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Ground Below SMPS Inductors
Blog •
Should Ground Be Placed Below Inductors in Switching Regulators?

We love answering questions from our readers and YouTube viewers, and one of the recent questions we received relates to EMI from switching elements in a switching regulator is "Should a cutout be placed below the inductor in a switching regulator circuit?". Despite the variations in inductors and their magnetic behavior, there are some general principles that can be used to judge the effects of placing ground near inductors in switching regulator circuits. We’ll look at some of these principles in this article

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Embedded thumbnail for How To Do Versioning And Releases by Robert Feranec and Michal Faruga
Discovering Altium 365 •
How To Do Versioning And Releases by Robert Feranec and Michal Faruga

Meet Robert Feranec in an educational video on version control, project history, comments, comparison and other features in Altium Designer 

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Alternative Pins
Blog •
Altium Designer 22.6 Update

We are happy to announce that the Altium Designer 22.6 update is now available. Altium Designer 22.6 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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Embedded thumbnail for Using Rooms in Rules
How to work with Rooms •
Using Rooms in Rules

Rooms allow you to use rules on specific areas of your design. This helps immensely with properly defining trace widths and hole sizes for specific components. We’ll show you how easy it is to assign rules to specific rooms in the PCB.

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What’s New in Altium 365
On-Demand Webinar •
What’s New in Altium 365

Now you can assess your library’s health at a glance with the Library Health dashboard, view and share your bill of materials (BOM) and view and download PDF documents, all in your web browser. We improved the existing diff and compare features, and released a new version of MCAD CoDesigner. Register for the webinar to learn more!

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating a Schematic Symbol: Dealing with Power Pins
How to create a Schematic Symbol •
Creating a Schematic Symbol: Dealing with Power Pins

Multiple schematic symbols often require the use of multiple power and ground pins. We’ll show you the difference between hidden and visible power pins, and the various methods you can use to use them in your design however it works best for you.

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Top 5 Questions Regarding Stack Up
Blog •
SAP (Semi-Additive PCB Process) – Top 5 Questions Regarding Stack Up

This Semi-Additive Process is an additional tool in the PCB fabricators' toolbox that enables them to provide feature sizes for trace width and spacing that are 25 microns, (1 mil) and below depending on the fabricators' imaging equipment. This provides much more flexibility to breakout out tight BGA areas and the ability to shrink overall circuit size and/ or reduce the number of circuit layers in the design. As the PCB design community embraces the benefits of this new printed circuit board fabrication technique, there are of course many questions to be answered.

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How-To's •
Allowing Permanent Display of Some Layers

This video demonstrates how to permanently display some layers in the PCB using the View configuration panel.

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating Rooms in the PCB
How to work with Rooms •
Creating Rooms in the PCB

If you want to create a room manually in the PCB or have them generated for the Schematic, Altium Designer allows you to create custom rooms. We’ll show you how to hand draw different rooms, how to create rooms by defining them through the room definition, and how to have them generated for the schematic and pushed through to the PCB by the Engineering Change Order.

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Three ways to manage your BOM costs
Blog •
Improving Supply Chain Success with BOM Management

It’s no secret that component shortages have become more frequent this year. In fact, countries around the world are losing billions in revenue due to supply issues. Having the right components on hand is more crucial than ever as availability, obsolescence, counterfeit products and environmental non-compliance risks continue to grow. Fortunately, many shortages can be avoided by introducing proactive supply chain practices.

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Design Reuse
On-Demand Webinar •
Rapidly Creating New Designs And Reusing Existing Ones

It's no secret that software developers often use completed code fragments from other projects for quick and predictable results. The same can be done for PCB Design, there is no need to spend time rewiring schematics or laying out components on boards you’ve done before. Join us this webinar where we’ll go over how you can use your existing designs to create reusable design blocks, speeding up the design cycle for your future projects.

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Length Tuning Impedance
Blog •
What is the Impedance of Length-Tuning Structures?

