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PCB Stackup Basics
Blog
PCB Stackup Basics

In comparison to the build-up of a PCB, the stackup is more concerned with the electrical type of each layer, that is are we working with signals, power, or ground. Continue reading to learn how you can optimize your layer stack.

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How-To's
Draftsman Document: Snapping

Snapping using the grids and snapping tools in Altium Designer’s Draftsman Editor gives you a lot of control over how you create and annotate primitives and components. We’ll show you how easy it is to use snapping in the Drafstman Editor.

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How-To's
High Speed: XSignals

You can create, configure, and utilize xSignals in Altium Designer to make your design process more efficient and effective. We’ll show you how to do it manually, using the more comprehensive Create xSignals command, and using the xSignal wizard.

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How-To's
DFM and fab cost/time constraints: What is annular ring and how to configure it

The minimum dimension from the wall of the aperture to the edge of the pad is called an annular ring, and we can configure it with Altium Designer. We’ll show you how to get started and manage the annular ring in your design rules.

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How-To's
Altium 365 Getting Started: Gerber Compare

The task of comparing different versions of manufacturing files usually arises when the electrical engineer needs to check and confirm the manufacturer's edits or clarify details of changes before starting production. In Altium 365 you can perform an automatic comparison of Gerber files.

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Working with Polygons
Polygon Pours

Polygon pours are used to create copper geometries on your board. You can prioritize polygon pour order, hide them to make it easier to work on your board, and repour them to resolve design rule conflicts.

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How-To's
How to Use the MCAD CoDesigner?

This video shows how the ECAD and MCAD engineers now can communicate directly while staying within their own design environment. The MCAD engineer is able to push design information directly from their design software straight into Altium Designer. Any changes can be reviewed, accepted, or denied by the receiving party. This process of pushing and reviewing design changes is bi-directional, meaning that both the MCAD or ECAD engineer can push and review changes to the other. 

chip with neon illumination
Blog
How Does the Package PDN Impact Power Integrity?

Whenever we say something to the effect of “components can’t work without a correctly designed PCB,” we only have to look at component packaging for evidence. It is true that component packages come with parasitics that affect signal integrity, but there is one area that we don’t often look at in terms of component packaging: power integrity.

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How to use Snapping
Creating Additional Snap Points Using a 3D Model

Demonstration of using snap points with 3D models and how they can assist in the placement of said models.

electrical circuit with microcontroller
Blog
Designing Custom Hardware with Microcontrollers

In this article, we’ll look at all that is required to start creating your own custom microcontroller-based hardware designs. You’ll see that there actually isn’t too much to this, as microcontroller manufacturers over the years have tried to make the learning curve less steep and their devices more, and more accessible. This is both from an electrical point of view but also – equally importantly – from a programming point of view.

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Working with Polygons
Polygon Connect Styles

Define how vias and pads connect to polygons with a design rule. Customize the thermal relief width, number, and rotation as well as the air gap width.

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How to Work with Classes
How to work with Component Classes?

Modern printed circuit boards can contain a large number of components, which makes them difficult to work with. In this video we will show what component classes can be on a PCB, how to create custom component classes and how they can be useful for us. 

high-speed printed circuit board
Blog
Guide to Low-Dk PCB Materials

If you’ve taken time to learn about PCB material options and layer constructions, you have probably seen the wide range of materials that are available on the market. Materials companies produce laminates with varying Dk values, Tg values, weave styles, CTI values, and mechanical properties to target various applications in the electronics industry.

printed circuit board, photo by the author
On-Demand Webinar
Learn to Collaborate Like a Pro with Altium Designer 23

Get ready to speed up your design process with new Altium Designer collaboration capabilities. Designing a PCB is a team effort. Engineers must work with customers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to get the best results. You need help to bring your design to life, even if you're a one-person team.

freeway in the background of the city
Blog
Designing for V2X Communication: Wireless Protocols and Standards

If you’re waiting for truly connected cars on a grand scale, there is still a massive amount of work to be done, both on the hardware and software sides. Connected cars can only become a widespread reality once the automotive industry and telecom carriers can decide which protocol will work best for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. PCB designers will then need to step in to create these systems and fit them into a vehicular environment.

