Welcome, Guest

Sign in to learn, create, and do more with the product you love.

News & Updates

Filters:
Tag
Routed tracks
Blog May 5, 2020
Helpful Tips for Interactive Routing in Altium Designer

Before you jump into the software, you should know the types of things you’re going to want to look out for. Traces, connection lines, differential pair routing, and route paths can all affect the routing process of your board. Make sure that you’re equipped knowing, ultimately, what you want your board design to accomplish and furthermore, where you anticipate potential problem areas to be.

Embedded thumbnail for Improved Impedance Calculator
New in Altium Designer 20 Apr 29, 2020
Improved Impedance Calculator

The impedance calculator in the Layer Stack Manager now supports single and differential coplanar structures. This video shows how the impedance calculator has been improved with new coplanar transmission line structures, greater control over the dimensional properties of the physical structure, and modeling of Conductor Surface Roughness using Surface Roughness and Roughness Factor values. 

Embedded thumbnail for Propagation Delay Support
New in Altium Designer 20 Apr 27, 2020
Propagation Delay Support

In Altium Designer 20.0, you can now selectively monitor propagation delay along the whole connection or selected objects, such as tracks, pads, and vias.

Embedded thumbnail for New Routing Capabilities
New in Altium Designer 20 Apr 23, 2020
New Routing Capabilities

Advanced routing capabilities help you complete the most basic, as well as the most difficult, routing challenges. In Altium Designer 20.0, we’ve added intelligent control over pad entries that are capable of working with any combination of pad geometry as well as a new any angle routing mode that allows you to make beautiful traces that smoothly contours around obstacles.

Blog Apr 22, 2020
Any Angle Routing: When Should You Use It?

EDA tools have come a long way since the advent of personal computing. Now advanced routing features like auto-routers, interactive routing, length tuning, and pin-swapping are helping designers stay productive, especially as device and trace densities increase. Read full article in our blog:

Embedded thumbnail for New Length Tuning Engine
New in Altium Designer 20 Apr 21, 2020
New Length Tuning Engine

The tuning engine in Altium Designer has been redesigned and is now better than ever. Tuning sections can be picked up and moved to new locations on the track. What is truly remarkable is that the tunings are completely dynamic and change shape and fill patterns depending on the boundaries and surroundings.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Assign Names to Polygons
Working with Polygons Apr 3, 2020
How to Assign Names to Polygons

For some polygons, it is not always reasonable to use an automatically generated name so a custom name is needed. With a proper polygon name, you can quickly find the desired polygon in a list and correctly set the pour priority in relation to other polygons. By using unique names, you can create design rules that apply only to specified polygons.

Blog Mar 20, 2020
A Message from Altium on COVID-19

We understand that many of you, like ourselves, have transitioned to working remotely. This process comes with its challenges and we would like to offer all and any help we can to minimize disruptions for your teams and business.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Use View Mode in Altium Designer Without a License
How-To's Mar 16, 2020
How to Use View Mode in Altium Designer Without a License

In Altium Designer 20.0, you can use Altium Designer in Viewer mode when signed into your AltiumLive account and no active license is being used. The Altium Designer Viewer license can be used by anyone with an AltiumLive account and no other licenses or subscription is needed. The license can be activated from the License Management page. 

Blog Mar 2, 2020
About Altium Designer Home Page

With the new Altium Designer Home page, we are aiming to help users stay up to date with the latest features and productivity tricks available in Altium Designer. Learn more about the Home page in this documentation article.

Embedded thumbnail for Any Angle Routing
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Any Angle Routing

With any angle routing in Altium Designer, you're able to expertly maneuver around obstacles on a densely populated board, routing deep into your BGA, eliminating the need for extra signal layers. With an intelligent obstacle avoidance algorithm, you're able to avoid obstancles using tangential arcs, making the most efficient use of your board real estate.

Embedded thumbnail for Schematic Dynamic Data Model
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Schematic Dynamic Data Model

Recompiling large schematics can take up a lot of time. This is why Altium Designer uses a new dynamic data model, which incrementally and continuously compiles in the background eliminating the need to perform a full design compile.

Embedded thumbnail for Time Based Matched Lengths
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 26, 2020
Time Based Matched Lengths

High-speed digital circuits depend on signals and data arriving on time. If traces are improperly tuned, flight times vary and data errors can be abundant. Altium Designer 20 introduces the calculation of the propagation time on traces and provides synchronized flight time for high-speed digital signals.

altium-community-forum
Blog Feb 25, 2020
Getting Connected: Altium’s User Community Forums

The Altium design environment is a complex and sophisticated set of software tools. Not surprisingly, becoming proficient with these tools will take some time, and you’ll need to practice every step of the design process from beginning to end. So what happens if you get stuck along the way?