Do length-tuning structures create an impedance discontinuity? The answer is an unequivocal “yes”, but it might not matter in your design depending on several factors. Applying a length-tuning structure is equivalent to changing the distance between the traces while meandering. Therefore, you will have a change in the odd-mode impedance of a single trace. The question then becomes: does this deviation in trace impedance in a length tuning structure matter?

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating a Schematic Symbol - Placing Designators and Comments
How to create a Schematic Symbol •
Creating a Schematic Symbol - Placing Designators and Comments

Placing your designator or comments can be done automatically, but that doesn’t mean they’re visible. We’ll walk you through how to make them visible and position them correctly no matter what orientation your symbol is with automatic positioning.

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating a Schematic Symbol: Adding Additional Parts
How to create a Schematic Symbol •
Creating a Schematic Symbol: Adding Additional Parts

Altium Designer makes it easy to add additional parts to your schematic library. We’ll show you how through copying and configuring your new components through the Pin Editor and the properties panel.

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Designing the Next-Generation Electronics
Blog •
A-SAP™ – What do you need to know?

The continued miniaturization of both packaging and component size in next-generation electronics is becoming harder and harder to work around and presents a significant challenge for both PCB designers and PCB fabricators. To effectively navigate the constraints of the traditional subtractive-etch PCB fabrication processes, PCB designs require advanced PCB fabrication capabilities while pushing the limits of finer feature size, higher layer counts, multiple levels of stacked micro vias and increased lamination cycles.

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Embedded thumbnail for Component Placement Control Using Rooms
How to work with Rooms •
Component Placement Control Using Rooms

Rooms give you more control over how and where your components are placed in your PCB. We’ll show you how to use room properties to limit what is allowed in and out of a room using the room definition and custom queries.

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Pin-package and Via Delay Values
Blog •
Pin-Package Delay and Via Delay in High Speed Length Tuning

Take a look at the inside of some integrated circuit packages, and you’ll find a number of wires bonded to the semiconductor die and the pads at the edge of the component's package. As a signal traverses makes its way along an interconnect and into a destination circuit, signals need to travel across these bond wires and pads before they are interpreted as a logic state. As you look around the edge of an IC, these bond wires can have different lengths, and they incur different levels of delay and contribute to total jitter.

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Embedded thumbnail for How to work with Differential Pair Classes?
How to Work with Differential Pairs •
How to work with Differential Pair Classes?

Modern boards can contain a large number of differential pairs. For convenience, they are combined into differential pairs classes. In this video, we'll walk you through how to create and apply a differential pair class. 

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Embedded thumbnail for Adding Rooms from the Schematic
How to work with Rooms •
Adding Rooms from the Schematic

Rooms can be added directly from the schematic sheet. From the schematic sheet they are pushed to the PCB. Here we'll look at the rooms and component classes generated by default in the schematic, how to add and configure rooms manually, and how to push them to the PCB.

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Blog •
Mastering EMI Control in PCB Design: How to Design PCBs for Low EMI

This article by Dario Fresu delves into effective techniques for designing PCBs to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). It covers key topics such as stackup selection, routing strategies, and grounding best practices, offering actionable insights for improved performance.

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Blog •
Happy Holidays!!!

Altium wishes you all the best this holiday season! May this time be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with your family and friends. We also extend our warmest wishes for a Happy New Year 2025!

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Blog •
What Is Wire Harness Design?

Explore our latest article to learn the fundamentals of wire harness design, its key components, and how it ensures organized, efficient, and reliable electrical systems across automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors.

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Blog •
How to Determine Ferrite Bead Circuit Model Parameters

Learn how to accurately determine ferrite bead circuit model parameters for effective noise suppression in high-speed PCB designs. This article explores key concepts, measurement techniques, and practical tips for modeling ferrite beads in your projects.

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Blog •
AI Vision with the Kria KV260 Vision AI Starter Kit

Discover AI-driven vision capabilities with the Kria KV260 Vision AI Starter Kit, presented by Ari Mahpour. Ideal for prototyping vision solutions, this kit offers an accessible entry point into advanced AI applications.

