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PCB DFM Check
Blog •
Getting Through a PCB DFM Check

In this article, we’ll discuss the key design features to implement, and steps to take prior to fabrication that will help prevent some common DFM problems. I’ll also provide examples of where I commonly see these PCB DFM problems in signal integrity circuits.

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How to work with Selection •
Selection filter - Panel Properties and PCB

Learn how to configure the types of selected objects using the Selection Filter. In addition, you will learn about the Post Selection Filter and its features.

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Spreading Inductance
Blog •
What is Spreading Inductance?

If you’re working with a high-speed digital component, there are some simple power integrity rules that should be followed. However, there is one quantity that is sometimes ignored when building a PDN impedance simulation: the spreading inductance of your plane pair. Here are some points designers should know about the spreading inductance of a plane pair.

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Working with MCAD CoDesigner extension •
PCB Origins During the ECAD MCAD Exchange

Origins can vary from your MCAD tool and Altium Designer. With the MCAD Co-Designer panel Altium Designer can keep track of your origin point and make sure your design changes are exchanged correctly.

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How to work with Selection •
Global Editing Using Find Similar Objects

Editing multiple objects one by one can be a very time consuming process. Altium Designer makes this easy and efficient with the Find Similar Objects tool, which allows you to globally select and edit multiple objects at once.

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PCB Design Basics for New Designers
Blog •
PCB Design Basics for New Designers

In this article, I’ll present some design basics that every new designer should follow to help ensure their design process is successful. Some of these points may challenge the conventional view of how circuit boards are constructed, but they are intended to help balance low noise signaling, manufacturability, and ease of solving a layout.

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Article preview
On-Demand Webinar •
Efficient PCB Routing Using Gloss and Retrace Tools

The primary goal of your traces is to carry signals throughout your board without losses. To do this properly, you must familiarize yourself with the requirements for signals on the printed circuit board and how to optimize the topology of the board in terms of signal integrity. We will analyze the most popular routing cases applicable for using the Gloss and Retrace tools in Altium Designer to optimize your signal integrity.

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Selecting Materials for High Voltage PCB Design and Layout
Blog •
Selecting Materials for High Voltage PCB Design and Layout

High voltage PCBs are subject to certain safety and reliability concerns that you won’t find in most other boards. If your fabrication house specializes in high voltage PCBs and keeps materials in stock, they can likely recommend a material set, as well as a standard stackup you might use for certain voltage ranges and frequencies. If you need to choose your own materials, follow the tips below to help you narrow down to the right material set.

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Embedded thumbnail for Shaping the PCB in MCAD
Working with MCAD CoDesigner extension •
Shaping the PCB in MCAD

Through the MCAD Co-designer in Altium Designer, you can collaborate with a mechanical engineer to shape the PCB in your MCAD tool and keep it updated in Altium Designer. We’ll show you how in Altium Designer and in your MCAD tool.

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Embedded thumbnail for Cross Select Mode
How to work with Selection •
Cross Select Mode

Cross Select Mode is a unique tool that allows for cross-selection of objects between the schematic and PCB thanks to the Altium Unified platform. This makes it easy to look for specific components, as well as take advantage of component placement tools.

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Via tenting in PCB Layout
Blog •
When to Use Tented Vias in Your PCB Layout

There are some guidelines I see many designers implement as a standard practice, often without thinking about it. Some of these practices are misunderstood or implemented without best practices. Others are implemented without thinking about the potential problems. One of these is the use of tented vias, which is sometimes implemented in a PCB layout by default. Is this always the right practice?

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How to work with Selection •
Tools for Efficient Selection

Efficient selection tools can make a difference in how long and how clean your design can be. Learn how to utilize the Edit Select Menu tools in Altium Designer to take control over your layout.

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Capacitive load termination
Blog •
How to Impedance Match and Terminate Capacitive Loads

The idea of a purely capacitive load is something of a fallacy. Yes, capacitors exist, but all capacitors are non-ideal, and it is this deviation from a theoretical capacitance that determines how to impedance match a load that exhibits capacitive behavior. Let’s take a look at this important aspect of interconnect design and see what it really means to terminate a capacitive load.