Embedded thumbnail for Schematic Rendering
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 25, 2020
Schematic Rendering

A smooth and fast schematic experience awaits thanks to DirectX in Altium Designer. This new implementation smoothes out zooming and panning, and also dramatically speeds up copy and paste functionality.

Embedded thumbnail for Properties Panel for Schematics
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Properties Panel for Schematics

In Altium Designer version 20.0, the Interactive Properties panel for schematics includes several functional improvements as well as productivity enhancements. The entire layout has been refined to optimize efficiency, icons and graphical previews have been improved, and there is now a smart parameters filter both for schematic lists and components. Dialogs for schematic properties, so beloved by our seasoned users, have returned stronger and better than ever.

Embedded thumbnail for Return Path Design Rule
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Return Path Design Rule

High-speed signals create electromagnetic fields that can cause cross-talk or data errors unless proper return paths are provided. Proper return paths allow noise currents to return to ground through a very low impedance, eliminating any problems. The new Return Path design rule monitors return paths and checks for a continuous signal return path on the designated reference layer above or below the signals targeted by the rule.

Embedded thumbnail for Sliding
New in Altium Designer 20 Feb 24, 2020
Sliding

Editing traces to improve signal integrity can be time consuming, especially when you have to edit individual arcs and serpentine tunings. Altium Designer 20 incorporates a new gloss engine and advanced push and shove capabilities to help speed up this process. which improves your productivity.

Tag
NEW
Blog
PCB Design Data Management Tips for Multi-Board Projects

In complex electronic systems, managing data from multiple printed circuit boards can quickly become a logistical challenge. This article outlines a structured workflow for handling both board-level and assembly-level design outputs, ensuring clarity and consistency across fabrication, assembly and product-level documentation.

Blog
What Is BOM Management? A Practical Guide to Avoiding Costly Part Mismatches

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.

Blog
Requirements Portal Introductory Tutorials

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.

Blog
Bridging the Gap: When to Use Rigid-Flex Instead of Flex & Connector

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.

Blog
How Structural Electronics Enables 3D, Flexible, and Wearable Integration

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.

Blog
Most Common Causes of PCB Assembly Rework and Scrap

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.

Blog
Behind the Scenes with AI Embedded Development

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.

Blog
We're heading to PCB West 2025!

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.

Blog
Peak Electrical Performance in Multi-Board Designs With Advanced Simulation and Compliance Tools

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.

Blog
Executive Insights Into Electronic Product Development Gaps You Need To Close

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.

Tag
Embedded thumbnail for Industrial Design Meets Electronics Engineering
Altium Stories
Industrial Design Meets Electronics Engineering

Discover how engineering disciplines come together to create remarkable products with Altium’s powerful tools. Electronics, mechanical, and industrial design merge their expertise, as D+I, part of Capgemini, showcases their refined design process. See how diverse skillsets and Altium's solutions drive innovation.

Embedded thumbnail for Simplify Analysis with Power Analyzer by Keysight
How-To's
Simplify Analysis with Power Analyzer by Keysight

The Power Analyzer by Keysight in Altium Designer simplifies power design by enabling detailed analysis of power nets and PDNs. This demo highlights how to identify and resolve issues like voltage drops to ensure reliable power delivery, all within the Altium environment.

Embedded thumbnail for Perfect your high-speed routing with Dynamic Phase Matching!
New in Altium Designer 25
Perfect your high-speed routing with Dynamic Phase Matching!

Struggling with phase matching in your high-speed projects? Learn how Altium Designer 25’s Dynamic Phase Matching feature ensures precise signal integrity and simplifies high-speed design.

Embedded thumbnail for Hardware Design Masterclass Wrocław 2024 - Autumn Edition
HDM Wrocław
Hardware Design Masterclass Wrocław 2024 - Autumn Edition

Altium participated in the Hardware Design Masterclass Wrocław 2024, organized by Rafał Stępień. Representing Altium, Samer Aldhaher delivered a presentation on Wire Bonding in Altium Designer. This slideshow highlights key moments from the event.

