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New in Altium Designer 24
Streamline Your Design Process with PCB Layout Replication

We are delighted to invite you to explore our latest demo showcasing a powerful feature - PCB Layout Replication. Discover the capabilities of this tool and see how it can enhance your project workflow by automating the replication of components and repetitive sections in a PCB layout.

Z2Data Webinar Cover Photo
On-Demand Webinar
Bridge the Information Divide: Altium 365 Meets Z2Data

Watch the webinar and get a sneak peek at revolutionizing your engineering, compliance, and procurement approach with Altium 365 and Z2Data integration. Leverage comprehensive component data and advanced risk management strategies to enhance resilience in your operations.

Embedded thumbnail for A True 3D Mechatronic Integrated Device Design in Altium Designer
New in Altium Designer 24
A True 3D Mechatronic Integrated Device Design in Altium Designer

The 3D layout tool for Mechatronic Integrated Device (MID) designs seamlessly merges electronic and mechanical elements, unlocking possibilities in diverse fields such as wearables, medical devices, and automotive components. To delve deeper into this innovative tool, watch our brand-new short video.

Embedded thumbnail for Illuminating Night Races with Lazer Lamps
Success Stories
Illuminating Night Races with Lazer Lamps

Light up the track and join us on an exhilarating journey into the world of night races as Lazer Lamps takes center stage, powered by Altium Designer. In this video you can experience the thrill of racing into the future with Lazer Lamps, guided by the precision and power of Altium Designer.

Blog
Simple Documentation for Hand PCB Assembly

Creating documentation for hand PCB assembly does not prevent the same documentation from being utilized to assist in automated PCB assembly. Learn more about the optimal format for this data to enhance both your hand PCB assembly and overall assembly processes.

Blog
Constraint Manager: Precision in Every Detail

Explore the powerful features of Altium Designer 24! Experience Constraint Manager and revolutionize your PCB design with reusable constraint sets, schematic-to-board rule transition, easy class and differential pair grouping, and more.

Embedded thumbnail for The Future of 3D MID Design: Harting and Altium's Pioneering Collaboration
Success Stories
The Future of 3D MID Design: Harting and Altium's Pioneering Collaboration

Discover the collaborative journey between Harting and Altium to revolutionize 3D circuit design in this informative video. Learn about the evolution from traditional 2D to innovative 3D circuit design, made possible through Altium Designer’s advanced 3D MID capabilities.

Embedded thumbnail for Minimize Manual Effort With Automatic Length Tuning
How-To's
Minimize Manual Effort With Automatic Length Tuning

Wishing you a Happy New Year! We invite you to join us for the first video of the year. Unlock the power of Automatic Length Tuning in Altium Designer. This feature is seamlessly integrated into the main Route menu in 2D mode, streamlining your design process for enhanced precision and efficiency.

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How-To's
Happy Holidays!!!

Altium sending you warm wishes for Christmas filled with all the things that bring you joy, surrounded by the people you love and may your dreams blossom and make all your aspirations come true in the coming year.

Embedded thumbnail for Harness Design in Altium Designer helps Lazer Lamps built better products faster
Success Stories
Harness Design in Altium Designer helps Lazer Lamps built better products faster

Hear the story of how Altium Designer's Harness Design feature streamlines wiring system design to empower Lazer Lamps’ engineering team to craft superior LED driving lights in record time. From seamless collaboration among their engineering teams to the intuitive design features that accelerated their workflows, witness firsthand how Altium Designer helped improve Lazer Lamps design processes.

Blog
Explore New Possibilities with True 3D-MID Design

3D-MID technology seamlessly integrates electrical circuits with three-dimensional mechanical parts. This unique fusion of functionality unlocks a myriad of possibilities across various application areas. Explore more about this innovative feature, available in Altium Designer 24, to delve into the fascinating world of the 3D design process.

Embedded thumbnail for Altium Designer 24 - Out Now!
New in Altium Designer 24
Altium Designer 24 - Out Now!

Altium Designer 24 has arrived, heralding a groundbreaking transformation. Now available for download, it introduces exciting features including PCB CoDesign, Constraint Manager, PCB Layout Replication, Ansys CoDesigner and much more. Altium Designer isn't just a requested tool; it's a requirement that establishes the standard in electronic design.

Blog
Strategies to Minimize PCB Damage

The PCB design process is always an exciting journey for a designer or the founder of a project. The first run of it can be breathtaking. In this article, we delve into strategies for minimizing PCB damage in the case of an exemplary circuit.

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New in Altium Designer 24
Coming Soon: Sectional View

Discover more about our latest upgraded feature, premiering on December 13th. The Sectional View is a tool that simplifies and enhances your PCB design process. Whether you're troubleshooting complex designs or streamlining your workflow, it provides clarity and efficiency.

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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 Mixed Simulation Series Part 3: SPICE Models & Parameters
Mixed Simulation Series
Mixed Simulation Series Part 3: SPICE Models & Parameters

Learn to select and apply SPICE models in Altium Designer to enhance the accuracy of your circuit simulations. This tutorial provides practical insights into using SPICE models effectively in your designs.

Embedded thumbnail for The Value of Upgrading: Time and Financial Advantages of Recent Altium Versions - Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 24
The Value of Upgrading: Time and Financial Advantages of Recent Altium Versions - Recording Preview

Watch our exclusive May webinar recording to learn how Altium Designer 24 can enhance your workflow. The full video of this webinar can be found here: COM May Webinar Recording

Embedded thumbnail for How Electronics Enable Exploration of the Earth's Last Frontier
Altium Stories
How Electronics Enable Exploration of the Earth's Last Frontier

Newgrange Design, a PCB design service bureau, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), a leader in ocean research and technology, have partnered to advance oceanographic exploration through innovative solutions. See how Altium software helps in the development of an underwater acoustic modem.

Embedded thumbnail for Mixed Simulation Series - Part 2: AC Analysis Sweeps & Inline SPICE Directives
Mixed Simulation Series
Mixed Simulation Series - Part 2: AC Analysis Sweeps & Inline SPICE Directives

Explore AC analysis and SPICE simulations in Altium Designer to elevate your circuit design and analysis skills. This video guides you through essential techniques for accurate and effective simulations.

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.

Embedded thumbnail for Enhance Design Review Efficiency and Assembly Precision with MultiBoard Draftsman
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.

Embedded thumbnail for The Future of Healthcare is Wearable
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.

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.

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.

Embedded thumbnail for V-Scoring vs. Mouse Bites! PCB Panelization Deep Dive
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.

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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.

Embedded thumbnail for New Constraint Manager: Physical Constraints, Layout Checks & Constraint Sets
New Constraint Manager
New Constraint Manager: Physical Constraints, Layout Checks & Constraint Sets

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.

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