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Embedded thumbnail for Tools for Easily Selecting Objects in the PCB
How to work with Selection •
Tools for Easily Selecting Objects in the PCB

Explore more than basic mouse movements by taking a look at the tools that Altium Designer has to offer for making selecting and moving objects in the PCB an easy task. This will increase your productivity and allow you to spend more time designing

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Using Altium 365 Over Your Vanilla Version Control System
Blog •
Using Altium 365 Over Your Vanilla Version Control System

There are all sorts of version control systems out there that people have been using with their PCB design software. As discussed in Why Use a Version Control System, we looked at different options ranging for local hard drive storage to sophisticated online revisioning systems. In this article we will be reviewing the differences between a standard VCS and Altium 365.

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Why Use a Version Control System in PCB Design
Blog •
Why Use a Version Control System in PCB Design

Version Control Systems (VCS) have been around for many decades within the software world but can be surprisingly new to some folks in the electronics design industry. This article will cover what a VCS is, what it does, and why you should be using one for your PCB design projects.

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IPC 6012 Class 3 Annular Ring
Blog •
Meeting Standards: IPC 6012 Class 3 Annular Ring

Designers often conflate leftover annular ring and pad sizes - they need to place a sufficiently large pad size on the surface layer to ensure that the annular ring that is leftover during fabrication will be large enough. As long as the annular ring is sufficiently large, the drill hit will not be considered defective and the board will have passed inspection. In this article, I'll discuss the limits on IPC-6012 Class 3 annular rings as these are a standard fabrication requirement for high-reliability rigid PCBs.

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Working with Polygons •
How to Work with The Polygon Manager

It is important to have a high-level view of all polygons on the PCB design. The Polygon Manager lets you rename polygons, set their pour order, perform re-pouring or disable pouring on selected polygons, add/scope the polygon connection style and clearance design rules, and add polygon classes for selected polygons.

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PCB fabrication notes
Blog •
Decoding PCB Fabrication Notes

Sending a board out for fabrication is an exciting and nerve-wracking moment. Why not just give your fabricator your design files and let them figure it out? There are a few reasons for this, but it means the responsibility comes back to you as the designer to produce manufacturing files and documentation for your PCB. It’s actually quite simple if you have the right design tools. We’ll look at how you can do this inside your PCB layout and how this will help you quickly generate data for your manufacturer.

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How to Work with Differential Pairs •
Assigning Impedance Profiles for Differential Pairs

When you assign an impedance profile to a differential pair you open up several options for control over your routes. We'll show you how to do just that, as well as how to fix errors that may pop up and how to create classes for differential pairs based on assigned impedance profiles.

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Blog •
Happy Holidays!!!

Altium wishes you all the best this holiday season! May this time be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with your family and friends. We also extend our warmest wishes for a Happy New Year 2025!

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Blog •
What Is Wire Harness Design?

Explore our latest article to learn the fundamentals of wire harness design, its key components, and how it ensures organized, efficient, and reliable electrical systems across automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors.

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Blog •
How to Determine Ferrite Bead Circuit Model Parameters

Learn how to accurately determine ferrite bead circuit model parameters for effective noise suppression in high-speed PCB designs. This article explores key concepts, measurement techniques, and practical tips for modeling ferrite beads in your projects.

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Blog •
AI Vision with the Kria KV260 Vision AI Starter Kit

Discover AI-driven vision capabilities with the Kria KV260 Vision AI Starter Kit, presented by Ari Mahpour. Ideal for prototyping vision solutions, this kit offers an accessible entry point into advanced AI applications.

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Blog •
Wire Bonding in Altium Designer

The Wire Bonding in Altium Designer article highlights how Altium Designer 25’s wire bonding feature streamlines complex designs for advanced assemblies like 3D stacked dies and RF modules. This tool enhances efficiency and precision, catering to modern electronic design needs.

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Blog •
Optimize PCB Design with Integrated BOM and CAD Systems

Discover how integrating BOM management and CAD systems can streamline your PCB design process in this insightful article. Learn how combining these tools enables smoother collaboration, reduces errors, and improves design efficiency, helping you optimize your workflows from concept to manufacturing.

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Blog •
The Essential Guide to Through-Hole Resistors

Resistors are fundamental components in electronic circuits, essential for controlling current and voltage. This article explores their basic principles, types, and key applications, helping you understand their crucial role in electronics.

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Blog •
Avoiding Costly Delays: Essential Tips for PCB Designers

Efficient PCB design is crucial for avoiding costly delays in product development. This article offers practical tips and best practices for PCB designers to streamline their workflows, minimize errors, and ensure timely project completion.

