News & Updates
On-Demand Webinar
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Tips & Tricks: Board Shape Creation
Being able to design a board in your ECAD environment doesn’t mean that it is manufacturable in real life. You have to make sure your CAD representation won’t have any problems in the real world by taking some precautions. For example, there are certain areas that need to be free of components and have specified clearances like your board edge. This webinar will help you get acquainted with the creation and modification of your board shape so that you can ensure manufacturability.
Blog
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Is There an SPI Trace Impedance Requirement?
There is no SPI trace impedance requirement? The reality is that SPI lines only start to need impedance control when the length of the interconnect becomes very long. And because there is no specific impedance requirement in the bus, you have some freedom in channel design and termination. So what exactly qualifies as “very long” and when is some termination method needed? We’ll break it down in this article.
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The Skin Effect, Current Density, and the Electromagnetic Field
During this year's AltiumLive CONNECT event, I recall receiving an interesting question about the skin effect and the distribution of current due to the presence of ground in coplanar transmission lines. In this article, we'll look at the electric field around a transmission line carrying a signal, and how this might be impacted by the skin effect.
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What You Need for PCB Packaging and Shipping
When you get your PCBA back from an assembler, you’ll notice the packaging materials used to pack and ship the PCBA. Those materials are specific to electronics, and if you build products on behalf of clients, it’s important to know the packaging materials used for packing and shipping electronics. In this article I’ll show the main set of materials and equipment used to package electronics assemblies.
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How to Make PCB Gerber Files in Altium Designer Step-by-Step
Once you've got your PCB layout finished and you're ready to start preparing for manufacturing, one of the critical steps is to create PCB Gerber files. When you're ready to create your Gerber files, you need the right set of CAM processor tools that can take data from your PCB layout. In this article, we'll guide you through this process of how to make PCB Gerber files and show some example tasks you might need to perform to generate them.
On-Demand Webinar
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Help Ensure The Best Designs With Component Management
There are many aspects to designing a PCB. One of the larger aspects has to do with managing your components. We all need components for our designs, but are those components in our library and designs up-to-date or even purchasable? These questions need to be answered before we can safely use them. Altium Designer® has several tools to help you manage the components in your libraries and designs.
Blog
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Should You Place Teardrops on Differential Pairs?
One of the major factors impacting reliability of a PCBA is the use of teardrops on traces in the PCB. Like many aspects of reliability, the considerations also span into the signal integrity domain, particularly as more high-reliability products require greater data handling capabilities and run at higher speeds. In this article, I’ll break down the issues present in teardrop usage on differential pairs and how these may affect impedance.
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The High-Reliability PCBA Design and Test Challenge
High-reliability electronics must go through multiple rounds of testing and qualification to ensure they can withstand their intended operating environment. Designing to performance standards, whether the baseline IPC standards or more stringent industry standards, is the first step in ensuring a reliable circuit board. In this e-book, readers will gain a thorough look into PCB testing and analysis, starting from basic tests performed on bare boards and completed assemblies.
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AC Coupling Capacitors in PCIe Routing
Coupling capacitors find plenty of uses in analog applications and on differential protocols, acting essentially as high pass filters that remove DC bias carried seen on a signal. In the case of PCIe, there are a few reasons to place AC coupling capacitors on differential pairs beyond the fact that AC coupling capacitors are listed in the standard. In this article, we’ll look briefly at where to place coupling capacitors on PCIe links, as well as the reasons these are placed on PCIe links.
Blog
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Altium Designer 22.7 Update
We are happy to announce that the Altium Designer 22.7 update is now available. Altium Designer 22.7 continues to focus on improving the user experience, as well as performance and stability of the software, based on feedback from our users. Check out the key new features in the What's New section on the left side of this window!
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Renesas and Altium Announce Introduction of Renesas 365, Powered by Altium
Last week, Renesas Electronics and Altium proudly announced the introduction of Renesas 365, Powered by Altium—a first-of-its-kind industry solution designed to streamline electronic system development, from silicon selection to system lifecycle management. Renesas 365 will be demonstrated at Embedded World, Booth 5-371, from March 11-13 in Nuremberg, Germany.
