Welcome, Guest

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

News & Updates

Filters:
Tag
Complex Design Made Easy Preview
On-Demand Webinar
Altium Designer® 21: A Better Way To Design

The design process often requires repetitive work with tedious tasks. Altium Designer 21 represents a better way to design by revitalizing long-standing functionality and improving the user experience, as well as performance and stability, based on the feedback from our users. These improvements streamline existing design tasks and empower you to complete sophisticated rigid and rigid-flex designs with realistic 3D modeling.

History
Blog
What You Can Track in Your Altium Project History

When you’re working through a new PCB design project, and you need to keep track of your project revisions, Altium 365™ creates the ideal environment for collaborative PCB design and revision tracking. Once you upload your projects onto the cloud through the Altium 365 platform, Altium 365 creates a Git repository for your project. It allows you to make it available to collaborators through Altium Designer®. This includes a complete project history, which can be easily accessed by collaborators working on a complex project.

Quickly Compare Gerbers PCB
Blog
Gerber Compare in Altium 365's Online Platform

The moment you push your Gerbers to a manufacturer for a DFM inspection, it can be a nerve-wracking experience waiting for a response. Before you receive your working boards, there will likely be some back-and-forth communication before your board hits the fabrication line. When manufacturers and designers need to resolve problems in Gerber files before fabrication, it helps to have a Gerber compare utility. The newest version of Altium Designer now offers this feature through the Altium 365 platform, giving everyone visibility into changes to Gerbers before fabrication.

Electric car charging
Blog
California Bets on Electric Cars and Plans to Ban Gasoline Car Sales by 2035

No matter how you might feel about renewable energy and associated environmental issues, electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream and will become the primary mode of transportation in the future. For the engineering community, what’s much more interesting is how our power distribution and management infrastructure can support this shift to massive increases in the use of electricity on the grid. So what’s the rub for PCB designers?

Embedded thumbnail for Creating High-speed Signal Classes with xSignals
How To Work with High-Speed Projects
Creating High-speed Signal Classes with xSignals

You can create, configure, and utilize xSignals in Altium Designer to make your design process more efficient and effective. We’ll show you how to do it manually, using the more comprehensive Create xSignals command, and using the xSignal wizard.

BGA Chip
Blog
My Favorite Altium Designer Keyboard Shortcuts and Viewing Features

When you’re working through a complex PCB layout, it always helps to know the shortcuts you can use to stay productive. Altium Designer® keyboard shortcuts, and keyboard + mouse shortcuts, can help you easily walk through your PCB layout during design and as part of final checks during a design review. Here are some of my favorite keyboard shortcuts and viewing options that help me stay productive, and I hope they can do the same for you.

Printed tracks on PCB in Altium Designer
On-Demand Webinar
Printed Circuit Design in Altium Designer

Printed Electronics is emerging to become as common as 3D printing. With this fast-emerging technology, new possibilities have come into the manufacturing arena, allowing engineers and designers to develop products in markets never before realized. With the emergence of many contract manufacturers possessing this capability, the cost is competitive. Quick-turn prototypes and volume production are now all possibilities, and with Altium 365® you stay connected directly with your manufacturer throughout the design process.

High-speed route
Blog
The IEEE P370 Standard for High Speed PCB Interconnects

High speed PCB interconnects have continued to remain an active challenge in modeling and simulation, particularly when dealing with broadband signals. The IEEE P370 standard is a step towards addressing the challenges faced by many designers in determining broadband S-parameters for high speed structures up to 50 GHz. Although this standard has been in the works since 2015, it finally passed board approval and appears as an active draft standard.

Memory stick
Blog
Class-D Amplifier Design and PCB Layout

Amplifiers can come in all shapes and sizes, depending on their bandwidth, power consumption, and many other factors. A Class-D amplifier design is normally used with high fidelity audio systems, and circuits for a Class-D amplifier are not too difficult to build in a schematic. If you’ve never worked with a Class-D amplifier or you’re looking for a fun audio project, follow along with this PCB layout.

