News & Updates
If you’re waiting for truly connected cars on a grand scale, there is still a massive amount of work to be done, both on the hardware and software sides. Connected cars can only become a widespread reality once the automotive industry and telecom carriers can decide which protocol will work best for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. PCB designers will then need to step in to create these systems and fit them into a vehicular environment.
This one area of PCB design can be contentious among some designers as it is related to copper pour, which it is often stated is not needed in most designs. Regardless of your feelings about copper pour, stitching vias have important uses in PCBs at low frequencies and at high frequencies.
The IPC-2221 standard includes many requirements for printed circuit board design and manufacturability, and there are several online calculators that have been developed based on this standard.
When you’re ready to manufacture a new device at production volume, there are many aspects of the product that must come together. The enclosure, cabling and connectors, embedded software/firmware, and of course the PCBA all have to be considered in totality. There is a quick way to get your product into a usable enclosure, complete with input power and cabling, and with a form factor that fits your PCBA. This overused route to a new product is a box build assembly.
Printed circuit board fabricators have become skilled at manufacturing these technologies and also at understanding the reliability and producibility challenges associated with high-density-interconnect technology. Let’s look at where the PCB industry is at today.
What can the industry do to support PCB designers as they continue taking a more active role in product development? Here at Altium, there has been a progressive shift towards looking at the system level and creating tools that get designers more involved throughout the product development process. As the saying goes, over the wall engineering is over… today’s most successful products are built in a collaborative process.
As the 5G rollout progresses and researchers continue to discuss 6G, many new 5G-capable products operating in sub-GHz and mmWave bands are reaching the marketplace. Devices that will include a 5G-compatible front-end, whether small stations/repeaters or handheld devices, use phased arrays as high-gain antenna systems to provide high data throughput without losing range at higher frequencies.
Via protection is an important part of modern PCB design. It provides additional benefits in PCB manufacturing and assembly, increasing the number of acceptable products.
Product variations often require different component populations, alternate parts, or configuration settings while keeping the underlying PCB design unchanged. This article explains how structured variant management keeps these differences organized and ensures each configuration has the correct BOM and manufacturing outputs.
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.
Finding the right component shouldn't mean searching through dozens of websites and datasheets. This article shows how integrated component search helps engineers select parts faster while reducing sourcing risks and design delays.
The best sourcing decisions happen when procurement is involved early. This webinar demonstrates how BOM Portal gives both engineering and procurement access to live lifecycle, pricing, compliance, and availability data to drive smarter decisions from prototype through production.
This article walks through the complete PCB design workflow, from schematic capture and component selection to layout, design reviews, and manufacturing documentation. It highlights the key decisions at each stage that help engineering teams produce reliable, manufacturable products.
The biggest threat to your power integrity might be outdated design advice. This article challenges five common AC power integrity myths and shows what really matters when designing today's high-speed PCBs.
Your design data may be more exposed than you think. This webinar shows how to identify common security gaps and secure engineering workflows with centralized access control and governance.