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Embedded thumbnail for Stackup Considerations
DFM and Fabrication Cost/Time Constraints •
Stackup Considerations

There is a lot to consider about the Layer Stackup when it comes to designing a manufacturable board. We’ll walk you through enabling symmetry, finding correct balance of your layers, materials, creating and loading templates, and adding a layer stack table for better communication between you and your manufacturer.

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Molded Interconnect Devices
Blog •
MIDs Make a Comeback as Vertical SMD Modules for Your PCB

Molded interconnect devices are essentially plastic molded substrates with traces running along any surface, including at right angles and running vertically. Altium users can use the new 3D Routing extension to design their own component carriers, which can be mounted vertically in a standard assembly process. If you’ve always wanted to vertically mount components or entire circuits, but without the expense of adding a flex section to your design, the new 3D Routing extension with HARTING’s component carrier designs provides a unique solution.

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How to work with Variants •
What Are Design Variants For?

Variants in Altium Designer allow you to create several variations of the same design all from one source project. Variants can be managed in the project and through Altium Designer you can control variants in the PCB, Schematic, Draftsman, and Outjob files to make your designs easily editable without redundancy.

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MCAD CoDesign Process
Blog •
MCAD CoDesigner 2.9.0 is Out

Altium has released version 2.9.0 of the MCAD CoDesigner. This version has the option to exclude small components when transferring from ECAD to MCAD. The arc behavior was improved, and the support for splines in board shape and cutouts was added. With this release, you can now select a specific SOLIDWORKS configuration of a part to use on the board and view the improvements made for Siemens NX.

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Rigid-Flex in Altium Designer
Blog •
Support for Rigid-Flex in Altium Designer

Altium Designer's world-class PCB design features help users quickly get started with new rigid-flex designs and prepare them for manufacturing. Rigid-flex in Altium Designer starts with designing a manufacturable PCB layer stack complete with via transitions and any calculated impedance requirements. Keep reading to see how Altium Designer supports your flex and rigid-flex designs.

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Embedded thumbnail for MCAD CoDesigner Quick Start: Solidworks
Working with MCAD CoDesigner extension •
MCAD CoDesigner Quick Start: Solidworks

MCAD CoDesigner is built to address the challenges of electronic product design by enabling seamless collaboration between your electrical and mechanical engineers. This video will show you how to start collaborate between Altium Designer and SolidWorks. 

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Embedded thumbnail for Panelization
DFM and Fabrication Cost/Time Constraints •
Panelization

When you go to manufacture your design you can get a board manufactured by itself or with multiple in a panel. We’ll show you the how and the why to create panelization with the Embedded Board Array/Panelize tool, as well as how to create break away points for your individual boards.

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2+N+2 PCB Stackups
Blog •
2+N+2 PCB Stackup Design for HDI Boards

Like any other advanced PCB, success in HDI design comes from designing the right stackup. One common HDI stackup used to support routing into moderate pin count, high-density BGA components is the 2+N+2 PCB layer stack for HDI boards. We’ll explore this stackup more in this article, as well as how it is related to other advanced stackups used in HDI PCBs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Display Variants in Draftsman Document
How to work with Variants •
Display Variants in Draftsman Document

You can use the draftsman document to display your board variants. We’ll show you how to create a draftsman document and add variants to it properly displayed and editable through the properties panel.

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PDF Viewer in Altium 365
Blog •
PDF in Altium 365 Web Viewer

Altium 365 Web Viewer now includes a built-in PDF viewer that allows you to view PDF files in releases without an external PDF viewer application. Keep reading to learn about new key features that make your work easier

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How-To's •
How to print PCB?

Do you want to know how to use the updated document output feature? This video tells about the changes to the document output and shows how to quickly form a PDF or print a PCB in Altium Designer 21.

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Embedded thumbnail for Avoid Solder Wicking
DFM and Fabrication Cost/Time Constraints •
Avoid Solder Wicking

If solder gets sucked into via holes in can cause an unreliable connection in your otherwise manufacturable design. We’ll show you a few easy ways to avoid this solder wicking using rules.

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Rigid-Flex Applications
Blog •
Flex and Rigid-Flex PCB Applications

There are two basic reasons for designing a flex circuit into your product: to build a compact and efficiently assembled device, or to make the circuit dynamically integrated with the mechanical function of the product. You may, of course, lean on both of these reasons for justifying the use of flex circuits. On this note, let’s look at some rigid-flex PCB applications and design examples to see the issues that spring to mind when designing flex circuits

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Altium Designer Interface
On-Demand Webinar •
Preparing your files for Fabrication Release

When you’re done creating a new board, it’s time to send your design data to the manufacturer. Before releasing your designs, you’ll want to make sure that everything is ready and works as intended. In this informative video, we’ll review some of the must-have checks before sending your output data for fabrication. 