RAM text
Blog
DDR5 vs. DDR6: Here's What to Expect in RAM Modules

Modern digital systems throw the digital electronics textbooks out the window, and high-speed DDR memories are a perfect example of the paradigm shift that occurs when you jump into IC and PCB design. With DDR5 still being finalized, and DDR6 now being discussed, designers who are already comfortable with DDR4 will need to consider how their design practices should adjust to accommodate the constant doubling of data speeds in these high-speed memory technologies.

Explaining the Impedance of the Crystal
Blog
Making the Most of Your Crystal Oscillator

In my experience, the somewhat vague information you might find in a typical crystal datasheet doesn’t enable an engineer to be wholly confident that their design expectations can be met. On the other hand, “blindly” adopting what the crystal datasheet says usually results in adequate frequency stability. If you want to get inside and uncover what is going on, you need to start thinking about the crystal as a phase-shifting network.

Webinar preview
On-Demand Webinar
Using Output Job Files for Rapid, Repeatable PCB Manufacturing Data Generation

An OutJob is simply a pre-configured set of outputs. Each output is configured with its own settings and its own output format, for example, output to a file or to a printer. OutJobs are very flexible – they can include as many or as few outputs as required and any number of OutJobs can be included in a project. The best approach is to use one OutJob to configure all outputs required for each specific type of output being generated from the project. 

Routed PCB
Blog
How Antipads Affect Signal Integrity in Your Multilayer PCB

Antipads on vias and landing pads are a point of contention in modern PCB design, and the debate around the use of these elements in a multilayer PCB is framed as a binary choice. Like thermal reliefs, ground plane splits, and orthogonal routing, the debate around antipads on landing pads and vias is framed as an always/never choice. With today’s modern PCBs, it pays to understand the effects of antipads on signal integrity.

PCB with RF elements
Blog
How to Design a Microstrip to Waveguide Transition

RF structures can be complicated to design and layout, particularly because many RF systems lead double lives as digital systems. Getting an analog signal out of a component and into a waveguide for high isolation routing is not so simple as placing a microstrip or stripline coming off your source component. Instead, you need to create a special microstrip to waveguide transition structure to ensure strong coupling into and out of your waveguide.

Article Preview
Blog
Managing PCB Polygon Pour and Copper Features in Complex Layouts

Layouts for complex electrical systems may need to make extensive use of copper pour to provide ground nets, power nets, shielding, and other copper structures for power and signal integrity. Backplanes, motherboards, RF products, and many other complex layouts will make use of copper pour and polygons that can’t be easily placed as custom components. The rules-driven design engine in Altium Designer® also ensures that any PCB polygon pour you place in your PCB layout will comply with clearance rules and will be checked against other electrical design rules.

Article preview
On-Demand Webinar
Best Practices: Efficient Use of Snapping in Altium Designer

Getting your PCB layout design done takes patience and precision. Complex footprint geometries, board shape, and dense component placement require accurate primitive positioning. Each stage of PCB design needs a different snapping configuration. Often your settings can be excellent for one stage and be unfavorable for another. Learn more about different snapping usage patterns and best practices of efficient snappings.

Backplane printed circuit boards
Blog
High Speed Backplane Design and PCB Layout Tips

If you need to connect multiple boards into a larger system and provide interconnections between them, you’ll likely use a backplane to arrange these boards. Backplanes are advanced boards that borrow some elements from high speed design, mechanical design, high voltage/high current design, and even RF design.  They carry their own set of standards that go beyond the reliability requirements in IPC.

M2 Sata PCB
Blog
PCIe 5.0 Signal Integrity and Analysis

The upcoming Gen6 version of PCIe is pushing the limits of signal integrity for many computer systems designers. As with any high-speed signaling standard, signal integrity is a major design consideration, which requires the right set of design and analysis techniques. Rather than digging deep to find PCIe 5.0 signal integrity requirements from PCI-SIG, we’ve compiled the important points for today’s PCB layout engineers. Layout engineers should pay attention here as these design requirements will become more stringent in later PCIe generations.