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Blog •
Wire Bonding in Altium Designer

The Wire Bonding in Altium Designer article highlights how Altium Designer 25’s wire bonding feature streamlines complex designs for advanced assemblies like 3D stacked dies and RF modules. This tool enhances efficiency and precision, catering to modern electronic design needs.

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Blog •
Optimize PCB Design with Integrated BOM and CAD Systems

Discover how integrating BOM management and CAD systems can streamline your PCB design process in this insightful article. Learn how combining these tools enables smoother collaboration, reduces errors, and improves design efficiency, helping you optimize your workflows from concept to manufacturing.

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Blog •
The Essential Guide to Through-Hole Resistors

Resistors are fundamental components in electronic circuits, essential for controlling current and voltage. This article explores their basic principles, types, and key applications, helping you understand their crucial role in electronics.

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Blog •
Avoiding Costly Delays: Essential Tips for PCB Designers

Efficient PCB design is crucial for avoiding costly delays in product development. This article offers practical tips and best practices for PCB designers to streamline their workflows, minimize errors, and ensure timely project completion.

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NEW
Embedded thumbnail for Stripline Routing Deep Dive: How Close Is Too Close?
How-To's •
Stripline Routing Deep Dive: How Close Is Too Close?

In this video, Zach Peterson takes a deep dive into what happens when reference layers are incorrectly set in a PCB stackup and how that affects impedance, signal integrity, and EMC. He also shares valuable insights into stripline routing proximity issues and best practices for assigning reference planes.

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NEW
Embedded thumbnail for Coming Soon: Solder Mask Zero Expansion
New in Altium Designer 25 •
Coming Soon: Solder Mask Zero Expansion

Solder Mask Zero Expansion marks a move toward industry alignment, specifically with IPC-7351B and IPC-2581B standards. It changes the default solder mask expansion value from 4 mil to 0 mil. Discover more upcoming updates on our Coming Soon Page.

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Embedded thumbnail for Analog Supply without a Ferrite: Proper Isolation Techniques Explained
How-To's •
Analog Supply without a Ferrite: Proper Isolation Techniques Explained

In our new tutorial, you'll learn why ferrite beads may not be the best choice for isolating analog and digital supply pins on integrated circuits. Zach Peterson debunks common misconceptions about ferrite bead isolation and introduces better alternatives, including dedicated LDOs, precision voltage references, and effective filtering techniques to help you achieve cleaner analog signals in your designs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25. Part II: Physical Constraints and Routing Differential Pairs
Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25 •
Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25. Part II: Physical Constraints and Routing Differential Pairs

In the second video of Samer Aldhaher’s "Enhanced Constraint Manager" series, we continue designing a 1 kW, 400 V brushless DC motor driver. This episode focuses on setting physical constraints using constraint sets, routing differential pairs, and demonstrating the Auto Shrinking feature in Altium Designer 25.

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Embedded thumbnail for Auto-tuning Your Way to Faster PCB Design
Altium Designer's 25 Quantitative Benefits •
Auto-tuning Your Way to Faster PCB Design

Watch how the Auto Tuning feature in Altium Designer 25 delivers optimized DDR4 routing in a single click! Fewer steps, massive time savings. Try our Benefit Calculator to estimate your own time and cost savings.

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Embedded thumbnail for Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25. Part I: From Directives to Creepage Rules
Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25 •
Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25. Part I: From Directives to Creepage Rules

We are introducing a new video series on the Enhanced Constraint Manager in Altium Designer 25. In the first chapter, Samer Aldhaher demonstrates how to define net classes, apply clearance and creepage rules, and validate constraints within both the schematic and PCB. The video uses a 1kW, 400V brushless DC motor driver project to illustrate real-world applications.

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Embedded thumbnail for Design Faster with Altium Designer 25
Altium Designer's 25 Quantitative Benefits •
Design Faster with Altium Designer 25

Every second and every click count in the product development cycle. See how the new PCB Layout Replication feature in Altium Designer 25 boosts your efficiency in the PCB design process. Want to improve even more? Check out our Benefit Calculator now!