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Sharing Settings in Altium 365
Blog •
Granular Sharing — Role and Group Management

With Altium 365, you can grant permission to teams or users based on the specific needs of a project. We have expanded Altium 365’s file-sharing setting, giving you more granular control over who can download source files and reshare projects with others

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Embedded thumbnail for MCAD CoDesigner Quick Start: Autodesk Inventor
Working with MCAD CoDesigner extension •
MCAD CoDesigner Quick Start: Autodesk Inventor

MCAD CoDesigner is built to address the challenges of electronic product design by enabling seamless collaboration between your electrical and mechanical engineers. This video will show you how to start collaboration between Altium Designer and Autodesk Inventor. 

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Embedded thumbnail for Variants in Output Documents
How to work with Variants •
Variants in Output Documents

Variants can be used with output files to keep track of all the variations within your design. We’ll show you how to export these files including a Smart PDF, and an outjob file with variants.

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Use your DRCs
Blog •
Design Rule Checking in the PCB Design Workflow

Any time you design a PCB, and you want to turn it into a real product, you will have to make sure the design obeys the constraints within the standard PCB manufacturing process. This imposes multiple rules on any design, and ECAD software will enforce design rules as you create the board to ensure you obey these important constraints. Make sure you enforce the right design rules at the beginning of the PCB design workflow 

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Embedded thumbnail for Copper to Edge Clearance
DFM and Fabrication Cost/Time Constraints •
Copper to Edge Clearance

It is necessary to maintain edge clearance from your copper in your design. We’ll show you how to maintain it, what exceptions there are to the rule, and how you can ensure its manufacturability.

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How to select high frequency materials
Blog •
Best Practices for High-Frequency PCB Material Selection

High frequency PCB design can seem esoteric, and I've heard many an engineer describe it as "black magic"! The subject is also a bit confusing, especially once someone asks which frequencies could be reasonably considered "high". Before you do anything inside the layout for a high-speed or RF PCB, you will need to pay attention to the materials being used in the board. If you're unsure which high frequency PCB materials you should use, then keep reading to learn more.

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Blog •
Types of Simulation Tools For PCBs

PCB simulation isn’t one-size-fits-all and that’s where it gets interesting! Discover the wide range of tools available, from quick circuit checks to advanced multiphysics simulations, and how they help you design with confidence.

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Blog •
Wiring the Future: The Shift to Unified Electromechanical Design

This article explores the shift from PCB-centric design to complex, system-level development where wiring and harnesses play a critical role in product performance. It highlights how unified electromechanical workflows and bi-directional ECAD–MCAD integration improve accuracy, reduce delays, and ensure reliable, production-ready designs.

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Blog •
Best Tools For PCB DFM Checks

Want to catch manufacturability issues before they turn into expensive delays? Discover the essential DFM tools from real-time checks to post-layout analysis that help you get your PCB right the first time.

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Blog •
Eliminate Your Design Friction with Agile Teams

Design friction from scattered data and disconnected tools slows down PCB development and leads to rework. This webinar shows how Agile Teams streamlines collaboration, aligns domains, and helps teams deliver faster with fewer errors.

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Blog •
What is the Best Cloud PCB Design Software?

Not all cloud PCB tools are created equal, especially when design complexity increases. This article breaks down key differences between cloud-native and hybrid solutions, helping engineers choose the right approach for performance and scalability.

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Blog •
From Rework to Revenue: Digital PCB DFMA

This article explores how traditional, manual DFMA workflows lead to costly rework, delays, and poor collaboration across engineering teams. It shows how a connected, digital approach enables better data integrity, faster design cycles, and improved manufacturing outcomes.

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Blog •
How to Choose the Right Components for Your BOM

A strong BOM can make the difference between smooth production and costly delays. Discover a practical approach to choosing components that stay available, meet compliance requirements, and keep your project on schedule.

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Blog •
From Scattered Requirements to Confident Product Development

See how the Requirements Portal transforms disconnected requirements into a single, live source of truth that engineers can trust at every stage of a project! Real customer stories in the article prove it’s already helping teams cut down on rework and bring products to market faster.