Blog
Top 4 Time Wasters in PCB Design Collaboration

An essential aspect of project management is time management, especially when your design team is working remotely. Your time management strategy is team-based and individual, but time can easily get spent on important tasks when working as part of a team. So how can you streamline important collaboration tasks for your design team to increase productivity?

Embedded thumbnail for MCAD CoDesigner Overview
Working with MCAD CoDesigner extension
MCAD CoDesigner Overview

The MCAD CoDesigner in Altium Designer allows for seamless design transfer between the Electrical and Mechanical designers. In this overview, we’ll show you how to transfer from Altium Designer to your CAD tool of choice, then how to resize the board, add mounting holes, add a new connector, and update the board design in Altium Designer.

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

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.  Today’s blog will address some of the most commonly asked questions related to circuit layer stack up as people are introduced to this new technology.

Design Reuse Blocks Update
Blog
Altium Designer 22.9 Update

We are happy to announce that the Altium Designer 22.9 update is now available. Altium Designer 22.9 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!

Dual Rail Voltage Supply
Blog
Dual Rail Voltage Supply

The highest performing operational amplifiers often need a split supply with positive and negative voltages connected to the op amps supply rails. In this project, we’re going to be building a positive/negative dual rail power supply for a differential oscilloscope probe I’m designing. I’m making the power supply a separate project, as a dual rail supply is quite useful to have, and I’m sure I’ll find multiple uses for it in the future.

Library Importer Interface
Blog
Library Importer Improvements (former Library Migrator)

Importing file-based libraries from your local computer or network drive to your Altium 365 workspace can be done using the Library Importer. Altium’s Library Migrator was renamed Library Importer—the feature’s name was changed to conform more closely to the tool’s purpose. Not only is its name new, but our team has also made several user experience improvements. We have updated the documentation to reflect this change.

Blog
How to Select Copper Foil for High-Frequency PCB Design

The PCB materials industry has spent significant amounts of time developing materials that provide lowest possible signal loss for products with RF applications. For high speed and high frequency designs, losses will limit signal propagation distance and distort signals, and it will create an impedance deviation that can be seen in TDR measurements. In this article, we'll look at the balance between copper foil losses and other types of losses in a PCB, as well as some strategies that are commonly used to overcome roughness.

Blog
Altium Designer 22.8 Update

We are happy to announce that the Altium Designer 22.8 update is now available. Altium Designer 22.8 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!

What is Hybrid Beamforming?
Blog
What is Hybrid Beamforming?

In this article, we’ll look at beamforming implementation in an advanced method combining analog and digital techniques, known as hybrid beamforming. This method blends both digital and analog techniques to create multiple beams and thus reach multiple users with varying intensities. In the case of an RF imaging system or a radar system, hybrid beamforming in a MIMO technique also allows tracking of multiple targets with adjustable resolution.

Is your via impedance calculator accurate?
Blog
Why Most Via Impedance Calculators Are Inaccurate

The problem with every via impedance calculator that I have seen is simple: they are incomplete or totally wrong. The “incomplete” part refers to a lack of context; these calculators can roughly reproduce a well-known estimate from a legend like Howard Johnson in his Digital Design textbooks. However, these calculators never provide insight into what they are actually calculating, or where the calculated via impedance is accurate. Keep reading to see why these calculators get it so wrong, as well as the context surrounding via impedance.

Blog
Buck Converter Simulation in Altium Designer

When designing high power circuits (usually very high voltage and/or current), you’ll need to create a regulator from scratch and place it in your PCB layout. It's also the case that you may want to model a real component using discretes in a simulation in order to qualify the system's expected operating regime. As part of buck converter design, you can easily run a buck converter simulation directly in Altium Designer’s schematic editor. Here’s how you can access these features in the newest version of Altium Designer. 

