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Embedded thumbnail for How to Validate Links Between Components and Footprints
How-To's
How to Validate Links Between Components and Footprints

Before importing or updating data from the circuit to the board, you must first verify that all components of the circuit are associated with Footprint. Watch this video to learn how to validate the links between your schematic components and footprints.

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How to work with Rooms
How to use Copy Room Format

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.

What Are the Main Skew Sources in a PCB?
Blog
Addressing Skew Sources in High Speed PCBs

If you compile a list of skew sources, you'll see that fiber weave-induced skew is only one entry on a long list of skew sources. We'll look at this list of possible skew sources below, and we'll see how they affect the operation of your PCB. From the list below, we'll see that some of these issues with skew are not simply solved by paying attention to the fiber weave construction in a PCB substrate.

Advanced Topics in High-Speed Design
On-Demand Webinar
Advanced Topics in High-Speed Design

This track is for the engineer who understands high-speed design requirements and wants to learn design practices to help ensure signal integrity and EMC with fast digital protocols, mixed-signal boards, and high layer counts.

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

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 

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

Embedded thumbnail for Allowing Permanent Display of Some Layers
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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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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Altium 365 New Website
Blog
Altium 365 now has its own website!

Discover everything you need to know about Altium 365 and experience our suite of applications for secure, seamless, and streamlined collaboration. Visit now to explore how to streamline your electronic product development.
 

Blog
Altium Designer: Leading the Charge in PCB Design Innovation

In the dynamic field of electronics design, Altium Designer stands out as a pioneer, continuously advancing the boundaries of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design. Discover the latest innovations in 3D-MID design, high-speed design, and interactive routing in this new article by David Marrakchi.

Blog
What Is Solder Mask Expansion and Which Value Should You Use?

Check out our new article explaining how to ensure sufficient pad area for soldering, manage misregistration tolerance, and maintain proper solder dams between components. It also highlights the role of collaboration with fabrication houses and the use of CAD tools in defining land patterns for advanced electronics designs.

Blog
Pi.MX8 Project - Board Layout Part 3

We continue our exploration of the Pi.MX8 open-source computer module project. In this new installment, we focus on routing planning and then cover all the layers' routing with all the details you need to know if you want to prepare a similar project.

Blog
Mastering Blind and Buried Vias

Check our compilation of essential resources you'll need to use blind and buried vias successfully in an HDI PCB. In our brand new article, we present the main and most valuable information about this technology, which may not be new but is still highly useful in High-Density Interconnect projects.

Blog
Make Sure to Clean Your No-Clean Flux

No-clean flux has become popular due to its convenience. Learn more about why this solution is used, why cleaning might still be necessary, and how to remove no-clean flux residues. We will try to dispel all these doubts in this brand new article.

Blog
How to Design a Thermal Prototype PCB

Thermal problems in PCBs often go unnoticed until prototyping, which can be costly. Design teams can't afford endless iterations, but they can conduct lower-cost thermal prototypes. Learn more about this approach in our new article.

Blog
DC-Aware Return Current in Mixed Signal PCBs

In this article, we will examine specific cases involving these types of components, where a very low-frequency signal or a DC signal needs to be measured, and the return path must be tracked to ensure the current loop is tight.

Blog
PCB Layout Replication: The Perfect Tool for Test Jigs

Replicate your circuits across multiple blocks with just a few clicks using a flawless preview pane, ensuring consistent, perfect results without the need for trial and error. Check out our new article on the PCB Layout Replication feature.

Tag
Embedded thumbnail for Pi Filter Formulas and Simulation Deep Dive
How-To's
Pi Filter Formulas and Simulation Deep Dive

Learn the essentials of Pi filters, including how to size, design, and simulate them in Altium Designer. Host Zach Peterson explains the design equations for Pi filters, discusses online tools for accurate component selection, and demonstrates real-time simulations in Altium Designer to visualize the effects of impedance mismatches.

Embedded thumbnail for True Donut Pad Shapes
New in Altium Designer 25
True Donut Pad Shapes

Check out our brand-new short video showcasing an exciting improvement in the PCB design process. Altium Designer 25 now supports true donut pad shapes, enhancing both your routing and performance.

Embedded thumbnail for Modernizing Engineering Workflows: Altium Designer 25 and the Future of Concurrent Design - Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 25
Modernizing Engineering Workflows: Altium Designer 25 and the Future of Concurrent Design - Recording Preview

Discover the new features in Altium Designer 25! This webinar recording highlights the Signal Analyzer by Keysight, advanced Wire Bonding capabilities, multi-board design enhancements, and more, showcasing how these tools can transform your PCB design process.