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DFM/DFA Requirements in Systems Engineering
Learn how integrating DFM and DFA principles into systems engineering ensures manufacturable, cost-effective PCB designs by optimizing CAD, CAM, and requirements management in our new article by Javier Alcina.
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Mastering EMI Control in PCB Design: Crosstalk Prevention for better EMI
Crosstalk control is essential for better EMI performance. Learn effective design techniques to reduce interference in the final installment of this series by Dario Fresu.
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Best Practices for Electronics Project Management - Part 2
Part 2 of this series covers essential project management techniques for electronics design teams. Rafał Stępień discusses effective data organization, revision control, and collaboration strategies to improve efficiency and minimize errors.
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Rigid-Flex PCBs: Understanding the Pros, Cons, and Fabrication Considerations
Read our new article which discusses the advantages of rigid-flex PCBs, such as space-saving designs and enhanced reliability, while also addressing potential challenges in their fabrication. It provides essential design and manufacturing tips to help engineers effectively implement this technology in various applications.
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The Role of Automation & Robotics in Wire Harness Assembly
Our new article highlights how automation and robotics are transforming wire harness assembly, improving efficiency, precision, and cost-effectiveness. Technologies like robotic wire handling and AI-driven testing are paving the way for smarter production. However, challenges like custom designs and high costs still persist.
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Best Practices for Electronics Project Management - Part 1
Check out the first part of "Best Practices for Electronics Project Management" by Rafał Stępień. It offers valuable advice on enhancing team communication and documentation in hardware design projects.
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Wiring for the Final Frontier: A Guide to Space-Grade Harness Design
Wiring harnesses are mission-critical in space systems, requiring strict adherence to ECSS-Q-ST-70-61C and NASA-STD-8739.4A. In "Wiring for the Final Frontier: A Guide to Space-Grade Harness Design", Kamil Jasiński explores key design principles, material selection, and testing to ensure reliability in extreme environments.
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The Future of Wire Harnesses in the Electric Vehicle and Electronics Era
Discover how wire harnesses are evolving to meet the demands of electric vehicles and modern electronics. Our latest article explores key trends like higher voltages, lightweight designs, and smart harnesses, along with challenges such as cost and supply chain issues.
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Mastering EMI Control in PCB Design: Decoupling Strategies for PDN
Dario Fresu explores effective decoupling strategies for power distribution networks (PDNs) to minimize EMI in PCB designs. The article covers techniques like decoupling capacitors and power planes to ensure stable power delivery for integrated circuits.
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Building Your Own Android Device with a Raspberry Pi
Learn how to turn a Raspberry Pi into a custom Android device. This guide covers hardware selection, software setup, and troubleshooting common issues.
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How PCB Design Engineers Can Securely Share Design Files with External Teams
Learn how PCB design engineers can securely share design files with team members, clients, and manufacturers. Marek Orzeł explores best practices and tools to protect your intellectual property while ensuring efficient collaboration.
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OEMs and Harness Manufacturers: Building Strong Collaboration for Success
Strong partnerships between OEMs and harness manufacturers are key to efficient, high-quality product development. In this article, Krishna Sundaram shows how collaboration, clear communication, and the right design tools can streamline the harness manufacturing process and drive success.
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Ideal Rectifier Bridge
Read Marcin Lewandowski's article explaining how MOSFETs are replacing traditional diodes for reverse polarity protection. Step into the future of energy-efficient electronics!
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Master Your Circuit Design: Dive into Worst Case Analysis
Dive into Worst Case Analysis techniques with Kamil Jasiński and ensure the reliability of your circuits. Master sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo simulations, and more to confidently address real-world challenges.
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Overview of the Gerber X3 File Format
Want to learn how the Gerber X3 file format simplifies data exchange by unifying assembly and fabrication details in a single file? This article explores the format and its role in streamlining PCB manufacturing.
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