PCIe 6.0 Overview
Blog
Overview of the PCIe 6.0 Standard

Just as you get used to PCIe 5.0, they decide to release another standard! The newest iteration of PCIe is Gen6, or PCIe 6.0. PCIe 6.0 brings a doubling of channel bandwidth through introduction of PAM-4 as the signaling method in high-speed differential channels. This signaling method is a first for PCIe, and it’s an important enabler of the doubled data rate we see in the current standard. In this article, I’ll run over the important points in the standard and what PCB designers can expect when designing these channels.

SPI vs. I2C For Memory Access
Blog
SPI vs. I2C: How to Choose the Best Protocol for Your Memory Chips

One of the common implementations of SPI and I2C in a PCB layout is as a protocol for reading and writing to an external Flash memory. Flash chips are a very common component in embedded systems and can offer high capacities of non-volatile memory up to Gb values. When choosing a memory chip, you'll want to match the application requirements and functionality with the bus speed you need for read and write operations in your memory chip. There is also the matter of the type of Flash memory you'll need to access (NOR vs. NAND).

Blog
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.

The Skin Effect and EM Fields
Blog
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.

Packaging for your PCBAs
Blog
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.

PCB Output files
Blog
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.

Teardrops on Differential Pairs?
Blog
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.

Tag
Embedded thumbnail for Import Component Footprints Faster with Altium Designer. Part III: Supply Chain Intelligence
Import Component Footprints Faster with Altium Designer
Import Component Footprints Faster with Altium Designer. Part III: Supply Chain Intelligence

Discover how to leverage supply chain intelligence in Altium Designer! Piet Callemeyn demonstrates enhancing Manufacturer Part Search with real-time data on component availability and pricing in the last chapter of the series about component creation.

Embedded thumbnail for Robotic Harvest: Securing Our Food Future
Altium Stories
Robotic Harvest: Securing Our Food Future

See how Altium's PCB design software, including Multi-board System Design and Harness Design capabilities, supports Muddy Machines, a company building autonomous robots for use in the agriculture industry. This video demonstrates the vital role of technology in creating resilient and efficient agricultural practices for the future.

Embedded thumbnail for Finding Alternate Field-Effect Transistors: Alternate Parts Series: Pt. 3
Octopart
Finding Alternate Field-Effect Transistors: Alternate Parts Series: Pt. 3

In Part 3 of "Expert Insights on Alternative Parts" series, Phil Salmony will demonstrate how Octopart identifies suitable alternative field-effect transistors (FETs). Octopart assists in narrowing down parameters to select the right component for any application. Learn to navigate Octopart's search and filtering tools to choose the best MOSFETs for your specific application.

Embedded thumbnail for Stay Ahead of the Curve: A Half-Year Review of Altium Designer Improvements -  Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 24
Stay Ahead of the Curve: A Half-Year Review of Altium Designer Improvements - Recording Preview

In the last six months, we have implemented significant enhancements in Schematic Capture, PCB Design, and Harness Design in Altium Designer 24. Check out our webinar recording to learn how these new capabilities can keep you ahead in the electronics industry. You can find it here: July COM Webinar Recording

Embedded thumbnail for How Skeleton Technologies Uses Altium Solutions
Altium Stories
How Skeleton Technologies Uses Altium Solutions

Explore how Skeleton Technologies is transforming industries with their innovative supercapacitors made from “Curved Graphene” materials. These advancements are not only powering AI data centers and stabilizing electrical grids but are also unlocking new energy opportunities and driving progress towards a net-zero future.

Embedded thumbnail for LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part II: Voltage Drop and Regulation
LDO Regulator Essentials
LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part II: Voltage Drop and Regulation

We are returning to our LDO Regulator Essentials series. In this installment, we will focus on understanding the required dropout voltage, detecting when the regulator is out of regulation, and analyzing the performance of the LDO under higher current conditions.

Embedded thumbnail for LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part I: Basics
LDO Regulator Essentials
LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part I: Basics

We invite you to join us for a new video series on LDO (Low Dropout) Regulators. In this series, we will cover everything you need to know about LDO regulators, from fundamental theory to practical implementation. In the first video, we will begin with an in-depth chapter on the theory behind these devices and their implementation in Altium Designer.

