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Embedded thumbnail for Innovative Kidney Disease Bio Sensor Designed with Altium Software
Altium Stories
Innovative Kidney Disease Bio Sensor Designed with Altium Software

Check how Altium software helps Metyos, pioneers in the development of a biowearable aimed at monitoring chronic kidney disease, in their work. They needed efficient collaboration tools to manage contributions from mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineers, which our software can provide.

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Octopart
Finding Inductors: Alternate Parts Series: Part 2

In part two of the Alternate Part series, we delve into the quest for a fitting alternate inductor for a battery controller IC equipped with a switching regulator.

Embedded thumbnail for Mixed Simulation Series - Part 1: Add Sources, Specify Coupled Inductors & Configure Result Plots
Mixed Simulation Series
Mixed Simulation Series - Part 1: Add Sources, Specify Coupled Inductors & Configure Result Plots

Watch this tutorial to learn how to design and optimize a five-block charging circuit using mixed simulation tools in Altium Designer, enhancing functionality and efficiency with practical tips and insights.

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.

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How-To's
Enhance Design Review Efficiency and Assembly Precision with MultiBoard Draftsman

Discover the capabilities of the multi-board Draftsman feature in Altium Designer 24 in our latest video, where we showcase its role in enhancing documentation processes using a mini-PC multi-board. Learn to create detailed, visually appealing documentation efficiently.

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Altium Stories
The Future of Healthcare is Wearable

Meet Metyos, a startup pioneering the development of a biowearable aimed at monitoring chronic kidney disease. With Altium, Metyos is advancing the future of wearable medical devices, putting healthcare back into the hands of patients and professionals alike. Check out their story in our brand new video about them and collaboration with Altium.

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.

Iterate Faster in Complex Engineering Projects Webinar Cover
On-Demand Webinar
Iterate Faster in Complex Engineering Projects

Learn how Valispace is transforming the world of requirements and systems engineering, enabling teams to do super fast design iterations and develop quality products while ensuring they comply with standards and regulations.

Embedded thumbnail for Hardware Design Masterclasses - Wrocław 2024 Slideshow
HDM Wrocław
Hardware Design Masterclasses - Wrocław 2024 Slideshow

Immerse yourself in the world of hardware design at the Hardware Design Masterclasses in Wroclaw! Explore our slideshow for a peek into the hands-on workshops, expert insights, and revolutionary techniques that made this experience truly unforgettable!

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New Constraint Manager
New Constraint Manager: Creepage Constraints & Resolving Violations

Join us for the final video of our Constraint Manager series we explore implementing creepage rules for high voltage designs. Through meticulous adjustments and customizations, we optimize the PCB layout to meet safety standards, showcasing the evolution of our design.

Altium 365 GovCloud Why We Chose AWS GovCloud (US) Cover
Blog
4 Reasons Why We Chose AWS GovCloud (US) for Altium 365 GovCloud

In this blog, we explain the reasons behind our decision to operate Altium 365 GovCloud within AWS GovCloud (US). This partnership is guided by a clear vision: to provide our users with a secure, compliant, and reliable platform for sensitive electronics design data.

Embedded thumbnail for Mastering Data Management with Altium Designer 24 - Webinar Recording
New in Altium Designer 24
Mastering Data Management with Altium Designer 24 - Webinar Recording

Explore how Altium Designer 24 empowers you to effectively manage, access, and synchronize your data in our April webinar recording. The full video can be found here: COM April Webinar Recording

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Embedded World 2024
Embedded World 2024 Slideshow

We’re still looking back at Embedded World 2024 in awe of what an adventure it was! Shout out to everyone who swung by our booth, bringing boundless enthusiasm, insights, and energy to the mix—you made this event a resounding success! Check our brand new slideshow from this international event.

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How-To's
V-Scoring vs. Mouse Bites! PCB Panelization Deep Dive

Dive deep into PCB panel design and manufacturing as we explore the intricacies of V-Scoring and Mouse Bites. This comprehensive video sheds light on these pivotal techniques essential in PCB manufacturing.

Blog
3D MID Design Whitepaper

Dive into a dynamic design experience where you can visualize and edit your circuits in true 3D, offering unparalleled precision. Altium Designer's 3D-MID (Mechatronic Integrated Device) Design tool revolutionizes the design process, providing a fresh perspective. Explore the capabilities and benefits of this feature in our comprehensive guide.

Blog
Types of Wiring Harnesses for Electronics

In today's world, many products utilize multiple PCBs interconnected with each other, often leading to a complex network of cables within an enclosure. The most effective way to manage these wires and cables is by constructing a wiring harness. This article explores the various types of harnesses used in electronics.

