking about the sport of curling. We have all become subject matter experts in the “button,” the “hammer,” the “house,” “sweeping,” and of course the “curl.” Rest assured, by next month we will have Read Article

PCB Fabrication and Assembly Processes and Where Wave Soldering Fits In

PCB Fabrication and Assembly Processes and Where Wave Soldering Fits In Growing up, I sometimes felt like an Army brat. My dad was in the Air Force, not the Army and we only moved a couple of times. Nevertheless, every time we relocated to a new city I had the same issues to struggle with. Basically, trying to fit into a new environment with new people. From a PCB designer’s perspective, trying to learn about the PCB fabrication and assembly and what role certain processes play can be similar. It is advantageous to Read Article

Bill of Materials Management Strategies: Automation is Your Friend

Bill of Materials Management Strategies: Automation is Your Friend When I was a boy I really enjoyed reading the “Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators” mystery books. These books were a contemporary to “The Hardy Boys” mystery books and I filled a lot of my free time reading about “The Secret of Terror Castle”, “The Mystery of the Screaming Clock”, and many other frightful enigmas. A few years ago I ran across some of these books, and now I collect as many as I can find. Another avid fan I know said it Read Article

Practice Makes Perfect: How to Test Electronic Components during PCB Design

Practice Makes Perfect: Testing and Verifying Electronic Component Assemblies during PCB Design When I was younger, well much younger, I had dreams of one day being a pro athlete. I wanted to be the guy who scored the winning touchdown, knocked in the winning run or hit the buzzer-beater. Although I never made to the professional level, I did have some success and I learned a lot. The most important thing was the results you achieved were strictly tied to your preparation. In other words, if I wanted to do well in the game I had to test Read Article

The Best PCB Design Tools Help You Grow From Design Kindergarten

The Best PCB Design Tools Help You Grow From Design Kindergarten I used to work with middle-school aged kids, and one of the topics that I taught them was how to work together. I would separate them into four small groups and give each group a set of instructions on how to complete a section of a project. The intent was that after the four individual sections were completed, the kids would then come back together and use those sections to form one final project. The results though were usually pretty funny as Read Article