Embedded thumbnail for Dynamic Phase Matching and Tuning for Differential Pairs
New in Altium Designer 25
Dynamic Phase Matching and Tuning for Differential Pairs

Explore how dynamic phase matching for differential pairs works with the improved match length rule in Altium Designer. Learn key techniques in this quick tutorial!

Embedded thumbnail for Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking Features
New in Altium Designer 25
Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking Features

Discover how Altium Designer 25's Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking features streamline routing, ensuring speed and precision while maintaining adherence to all design constraints.

Embedded thumbnail for Quickstart Guide: Single Layer PCB Design with Altium Designer 25
New in Altium Designer 25
Quickstart Guide: Single Layer PCB Design with Altium Designer 25

Transform your designs with the new Single Layer PCB Design feature in Altium Designer 25! Whether you're working on Rigid-Flex projects or creating simple, space-saving boards, this tool makes the process faster, smarter, and more efficient. Watch our guide now and unlock your next big innovation.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Design Bending Regions in Flex PCBs
How-To's
How to Design Bending Regions in Flex PCBs

Watch our latest video on bending regions in flex PCBs! This step-by-step guide will show you how to configure stack-ups, distinguish between flex and rigid regions, and troubleshoot common issues in 3D views.

Embedded thumbnail for LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part V: Ripple Rejection
LDO Regulator Essentials
LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part V: Ripple Rejection

The final part of the LDO Regulator Essentials series focuses on voltage ripple rejection in Low Dropout Regulators (LDOs). Our host Rafał Stępień explains how LDOs clean up DC supply waves, ensuring stable performance in power systems. This episode provides practical insights for optimizing sensitive designs.

Embedded thumbnail for Explore Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25
New in Altium Designer 25
Explore Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25

Discover Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25. Learn about Dynamic Phase Matching, True Donut Pad Shape, and more in our latest video showcasing the powerful enhancements in our newest release.

Embedded thumbnail for Wire Bonding Shorts: Die Footprints
New in Altium Designer 25
Wire Bonding Shorts: Die Footprints

Check our new short video where Samer Aldhaher demonstrates the Wire Bonding feature in Altium Designer 25, including die-to-die and die-to-copper connections, multiple wire bonds, and pad rotation techniques.

Embedded thumbnail for Altium Designer 25: Collaboration at its Finest
New in Altium Designer 25
Altium Designer 25: Collaboration at its Finest

Altium Designer 25 focuses on enhancing collaboration for engineering teams with new tools like the SI Analyzer by Keysight, updated PCB CoDesign, MCAD and Ansys CoDesigners, and improved Simulation modules. This release also introduces Wire Bonding, Single Layer PCB, and performance upgrades for optimized PCB design workflows. Check our overview video about all the improvements in this release.

Embedded thumbnail for The Fastest Ways to Run a PCB BOM Review
How-To's
The Fastest Ways to Run a PCB BOM Review

Conducting a BOM review is crucial to prevent costly delays, obsolete components, and unforeseen sourcing challenges in your PCB project. Discover powerful tools like DigiKey, Octopart, and Altium 365’s BOM portal to simplify your review process and ensure you're selecting the best parts at optimal prices.

Embedded thumbnail for Quantum Systems uses Altium Designer and Altium 365 to build the future of Drones
Altium Stories
Quantum Systems uses Altium Designer and Altium 365 to build the future of Drones

Quantum Systems creates advanced drones for critical aerial intelligence across industries. With Altium Designer and Altium 365, they streamline electronics engineering and enhance team collaboration. Watch how Altium software helps them innovate faster and build reliable drones for mission-critical moments.

Embedded thumbnail for Wire Bonding Shorts: 3D Stacked Die with Cavity
New in Altium Designer 25
Wire Bonding Shorts: 3D Stacked Die with Cavity

Check our short video by Samer Aldhaher on using Altium Designer’s wire bonding tool for creating 3D stacked die in cavity. Highlights advanced techniques for compact, high-performance PCB designs with 3D integrated circuits.

Embedded thumbnail for Constraint Manager Improvements in Altium Designer 25
New in Altium Designer 25
Constraint Manager Improvements in Altium Designer 25

Discover the latest in Altium Designer 25’s Constraint Manager, with updates like flexible net selection, streamlined rule management, and differential pair handling. Simplify your PCB design workflow with powerful new tools and enhancements.

Embedded thumbnail for Signal Integrity Made Simple - Recording Preview
How-To's
Signal Integrity Made Simple - Recording Preview

Catch up on our “Signal Integrity Made Simple” webinar to explore essential techniques for ensuring high-speed design integrity. Watch the recording to gain practical insights, and don’t miss our upcoming November webinar showcasing the latest Altium Designer release, featuring the powerful Signal Analyzer by Keysight and additional tools to optimize your projects.

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