News & Updates
Preventing DFM problems starts before fabrication not during the fab review. This article covers eight common PCB manufacturing issues and the design rules that help engineers identify and resolve them early.
Different CAD tools shouldn't mean disconnected teams. Learn how Multi-CAD workflows help engineers review designs, collaborate across disciplines, and catch mechanical or sourcing issues before they become costly redesigns.
This article explores how manufacturing-driven design can help teams validate multiboard products before they reach the factory. It highlights how early checks of interconnects, harnesses, mechanical fit, sourcing, and manufacturing data can reduce late-stage changes and accelerate production readiness.
Automated design sign-offs can eliminate much of the administrative friction surrounding hardware approvals. This article explores how in-context reviews, structured workflows, and automated traceability help teams accelerate release cycles while maintaining control.
Flexible circuits introduce unique assembly challenges that aren't always visible during PCB design, from panel instability and component movement to thermal distortion during reflow. This article explains how design decisions around stiffeners, placement, panelization, and materials can improve assembly yield and reduce costly rework.
Fixing one design problem can sometimes create another you didn't see coming. This article uses the S-80 submarine program to show how better requirements traceability can help teams spot hidden impacts before they turn into expensive rework.
A BOM is only valuable if everyone can trust the data it contains. This article shows how connected BOM management helps teams eliminate errors, improve collaboration, and keep fast-moving hardware projects on schedule.
PCB design rules are the foundation of every successful layout. This article explores how defining and managing constraints helps engineers improve design accuracy, simplify verification, and deliver manufacturing-ready PCBs with confidence.
Great products are built by connected teams, not disconnected tools. This article shows how cloud ECAD platforms enable real-time co-design, structured design reviews, and seamless collaboration across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.
A five-minute conversation with your fabricator could save weeks of redesign. Discover the ten questions that can improve manufacturability, boost yield, and help your rigid-flex project succeed on the first build.
Learn the six essential topics every electronics team should address in design reviews to improve quality, avoid surprises and bring products to market faster.
From design to production, effective Bill of Materials (BOM) management is critical to ensuring smooth collaboration between engineering, procurement, and manufacturing teams. In this practical guide, we break down proven strategies for structuring, maintaining, and synchronizing your BOM to prevent costly mistakes and accelerate time-to-market.
This series of guided demos shows how the Altium Requirements Portal transforms scattered requirement spreadsheets and emails into traceable, version-controlled data that stays aligned with your PCB design efforts.
Discover when a rigid-flex PCB is a better choice than a separate flex circuit and connector, especially for designs requiring compact packaging, repeated motion or high reliability. The article emphasizes that although rigid-flex needs more upfront planning and fabrication collaboration, it often pays off in simpler assemblies and improved performance.
As vehicles evolve into advanced electronic systems, the separation between electrical and mechanical design teams becomes a critical bottleneck. This article explores how synchronized ECAD–MCAD workflows help automotive projects move faster, reduce rework and maintain design integrity.
We all want to pack more into our PCB designs, but the smallest via isn’t always the smartest one. Dive in to learn how picking the right structure can save you headaches down the line.
Structural electronics integrates electronic functionality directly into the physical structure of a product, eliminating the need for traditional circuit boards. This article examines how advances in materials, additive manufacturing, and flexible substrates are enabling compact, 3D, and wearable systems with enhanced performance and design freedom.
In ultra-HDI designs, soldermask is no longer a passive coating but a pivotal element that can determine manufacturability. This article explores why mask registration, resolution, and feature tolerances become critical as line spacings shrink below 50 µm.
When the margin for error is nearly zero, aerospace engineering demands a design process that’s seamless across all domains. Here, we explore how ECAD-MCAD co-design delivers an integrated workflow that supports first-pass success and compliance with strict aerospace standards.
Many PCB assemblies fail not because of exotic faults, but due to basic issues like incorrect BOM entries or footprint mismatches that force rework or scrap. This article dives into the most common causes and how to prevent costly defects in your design-to-manufacturing process.
Forget one-shot AI hacks Ari Mahpour shows the thoughtful, sustainable way to integrate AI into embedded firmware development. Learn the core principles (planning gate, HAL abstraction, observability, timeout design) that can help you push your efficiency 5-10 times in real hardware projects.
Join Altium at PCB West 2025 in Santa Clara, CA, on October 1! Stop by Booth 300 for the official launch of the new Altium platform, built on the foundation of Altium Designer and Altium 365. Be sure to check out our live demos of Altium Develop and Altium Agile.
Moving from single-board to multi-board systems is a leap in complexity. You must manage not just routing, but power, signal integrity, mechanical fit, and regulatory requirements across boards. In this article, you’ll discover how Altium’s advanced simulation and compliance tools help engineering teams overcome these challenges and deliver reliable multi-board solutions.
As electronics continue to miniaturize and functionality increases, even minor misalignments between enclosures and connectors can derail a project. This article explores how early integration of ECAD and MCAD workflows helps detect and eliminate those costly issues before the first prototype is built.
Electronics hardware development is falling behind broader product development disciplines due to fragmented workflows, poor collaboration, and limited compliance visibility. This gap introduces risk, delays, and missed opportunities but executives see real business value in modernizing electronics development through better integration, traceability, and lifecycle visibility.
High-mix, low-volume (HMLV) electronics manufacturing requires agile sourcing strategies to handle shifting BOMs, erratic lead times, and component volatility. All while controlling costs and ensuring compliance. Cloud-based tools like Altium provide real-time component visibility, BOM collaboration, and supplier integrations to help navigate HMLV complexities.