Welcome, Guest

Sign in to learn, create, and do more with the product you love.

News & Updates

Filters:
Tag
Blog Mar 2, 2020
About Altium Designer Home Page

With the new Altium Designer Home page, we are aiming to help users stay up to date with the latest features and productivity tricks available in Altium Designer. Learn more about the Home page in this documentation article.

Embedded thumbnail for Any Angle Routing
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Any Angle Routing

With any angle routing in Altium Designer, you're able to expertly maneuver around obstacles on a densely populated board, routing deep into your BGA, eliminating the need for extra signal layers. With an intelligent obstacle avoidance algorithm, you're able to avoid obstancles using tangential arcs, making the most efficient use of your board real estate.

Embedded thumbnail for Schematic Dynamic Data Model
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Schematic Dynamic Data Model

Recompiling large schematics can take up a lot of time. This is why Altium Designer uses a new dynamic data model, which incrementally and continuously compiles in the background eliminating the need to perform a full design compile.

Embedded thumbnail for Time Based Matched Lengths
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Time Based Matched Lengths

High-speed digital circuits depend on signals and data arriving on time. If traces are improperly tuned, flight times vary and data errors can be abundant. Altium Designer 20 introduces the calculation of the propagation time on traces and provides synchronized flight time for high-speed digital signals.

altium-community-forum
Blog Feb 25, 2020
Getting Connected: Altium’s User Community Forums

The Altium design environment is a complex and sophisticated set of software tools. Not surprisingly, becoming proficient with these tools will take some time, and you’ll need to practice every step of the design process from beginning to end. So what happens if you get stuck along the way?

Embedded thumbnail for Schematic Rendering
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 25, 2020
Schematic Rendering

A smooth and fast schematic experience awaits thanks to DirectX in Altium Designer. This new implementation smoothes out zooming and panning, and also dramatically speeds up copy and paste functionality.

Embedded thumbnail for Properties Panel for Schematics
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Properties Panel for Schematics

In Altium Designer version 20.0, the Interactive Properties panel for schematics includes several functional improvements as well as productivity enhancements. The entire layout has been refined to optimize efficiency, icons and graphical previews have been improved, and there is now a smart parameters filter both for schematic lists and components. Dialogs for schematic properties, so beloved by our seasoned users, have returned stronger and better than ever.

Embedded thumbnail for Return Path Design Rule
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Return Path Design Rule

High-speed signals create electromagnetic fields that can cause cross-talk or data errors unless proper return paths are provided. Proper return paths allow noise currents to return to ground through a very low impedance, eliminating any problems. The new Return Path design rule monitors return paths and checks for a continuous signal return path on the designated reference layer above or below the signals targeted by the rule.

Embedded thumbnail for Sliding
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Sliding

Editing traces to improve signal integrity can be time consuming, especially when you have to edit individual arcs and serpentine tunings. Altium Designer 20 incorporates a new gloss engine and advanced push and shove capabilities to help speed up this process. which improves your productivity.

Embedded thumbnail for Creepage Distance Rule
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Creepage Distance Rule

This new design rule flags a violation when the creepage distance across non-conductive surface and edge regions of the board, between the targeted signals, is equal to or less than the specified creepage distance.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Place Lines on the Keepout Layer
How-To's Feb 24, 2020
How to Place Lines on the Keepout Layer

This video demonstrates how to place lines on the keepout layer.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Check for Missing Project Files
How-To's Feb 24, 2020
How to Check for Missing Project Files

This video shows how to check for files that are missing from a project. Many times users link to files, such as libraries or outputs, outside of their project folder. This becomes a problem when it's time to zip up and send out project files, as linked files cannot be accessed by others.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Calculate the Area of a Polygon
Working with Polygons Feb 24, 2020
How to Calculate the Area of a Polygon

This video demonstrates how to calculate the area of a polygon or region.

Embedded thumbnail for Overview of Altium Designer 20
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 21, 2020
Overview of Altium Designer 20

With the release of Altium Designer 20 comes with it many new and exciting features. See why Altium Designer is the best choice for PCB designers.

Tag
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!

Blog
Ultra HDI: It’s Not Just Buzzword

Ultra-HDI technology is transforming PCB design, enabling unprecedented miniaturization and performance. In this article, explore what sets Ultra-HDI apart from traditional HDI and how it’s shaping the future of electronics.

Blog
Cloud PCB Design: 5 Cloud Security Myths Debunked

This article addresses common misconceptions about cloud security in PCB design. It explains how modern cloud platforms, such as Altium 365, often provide superior security compared to traditional on-premises solutions. Key features like advanced infrastructure, granular access controls, and compliance with stringent regulations ensure the protection of valuable design data.

Blog
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.

Blog
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.

Blog
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.