Embedded thumbnail for Pi Filter Formulas and Simulation Deep Dive
How-To's
Pi Filter Formulas and Simulation Deep Dive

Learn the essentials of Pi filters, including how to size, design, and simulate them in Altium Designer. Host Zach Peterson explains the design equations for Pi filters, discusses online tools for accurate component selection, and demonstrates real-time simulations in Altium Designer to visualize the effects of impedance mismatches.

Embedded thumbnail for True Donut Pad Shapes
New in Altium Designer 25
True Donut Pad Shapes

Check out our brand-new short video showcasing an exciting improvement in the PCB design process. Altium Designer 25 now supports true donut pad shapes, enhancing both your routing and performance.

Embedded thumbnail for Modernizing Engineering Workflows: Altium Designer 25 and the Future of Concurrent Design - Recording Preview
New in Altium Designer 25
Modernizing Engineering Workflows: Altium Designer 25 and the Future of Concurrent Design - Recording Preview

Discover the new features in Altium Designer 25! This webinar recording highlights the Signal Analyzer by Keysight, advanced Wire Bonding capabilities, multi-board design enhancements, and more, showcasing how these tools can transform your PCB design process.

Embedded thumbnail for Dynamic Phase Matching and Tuning for Differential Pairs
New in Altium Designer 25
Dynamic Phase Matching and Tuning for Differential Pairs

Explore how dynamic phase matching for differential pairs works with the improved match length rule in Altium Designer. Learn key techniques in this quick tutorial!

Embedded thumbnail for Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking Features
New in Altium Designer 25
Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking Features

Discover how Altium Designer 25's Obey Rules and Auto-Shrinking features streamline routing, ensuring speed and precision while maintaining adherence to all design constraints.

Embedded thumbnail for Quickstart Guide: Single Layer PCB Design with Altium Designer 25
New in Altium Designer 25
Quickstart Guide: Single Layer PCB Design with Altium Designer 25

Transform your designs with the new Single Layer PCB Design feature in Altium Designer 25! Whether you're working on Rigid-Flex projects or creating simple, space-saving boards, this tool makes the process faster, smarter, and more efficient. Watch our guide now and unlock your next big innovation.

Embedded thumbnail for How to Design Bending Regions in Flex PCBs
How-To's
How to Design Bending Regions in Flex PCBs

Watch our latest video on bending regions in flex PCBs! This step-by-step guide will show you how to configure stack-ups, distinguish between flex and rigid regions, and troubleshoot common issues in 3D views.

Embedded thumbnail for LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part V: Ripple Rejection
LDO Regulator Essentials
LDO Regulator Essentials: From Basics to Advanced. Part V: Ripple Rejection

The final part of the LDO Regulator Essentials series focuses on voltage ripple rejection in Low Dropout Regulators (LDOs). Our host Rafał Stępień explains how LDOs clean up DC supply waves, ensuring stable performance in power systems. This episode provides practical insights for optimizing sensitive designs.

Embedded thumbnail for Explore Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25
New in Altium Designer 25
Explore Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25

Discover Routing Improvements in Altium Designer 25. Learn about Dynamic Phase Matching, True Donut Pad Shape, and more in our latest video showcasing the powerful enhancements in our newest release.

Embedded thumbnail for Wire Bonding Shorts: Die Footprints
New in Altium Designer 25
Wire Bonding Shorts: Die Footprints

Check our new short video where Samer Aldhaher demonstrates the Wire Bonding feature in Altium Designer 25, including die-to-die and die-to-copper connections, multiple wire bonds, and pad rotation techniques.

Embedded thumbnail for Altium Designer 25: Collaboration at its Finest
New in Altium Designer 25
Altium Designer 25: Collaboration at its Finest

Altium Designer 25 focuses on enhancing collaboration for engineering teams with new tools like the SI Analyzer by Keysight, updated PCB CoDesign, MCAD and Ansys CoDesigners, and improved Simulation modules. This release also introduces Wire Bonding, Single Layer PCB, and performance upgrades for optimized PCB design workflows. Check our overview video about all the improvements in this release.

Embedded thumbnail for The Fastest Ways to Run a PCB BOM Review
How-To's
The Fastest Ways to Run a PCB BOM Review

Conducting a BOM review is crucial to prevent costly delays, obsolete components, and unforeseen sourcing challenges in your PCB project. Discover powerful tools like DigiKey, Octopart, and Altium 365’s BOM portal to simplify your review process and ensure you're selecting the best parts at optimal prices.

Tag
Your search returns no results.