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Octopart
Expert Insights on Alternate Parts

Join Philip Salmony in this enlightening series as he unravels the complexities of sourcing alternate parts to enhance your designs. In this episode, watch Phil effortlessly locate a substitute Ceramic Capacitor, backed with invaluable tips, tricks, and strategies that will transform your approach to part sourcing and revolutionize your design process.

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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.

Broken PCB
Blog
The High-Reliability PCBA Design and Test Challenge

High-reliability electronics must go through multiple rounds of testing and qualification to ensure they can withstand their intended operating environment. Designing to performance standards, whether the baseline IPC standards or more stringent industry standards, is the first step in ensuring a reliable circuit board. In this e-book, readers will gain a thorough look into PCB testing and analysis, starting from basic tests performed on bare boards and completed assemblies.

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Embedded thumbnail for Adding Power Nets for Simulation
How To Work with Power Analyzer by Keysight
Adding Power Nets for Simulation

One of the most important things when designing your PCB is to check and measure the quality of electrical power for your project. Power Analyzer by Keysight offers you the ability to simulate how power is distributed on your PCB. In this video, we will show you how to prepare power nets for simulation in Altium Designer.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Use Transmission Lines in RF Design
How-To's
How to Use Transmission Lines in RF Design

High frequency signals are carried on circuit boards via transmission lines. Learn the differences between standard 50 ohm impedance microstrip lines and coplanar transmission lines in this video. We also explore the best-use cases for coplanar transmission lines, how they impact loss and interference, dielectric thicknesses, and more.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Reverse Engineer a PCB from Gerber Files
How-To's
How to Reverse Engineer a PCB from Gerber Files

Have you ever done a reverse-engineering? In this video we walk you through the process how to prepare a PCB from Gerber files, using a variety of methods, including via CAMtastic in Altium Designer.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Use Power Regulator Circuits in Series and Parallel
How-To's
How to Use Power Regulator Circuits in Series and Parallel

In this tutorial video we show you two ways to get more power out of your power supply using power regulator circuits in series and in parallel.

NEW
Embedded thumbnail for Measuring in the PCB
How-To's
Measuring in the PCB

Altium Designer gives you fine grained control over how you measure object distances in the PCB. When spacing is such a critical aspect of board layout, this control is absolutely necessary. We'll show you how to utilize the measure distance command and measure selected objects, as well as how to measure tracks and faces of 3D bodies.

Embedded thumbnail for Polygon: Polygon Creation
How-To's
Polygon: Polygon Creation

Learn how to create polygon pours to ensure proper copper distribution on your board.

Embedded thumbnail for How to work with cursors in the simulation results?
How-To's
How to work with cursors in the simulation results?

Cursors are one of the most indispensable tools for modeling results. They do not require long study, are easy to use and give an instant answer to the main questions.

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How-To's
3D view control

Learn how to use the 3D display mode of the PCB and learn to control the camera in this mode in this video.

Embedded thumbnail for Query Language: How to Easily Create Expressions
How-To's
Query Language: How to Easily Create Expressions

In this video the main tools which allow to simplify the process of building a query in Altium Designer will be considered. There are several such tools and each of them has its own limitations and peculiarities of use.

Embedded thumbnail for PCB Classes overview
How-To's
PCB Classes overview

Are there too many primitives on the board? Having trouble creating design rules? This video gives a brief overview of the classes of primitives that can be created on the board, as well as the possibilities for their further use.

Embedded thumbnail for Creating a BGA Footprint with the Footprint Wizard
How-To's
Creating a BGA Footprint 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 work with Pad Classes on PCB?
How-To's
How to work with Pad Classes on PCB?

Sometimes it is required to set different design rules for a different set of pads on the board. The easiest way is to use pad classes and in this video we'll show you how easy it is to create and apply them.

Embedded thumbnail for How to work with multivariate calculations?
How-To's
How to work with multivariate calculations?

Additional modes for obtaining temperature, parametric dependencies and probabilistic distribution by the Monte Carlo method are performed together with basic calculations and allow expanding the possibilities for analyzing design results.

Embedded thumbnail for How to calculate Transient Analysis?
How-To's
How to calculate Transient Analysis?

Transient Analysis simulates the reaction of a circuit over a period of time. It can be supplemented by Fourier Analysis and the use of Initial Conditions.

Embedded thumbnail for BOM Comments
How-To's
BOM Comments

Convenient interaction and coordination of the Active BOM with the help of comments is possible both from the web version of the project and from the Altium Designer between participants of the same and different roles.

Embedded thumbnail for Query Language: What is It For?
How-To's
Query Language: What is It For?

A PCB project contains many different objects. How to manage them? How to find the right ones quickly and efficiently? This video starts the series about query language. Learn the language commands and how to use them and expand your possibilities!

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