Tag
Embedded thumbnail for How to Create an Interactive PDF of a Schematic Diagram
How-To's
How to Create an Interactive PDF of a Schematic Diagram

This video shows how to create an interactive PDF using the Smart PDF Wizard.

Embedded thumbnail for What is the Draftsman Document?
How to Work with Draftsman
What is the Draftsman Document?

Once your PCB layout is finished it’s time for review. This is where the Draftsman Document and Altium Designer’s Draftsman Editor comes in.

Embedded thumbnail for Adding Project Modules to a Multi-board Schematic
How to work with Multiboard
Adding Project Modules to a Multi-board Schematic

If you’re using multiple PCBs in your Multi-board design, Altium Designer allows you to add existing projects directly to your schematic with modules. We’ll show you how to quickly and efficiently add these projects to your Multi-board design.

Embedded thumbnail for Checking for Creepage in High Voltage Designs
How-To's
Checking for Creepage in High Voltage Designs

High voltage devices have leakage currents that propage over the surface of the board. In such devices, it's important to consider not only the standard gap between the two topological elements, but also the shortest possible path between them, taking into account cut-outs and holes. With Altium Designer 20, you can check for creepage using the new creepage distance rule.

Embedded thumbnail for Creating BGA Footprints with the Footprint Wizard
How to create a PCB Footprint
Creating BGA Footprints with the Footprint Wizard

Altium Designer makes it easy to create a BGA footprint using our IPC compliant footprint wizard. We'll show you how easily you can create and modify a BGA footprint using the footprint wizard.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Remove Unused Pad Shapes
How-To's
How to Remove Unused Pad Shapes

Unused pad shapes can cause distortion among other problems so it is best to exclude them from your designs. This video shows how to remove unused pad shapes.

Embedded thumbnail for Stackup Presets and Templates
How to work with Layer Stack Manager
Stackup Presets and Templates

In this video, we will learn how to apply predefined layer stacks to the board, as well as how to save the layer stack file as a template.

Embedded thumbnail for Creating a PCB Footprint Assembly Drawing
How to create a PCB Footprint
Creating a PCB Footprint Assembly Drawing

If you need to create an assembly drawing of your PCB Footprint for your outjob files we can show you how in Altium Designer. We’ll walk through all the different options for your assembly drawing in your Draftsman document, how to create your assembly drawing and assign it designators.

Embedded thumbnail for Using the ActiveBOM
How-To's
Using the ActiveBOM

Using the ActiveBOM: The Bill of Materials (BOM) contains a list of all the components with their designators, part numbers, values, and other parameters. An ActiveBOM manages the mapping from the design component (part) to the part that is purchased. This video describes how to use the ActiveBOM document to create an up-to-date list of components needed for your project.

Embedded thumbnail for Using Back Drills in your Stackup
How to work with Layer Stack Manager
Using Back Drills in your Stackup

In this video, we will learn about Back Drilling technology, how to set up back drilling using the layer stack manager, and how to set up the Stub Length sizes for back drilling by specifying applicable nets using the Design Rules Editor.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Customize The Properties Panel
How-To's
How to Customize The Properties Panel

How to Customize The Properties Panel: This video will go over how to customize the look and feel of the properties panel in Altium Designer. By being able to personalize your workspace you can greatly improve your efficiency

Embedded thumbnail for How to Create and Use Impedance Profiles
How to work with Layer Stack Manager
How to Create and Use Impedance Profiles

Using the Altium Designer Layer Stack Manager, we will show how to create impedance profiles for transmission lines and how to apply them to the circuit board using the PCB Rules and Constraints Editor.

Embedded thumbnail for Creating a PCB Footprint Courtyard
How to create a PCB Footprint
Creating a PCB Footprint Courtyard

The courtyard is an essential piece when you want to create a PCB Footprint in Altium Designer. We’ll talk about what a courtyard is, how to create a courtyard, and how to format a courtyard correctly for your PCB footprint.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Edit Existing Tracks in Altium Designer
How-To's
How to Edit Existing Tracks in Altium Designer

This new design rule flags a violation when the creepage distance across non-conductive surface and edge regions of the board, between the targeted signals, is equal to or less than the specified Creepage distance.

Embedded thumbnail for Creating a PCB Footprint Silkscreen Overlay
How to create a PCB Footprint
Creating a PCB Footprint Silkscreen Overlay

When creating a PCB footprint in Altium Designer creating a silkscreen overlay is an important requirement. We’ll go over the standards for creating a silkscreen overlay for a footprint and the steps to creating one, such as constructing lines and measuring distance of objects and primitives.

Tuning
What's New in 22.7
Ability to Change Tuning Object Layer Properties

Design of high-speed PCBs becomes easier with this latest release. Now, when you need to quickly move tuning elements to a different layer, you can do so from the Properties panel with a single click.

Tag
Your search returns no results.