News & Updates

If you look in datasheets for most components, you’ll often find a recommended land pattern, usually alongside some mechanical package information and assembly information. This is not always the case with BGA components, especially components with high ball count. There are a few reasons for this that we can speculate: those ball counts might just be too big to put into a single page, or the manufacturer just expects you to know how to create that land pattern.

Molded interconnect devices are essentially plastic molded substrates with traces running along any surface, including at right angles and running vertically. Altium users can use the new 3D Routing extension to design their own component carriers, which can be mounted vertically in a standard assembly process. If you’ve always wanted to vertically mount components or entire circuits, but without the expense of adding a flex section to your design, the new 3D Routing extension with HARTING’s component carrier designs provides a unique solution.

Altium has released version 2.9.0 of the MCAD CoDesigner. This version has the option to exclude small components when transferring from ECAD to MCAD. The arc behavior was improved, and the support for splines in board shape and cutouts was added. With this release, you can now select a specific SOLIDWORKS configuration of a part to use on the board and view the improvements made for Siemens NX.

Altium Designer's world-class PCB design features help users quickly get started with new rigid-flex designs and prepare them for manufacturing. Rigid-flex in Altium Designer starts with designing a manufacturable PCB layer stack complete with via transitions and any calculated impedance requirements. Keep reading to see how Altium Designer supports your flex and rigid-flex designs.

Like any other advanced PCB, success in HDI design comes from designing the right stackup. One common HDI stackup used to support routing into moderate pin count, high-density BGA components is the 2+N+2 PCB layer stack for HDI boards. We’ll explore this stackup more in this article, as well as how it is related to other advanced stackups used in HDI PCBs.

Altium 365 Web Viewer now includes a built-in PDF viewer that allows you to view PDF files in releases without an external PDF viewer application. Keep reading to learn about new key features that make your work easier

There are two basic reasons for designing a flex circuit into your product: to build a compact and efficiently assembled device, or to make the circuit dynamically integrated with the mechanical function of the product. You may, of course, lean on both of these reasons for justifying the use of flex circuits. On this note, let’s look at some rigid-flex PCB applications and design examples to see the issues that spring to mind when designing flex circuits

When you’re done creating a new board, it’s time to send your design data to the manufacturer. Before releasing your designs, you’ll want to make sure that everything is ready and works as intended. In this informative video, we’ll review some of the must-have checks before sending your output data for fabrication.

With Altium 365, you can grant permission to teams or users based on the specific needs of a project. We have expanded Altium 365’s file-sharing setting, giving you more granular control over who can download source files and reshare projects with others

Any time you design a PCB, and you want to turn it into a real product, you will have to make sure the design obeys the constraints within the standard PCB manufacturing process. This imposes multiple rules on any design, and ECAD software will enforce design rules as you create the board to ensure you obey these important constraints. Make sure you enforce the right design rules at the beginning of the PCB design workflow

Our new article by Dario Fresu explains how Component Templates in Altium Designer 25 Pro improve design consistency, reduce errors, and streamline collaboration. It highlights practical benefits like standardized naming, faster component creation, and scalability across projects. Includes examples of using templates with Altium 365™ to simplify complex component setup.

Designing a wire harness goes far beyond just connecting components—it’s about ensuring manufacturability, reliability, and compliance. This article walks you through the entire process, from initial design to production, helping you streamline development and avoid common pitfalls.

Explore the key considerations and best practices for conducting cybersecurity assessments in medical device development. This article outlines how to identify potential threats, evaluate risks, and ensure compliance with evolving industry standards.

Harness Design in Altium Designer simplifies managing PCB interconnections, ensuring reliable performance and streamlined manufacturing. With logical connectivity tools, harness layout drawing, and manufacturing-ready documentation, it keeps your designs efficient and organized—all within a unified design environment. Perfect for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications.

Our new article guides you through enhancing your Raspberry Pi 5's performance by setting up NVMe SSD storage using an expansion HAT. It covers the benefits over traditional MicroSD cards, including improved speed and reliability, and provides step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration.

Human error is a leading cause of cybersecurity breaches—even in electrical engineering. Our article explores how everyday design and collaboration habits can create vulnerabilities, and what engineers can do to build safer, more secure workflows.

Discover how modern wire harness engineering is evolving to meet the growing complexity of electrified systems. This whitepaper explores best practices, intelligent automation, and ECAD-MCAD collaboration to improve efficiency and reduce errors. Download now to stay ahead in an increasingly connected world.

Ultra-HDI technology is transforming RF design by enabling finer line widths, improved signal integrity, and more compact, high-performance boards. Our brand-new article explores its advantages over traditional methods and the benefits of integrating flexible circuits.

Testpoints are essential for efficient PCBA testing and debugging. Our latest whitepaper dives into testpoint optimization, fault detection, and automated testing strategies, along with a full tutorial on using Testpoint Manager in Altium Designer. Discover how to streamline your testpoint assignments and improve measurement accuracy!

Krishna Sundaram explores the hidden challenges of cable harness design, from routing complexity to mechanical constraints and manufacturability. Learn how to design a robust and efficient harness.

Ultra-HDI technology is transforming PCB design, enabling unprecedented miniaturization and performance. In this article, explore what sets Ultra-HDI apart from traditional HDI and how it’s shaping the future of electronics.

This article addresses common misconceptions about cloud security in PCB design. It explains how modern cloud platforms, such as Altium 365, often provide superior security compared to traditional on-premises solutions. Key features like advanced infrastructure, granular access controls, and compliance with stringent regulations ensure the protection of valuable design data.

Last week, Renesas Electronics and Altium proudly announced the introduction of Renesas 365, Powered by Altium—a first-of-its-kind industry solution designed to streamline electronic system development, from silicon selection to system lifecycle management. Renesas 365 will be demonstrated at Embedded World, Booth 5-371, from March 11-13 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Learn how integrating DFM and DFA principles into systems engineering ensures manufacturable, cost-effective PCB designs by optimizing CAD, CAM, and requirements management in our new article by Javier Alcina.

Crosstalk control is essential for better EMI performance. Learn effective design techniques to reduce interference in the final installment of this series by Dario Fresu.

Part 2 of this series covers essential project management techniques for electronics design teams. Rafał Stępień discusses effective data organization, revision control, and collaboration strategies to improve efficiency and minimize errors.