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Embedded thumbnail for Via-in-Pad for BGA
How to Design a BGA •
Via-in-Pad for BGA

We’ll teach you how to use Via-in-pad to reduce inductance, improve signal integrity, and improve power distribution system performance in BGA designs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Using HDI Stackups during BGA Design
How to Design a BGA •
Using HDI Stackups during BGA Design

Micro Vias and Buried Vias play an important role in high density interconnection layer stackups (HDI Stackups). We’ll show you how to add via and create rules to allow you to take full advantage of the HDI Stackup.

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Embedded thumbnail for Automatic Fanout With BGA
How to Design a BGA •
Automatic Fanout With BGA

When routing a BGA it can be necessary to use automatic fanout to make the routing process easier and faster. We’ll show you how to run the automatic fanout for routing a BGA and how the rules can affect the outcome of the route.

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Embedded thumbnail for Specifying NSMD and SMD for BGA
How to Design a BGA •
Specifying NSMD and SMD for BGA

BGA layouts use two types of pads: SMD, Solder Mask Pads, or NSMD, Non-Solder Mask Pads. Here we’ll walk you through the differences and how to specify and edit them for your layout.

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Embedded thumbnail for Via Shielding and Stitching
Via Stitching •
Via Shielding and Stitching

Altium Designer gives you full control over your via shielding and stitching. We’ll show you how to use our shielding and stitching tools, how to alter their parameters, and how to remove any unwanted via shielding and stitching.

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Embedded thumbnail for xSignals for DDR3 and DDR4
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
xSignals for DDR3 and DDR4

In a high-speed design, DDR3 and DDR4 memory chips can utilize xSignal classes to match track lengths from the controller to the memory chip easily and quickly using the xSignals wizard.

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Embedded thumbnail for High-Speed Tuning
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
High-Speed Tuning

If you use high-speed interfaces like USB 3.0, PCIE, or DDR3/DDR4, you need to use match length tuning to ensure that they work properly. We’ll show you why and how, as well as demonstrating the different tools for length tuning.

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Embedded thumbnail for Using Document Parameters with Draftsman
How to Work with Draftsman •
Using Document Parameters with Draftsman

The Draftsman Editor in Altium Designer uses document parameters to allow fine grain control over the draftsman document. We’ll show you how you can use the document parameters in your Draftsman document. 

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Embedded thumbnail for High-Speed Features of Creating a Stack
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
High-Speed Features of Creating a Stack

The foundation of any high speed design is the layer stack. We’ll show you some of Altium Designer’s powerful layer stack creation features.

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Embedded thumbnail for High-Speed Return Paths
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
High-Speed Return Paths

For high speed designs it is critical to maintain your return path for adequate signal integrity. We’ll show you how, using best practices and error resolutions in Altium Designer.

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Embedded thumbnail for Working with Design Variants
How to Work with Draftsman •
Working with Design Variants

Altium Designer’s Draftsman Document allows for several different board views and variants that you can work with. We’ll show you how to add new variants and work with their properties to display exactly what you need in your Draftsman Document

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating Schematics in High-speed Projects
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
Creating Schematics in High-speed Projects

There are several powerful features in Altium Designer for creating schematics in high speed projects. We’ll show you a few, such as how to utilize nets, net classes, blankets, design rules, and differential pairs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Creating Connectivity
How to Work with Multichannel Schematic •
Creating Connectivity

Multichannel connectivity can be created in a few different ways. We’ll show you how to create connectivity using ports and net labels efficiently and effectively. 

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Embedded thumbnail for Hierarchical Structure for High-Speed Projects
How To Work with High-Speed Projects •
Hierarchical Structure for High-Speed Projects

A Hierarchical structure can make your high speed project much easier to navigate and complete. We’ll show you some tips and tricks for creating and maintaining a high speed. Hierarchical design project.

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Embedded thumbnail for Schematic Design Reuse Using Snippets
How to work with Snippets •
Schematic Design Reuse Using Snippets

Snippets allow you to easily reuse circuitry across multiple parts of your designs. We’ll show you how create a new snippets the Schematic and how to connect and annotate it so you can easily bring your circuitry directly into your board.

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Embedded thumbnail for PCB Design Reuse Using Snippets
How to work with Snippets •
PCB Design Reuse Using Snippets

Snippets give you easy access to reuse circuitry on your PCB. Let’s take a look at how you can create and configure snippets for the PCB, connect a component link with the schematic and update the PCB to include your snippet.

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