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Octopart •
Mastering Octopart - Get to Know Octopart.com Webinar Recording

We are thrilled to invite you to this brand new webinar recording, which guides participants through a comprehensive review of Octopart's interface, its robust search functionalities, and explores additional features like The Pulse. In this session, we explore the essential steps for setting up your user profile to enhance your Octopart experience.

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Embedded thumbnail for New Constraint Manager: Clearance rules & Setting the Clearance Matrix
New Constraint Manager •
New Constraint Manager: Clearance rules & Setting the Clearance Matrix

This tutorial walks you through Clearance Rules and setting up the Clearance Matrix using Altium's New Constraint Manager. Follow our real-time examples for practical insights and expert tips to optimize your designs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Wearable Design Project - Sensing
Wearable Design Project •
Wearable Design Project - Sensing

Piet Callemeyn is back on his wireless heart rate sensor. Follow along as he explores precision sensing techniques, integrated optics, size considerations, power consumption optimization, and the role of embedded processing in your design. Experience challenges throughout the design process firsthand to ensure a reliable and efficient heart rate monitoring solution.

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Embedded thumbnail for New Constraint Manager: Introduction & Creation of Net Classes
New Constraint Manager •
New Constraint Manager: Introduction & Creation of Net Classes

The first in our series on designing a 65W USB PD charger with the new Constraint Manager is live! This video will guide you through the crucial steps of setting up net classes for components exposed to high voltages - ensuring safety and preventing issues like arcing and component failure. Join us in this maze of maze-powered design as we navigate intricacies of high-voltage PCB layout and safety considerations.

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Embedded thumbnail for Tesla Unveiled! EE Deep Dives Into Roadster's PCB Design Files
How-To's •
Tesla Unveiled! EE Deep Dives Into Roadster's PCB Design Files

Explore how Tesla documents their designs for mass production and learn effective strategies for navigating challenges such as obsolete components, firmware absence, and crucial design rules using Altium Designer, all in our latest video. Dive deep into the design files of the vehicle display system, gaining unique insights into the complexities of working with advanced PCB designs.

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Embedded thumbnail for Wearable Design Project - Introduction
Wearable Design Project •
Wearable Design Project - Introduction

Ever wanted to design a wearable electronic device? Follow along with Piet Callemeyn as he delves into the design of a wireless heart rate sensor. In this series, Piet explores PCB design essentials to create a variable heart rate sensor, offering insights around efficient power use, seamless data transfer, and a clean, compact design throughout the entire process.

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Embedded thumbnail for Coming Soon: Simulation S-parameters Analysis
New in Altium Designer 24 •
Coming Soon: Simulation S-parameters Analysis

Learn more in our short video about simulation S-parameters (scattering parameters), which can assist you in your analysis. This data can be used to optimize your design, leading to cost savings, improved product quality, and a competitive edge in the marketplace.

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Embedded thumbnail for Coming Soon: Footprint Mirroring Prevention
New in Altium Designer 24 •
Coming Soon: Footprint Mirroring Prevention

Check out the new feature that we are preparing for you. Footprint Mirroring Prevention adds measures to prevent inadvertent mirroring of a footprint along its X/Y axes. With this functionality, you can avoid costly board respins.

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Embedded thumbnail for Design in a New Dimension: Altium Designer’s 3D-MID Demo
New in Altium Designer 24 •
Design in a New Dimension: Altium Designer’s 3D-MID Demo

Explore the cutting-edge 3D-MID capabilities in Altium Designer with our detailed demo! In this video, we guide you through the process of creating a 3D PCB document, importing components, and seamlessly transitioning from 2D to 3D board design.

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Embedded thumbnail for PCB CoDesign Demo: A Collaborative Approach to PCB Design
New in Altium Designer 24 •
PCB CoDesign Demo: A Collaborative Approach to PCB Design

Explore the realm of collaborative design through our PCB CoDesign feature. Discover how multiple engineers can seamlessly collaborate on the same project in our full-time demo. Design faster together with Altium Designer 24.

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Embedded thumbnail for Empowering Faster Electronics Development with Altium Designer 24 - Webinar Recording
New in Altium Designer 24 •
Empowering Faster Electronics Development with Altium Designer 24 - Webinar Recording

If you missed our Altium Designer 24 webinar, don't worry! We have good news for you—it was recorded. Explore the game-changing features that will revolutionize your PCB design experience and discover the new standard in electronic design.

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Embedded thumbnail for Streamline Your Design Process with PCB Layout Replication
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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