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How to use Snapping
Create and Snap to a Circular Grid (Polar Grid)

Instructional on how to create polar grids, how to snap to them, and why you might want to use them.

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Working with Polygons
How to Connect Polygons to Nets

This video covers how to easily connect a polygon to a net using just two clicks. With the Properties panel open and a polygon selected, click the "Assign net" button in the Properties panel.

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Getting Started with A365
Altium 365 Getting Started: Gerber Compare

The task of comparing different versions of manufacturing files usually arises when the electrical engineer needs to check and confirm the manufacturer's edits or clarify details of changes before starting production. In Altium 365 you can perform an automatic comparison of Gerber files. 

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Blog
Printed Electronics: The Future of Flexible and Cost-Effective Circuit Design

This article explores the rise of printed electronics as a lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective alternative to traditional PCB design. It highlights key benefits like reduced manufacturing costs, sustainability, and new design possibilities—especially in wearables, medical devices, and automotive applications. 

Blog
New Routing Possibilities with Ultra HDI

Explore how Ultra HDI technology is redefining PCB design. This article breaks down the benefits and manufacturing considerations of Ultra HDI, and how it enables next-level routing density and miniaturization in advanced electronics.

Blog
3D-MID in Focus: Principles, Processes, and Practical Use

This article introduces 3D-MID (Mechatronic Integrated Devices), a technology that integrates circuitry into 3D plastic structures to reduce size, weight, and complexity. It explains the production process, use cases, and benefits of 3D-MID in sectors like automotive, medical, and consumer electronics.

Blog
Eliminate EMI and Signal Integrity Issues in Multi-Board PCB Designs

Ensure signal integrity and minimize EMI in complex electronics. Our new article explains how to address electromagnetic interference and signal integrity challenges in multi-board PCB designs, offering practical strategies and layout considerations for reliable system performance.

Blog
Mastering Component Templates in Altium Designer 25

Our new article by Dario Fresu explains how Component Templates in Altium Designer 25 Pro improve design consistency, reduce errors, and streamline collaboration. It highlights practical benefits like standardized naming, faster component creation, and scalability across projects. Includes examples of using templates with Altium 365™ to simplify complex component setup.

Blog
Wire Harness Design Guide for Development and Manufacturing

Designing a wire harness goes far beyond just connecting components—it’s about ensuring manufacturability, reliability, and compliance. This article walks you through the entire process, from initial design to production, helping you streamline development and avoid common pitfalls.

Blog
Preparing for Medical Device Cybersecurity Assessments

Explore the key considerations and best practices for conducting cybersecurity assessments in medical device development. This article outlines how to identify potential threats, evaluate risks, and ensure compliance with evolving industry standards.

Blog
Harness Complexity, Design with Simplicity

Harness Design in Altium Designer simplifies managing PCB interconnections, ensuring reliable performance and streamlined manufacturing. With logical connectivity tools, harness layout drawing, and manufacturing-ready documentation, it keeps your designs efficient and organized—all within a unified design environment. Perfect for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications.

Blog
Getting Started with NVMe and the Raspberry Pi 5

Our new article guides you through enhancing your Raspberry Pi 5's performance by setting up NVMe SSD storage using an expansion HAT. It covers the benefits over traditional MicroSD cards, including improved speed and reliability, and provides step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration.

Blog
From Concept to Production: A Modern Approach to Wire Harness Engineering

Discover how modern wire harness engineering is evolving to meet the growing complexity of electrified systems. This whitepaper explores best practices, intelligent automation, and ECAD-MCAD collaboration to improve efficiency and reduce errors. Download now to stay ahead in an increasingly connected world.

Blog
Transforming RF Design with Ultra HDI

Ultra-HDI technology is transforming RF design by enabling finer line widths, improved signal integrity, and more compact, high-performance boards. Our brand-new article explores its advantages over traditional methods and the benefits of integrating flexible circuits.