Embedded thumbnail for Wearable Design Project - Part VII: PCB Layout part III
Wearable Design Project
Wearable Design Project - Part VII: PCB Layout part III

Check out the final installment of the video series on the Wearable Design Project. In this video, you will learn how to set the rigid and flex parts of the design, modify the board for the project, and complete the PCB routing. For a deeper dive into this project, you can find it on our Altium Community Workspace.

Embedded thumbnail for Optimize Connections and PCB Design with Wire Bonding
New in Altium Designer 24
Optimize Connections and PCB Design with Wire Bonding

Experience our new wire bonding feature, designed to enhance connection integrity and improve PCB design efficiency. One of the main capabilities includes support for chip-up wire bonding configurations and easy validation of bond wiring in 3D view. Don’t miss this opportunity—participate in our Beta Program and be among the first engineers to explore this impressive feature.

Embedded thumbnail for Innovative Jewelry: Startup Uses Altium to Embed Electronics
Altium Stories
Innovative Jewelry: Startup Uses Altium to Embed Electronics

Discover how Safety by Cilia transformed personal protection by utilizing Altium Designer and Altium 365 to create groundbreaking jewelry that also functions as a safety alarm. This device integrates GPS tracking, dual alarm options (both loud and silent), automatic audio recording, and rapid notification capabilities, all while maintaining an accessory that excels in both aesthetics and functionality.

Embedded thumbnail for Wearable Design Project - Part VI: PCB Layout part II
Wearable Design Project
Wearable Design Project - Part VI: PCB Layout part II

Join us for Part VI of the Wearable Design Project as Piet Callemeyn finalizes the PCB layout, focusing on rigid-flex design. Learn key strategies for optimizing your wearable tech design. Like, comment, and subscribe!

Embedded thumbnail for Super Capacitors Unlock the Future of Energy
Altium Stories
Super Capacitors Unlock the Future of Energy

In this brand new episode of Altium Stories, we invite you to explore how Skeleton Technologies is transforming numerous industries with their innovative graphene-based superbatteries. Their advanced electronics technology powers AI data centers, stabilizes electrical grids, and creates new energy opportunities, all while advancing us toward a net-zero future.

Embedded thumbnail for Wearable Design Project - Part V: PCB Layout Part I
Wearable Design Project
Wearable Design Project - Part V: PCB Layout Part I

Join Piet Callemeyn in Part V of our wearable technology design series as he delves into the complexities of PCB layout for a wireless heart rate sensor. In this session, we will guide you through the initial steps of PCB layout preparation.

Embedded thumbnail for Mixed Simulation Pt.5: Power Loss Optimization & Sensitivity Analysis
Mixed Simulation Series
Mixed Simulation Pt.5: Power Loss Optimization & Sensitivity Analysis

Discover methods to reduce power loss and employ Sensitivity Analysis in Altium Designer to enhance circuit efficiency and robustness. This tutorial guides you through practical techniques and tools for optimizing power usage in your designs.

Embedded thumbnail for Custom Pad Stack: Use Cases
New in Altium Designer 24
Custom Pad Stack: Use Cases

Unlock the secrets of custom pad stacks in Altium Designer! This video tutorial takes you from basics to advanced techniques, covering pad creation, customization, and multi-layer pads. Enhance your PCB design skills with this comprehensive guide.

Embedded thumbnail for Mixed Simulation Pt. 4: Setting Up Power Measurements and Using Measurement Expressions
Mixed Simulation Series
Mixed Simulation Pt. 4: Setting Up Power Measurements and Using Measurement Expressions

Part IV of our Constraint Manager Series is live! In this episode, we explore essential steps like setting up physical constraints, conducting layout checks, and organizing constraint sets for efficient PCB design management. Follow along to enhance your workflow and optimize your designs.

Tag
Your search returns no results.