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating PCB Drill Drawings and Tables in Altium Designer
How-To's •
Creating PCB Drill Drawings and Tables in Altium Designer

If you want to learn more about drill drawings and tables in your PCB designs using Altium Designer, this tutorial is a must-watch. In the video, our Tech Consultant Zach Peterson walks you through multiple methods for generating these critical fabrication documents, including automatic Gerber outputs and custom drawings.

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Embedded thumbnail for Streamlining Team Collaboration in Industrial PCB Projects - Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 25 •
Streamlining Team Collaboration in Industrial PCB Projects - Recording Preview

This webinar recording shows how Altium Designer and Altium 365 improve team collaboration in industrial PCB projects. It covers features like version control, live commenting, task tracking, and JIRA integration to help teams work more efficiently and reduce costly errors.

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Embedded thumbnail for AC Coupling Capacitors: Placement for High-Speed PCB Design
How-To's •
AC Coupling Capacitors: Placement for High-Speed PCB Design

Learn the facts about AC coupling capacitor placement in high-speed PCB designs. In this video, Zach Peterson explores the ongoing debate: should AC coupling capacitors be placed near the transmitter or the receiver in high-speed differential pairs?

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Embedded thumbnail for Coming Soon: Export 3D-MID Tracks as Centerline Curves
New in Altium Designer 25 •
Coming Soon: Export 3D-MID Tracks as Centerline Curves

Coming Soon: 3D-MID Track-to-Centerline Export allows you to export conductive tracks on 3D substrates as precise centerline curves within STEP files—enabling seamless integration with advanced 5-axis manufacturing processes. Explore more upcoming upgrades on our Coming Soon page.

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Embedded thumbnail for Advanced xSignal and Impedance Control Techniques - Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 25 •
Advanced xSignal and Impedance Control Techniques - Recording Preview

This webinar recording explores advanced xSignal and impedance control techniques in Altium Designer 25. It covers defining xSignals, managing impedance profiles, differential pairs, and delay tuning—all essential for high-speed PCB design. Full recording you find here: April 2025 COM Webinar Recording.

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Embedded thumbnail for Coming Soon: Embedded 3D Models for Harness Designs
How-To's •
Coming Soon: Embedded 3D Models for Harness Designs

Coming soon: the Embedded 3D Models for Harness Designs feature will automatically include Parasolid-format 3D models in your harness layout drawings. This improves integration with MCAD CoDesigner, enabling seamless synchronization between electrical and mechanical design domains. To see more upcoming upgrades, visit our Coming Soon page.

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Embedded thumbnail for Make Smarter Design Decisions with Signal Analyzer by Keysight
New in Altium Designer 25 •
Make Smarter Design Decisions with Signal Analyzer by Keysight

Discover how to simplify your workflow and boost design confidence with Signal Analyzer by Keysight—a complete extension available right inside Altium Designer 25. This whitepaper shows you how to analyze impedance, delay, and insertion/return loss without ever leaving your design environment.

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Embedded thumbnail for Unveiling 86% Task Time Efficiency in Altium Designer 25
Altium Designer's 25 Quantitative Benefits •
Unveiling 86% Task Time Efficiency in Altium Designer 25

Watch how Altium Designer 25 saves time on PCB visualization. This short video shows a side-by-side comparison of the same task done in Altium Designer 25 vs. an external CAD tool—revealing big time and click savings. A great teaser to highlight the value of the unified design environment and promote the Benefit Calculator.

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Embedded thumbnail for AGND vs PGND: Proper Net Tie Connections in Power Regulator PCB Design
How-To's •
AGND vs PGND: Proper Net Tie Connections in Power Regulator PCB Design

What’s the difference between AGND and PGND — and when should you use a net tie? Zach Peterson breaks down proper PCB layout for buck converters, grounding best practices, and why component placement matters in switching regulator designs.

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