Blog
Boost Your PCB Testing Efficiency with Testpoint Manager

Testpoints are essential for efficient PCBA testing and debugging. Our latest whitepaper dives into testpoint optimization, fault detection, and automated testing strategies, along with a full tutorial on using Testpoint Manager in Altium Designer. Discover how to streamline your testpoint assignments and improve measurement accuracy!

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Embedded thumbnail for How to Open All Schematic Documents
How-To's
How to Open All Schematic Documents

This video shows how to open all your project's schematic documents at once.

Embedded thumbnail for Calculating Impedance in Altium Designer
Impedance calculation
Calculating Impedance in Altium Designer

This video covers how to calculate impedance in Altium Designer. This is especially important when dealing with high-speed designs. You want to make sure impedance is matched to avoid any reflections and maintain good signal integrity.

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How to Work with 3D Mode
Using 3D Component Body Features for Precise Component Creation

Learn to quickly and accurately place 3D models of components on their footprints

Embedded thumbnail for How to Define an Impedance Profile for an Assymetric Stripeline
Impedance calculation
How to Define an Impedance Profile for an Assymetric Stripeline

This video shows how to define an impedance profile for an asymmetric stripline.

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How I Improved my Collaboration Efficiency with Altium 365 | Altium 365: Power User Insights

Collaboration with other teams or contractors in the electronics industry is typically a painful and inefficient experience. All too often, communication is left until the last minute when boards are all but ordered. Let's talk about how to collaborate with colleagues with Altium 365 in a different way.

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How to Work with Draftsman
Working with Annotation Tools

Draftsman Documents provide annotation tools to convey physical properties such as tolerances and surface finish

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How to Work with 3D Mode
3D View Control

Learn how to use the 3D display mode of the PCB and learn to control the camera in this mode in this video

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Impedance calculation
Impedance Calculation Single-Ended Transmission Lines

Transmission lines help preserve signal integrity and reduce EMI in high speed designs. We’ll show you you to define your single ended transmission lines in Altium Designer and automatically calculate impedance on a two layer and multi-layer board.

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How to Work with Draftsman
Working with Dimensions: Draftsman Documents

Draftsman Documents provide dimensioning tools to capture and display the physical features of the product for fabrication and documentation. 

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Impedance calculation
Impedance Calculations: Differential Pairs

Altium designer makes it easy to calculate geometry when you need to calculate impedance for differential pairs. We’ll go over how differential pairs can help with a two layer and multi layer board, as well as what types you can create such as differential co-planar, and how to configure them for your specific design.

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How to Work with Draftsman
Creating and using templates

Draftsman Templates are a quick way of laying out your Draftsman Document in Altium Designer. We’ll show you how to utilize them and the differences between sheet and document templates.

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How to work with Multiboard
Adding 3D Assemblies to a Multi-Board Project

The next step in the multiboard design process is adding 3D PCB Assemblies. We’ll show you how to add them to your design and how to work with the Assembly Editor.

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Getting Started with A365
Altium 365 - Design Collaboration | Tasks

The Tasks feature brings lightweight task tracking to further enhance design collaboration in Altium 365. With Tasks, you will never lose an important action item and easily gain a high-level view of the state of your project, all without leaving your design environment. 

Embedded thumbnail for Adding Additional Views in a Draftsman Document
How to Work with Draftsman
Adding Additional Views in a Draftsman Document

If you need additional views in your documentation, Altium Designer’s Draftsman Document editor can help. We’ll show you how to add and configure different views including the component view, the section view, the detail view, the isometric view, variants, the legend for the layer stack, the board region view, and the board realistic view.

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How to Work with Draftsman
Draftsman Document Views - Fabrication and Drill Drawings

The Draftsman Document Editor allows you to add a fabrication view and a drill drawing view to your outjob files. We’ll show you how to get them set up and details you can control from the properties panel.

Embedded thumbnail for Altium 365 - Version Control | Project History
Getting Started with A365
Altium 365 - Version Control | Project History

Project History in a Nutshell: - Presents events in a chronological timeline (Creation, Commits, Releases, Clones, and MCAD Exchanges) - Auto-generates Differences Summary to view the differing entities (e.g., replaced components) - Even a non-expert can act on a revision (Download, View, Revert)

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