Manufacturing Checklists and Tools

Queries allow you to find, isolate, and operate on objects in a PCB design. Altium Designer provides multiple methods of utilizing queries prioritized by particular rules. This will help you use the Query Builder and Query Finder, which are two essential tools for implementing the definitions of queries in different areas of the PCB documents. INTRODUCTION A query is a string composed of various, yet specific, keywords and syntax, which will

HIERARCHICAL SCHEMATIC DESIGN IN ALTIUM DESIGNER New Altium Designer users may not fully understand the benefits of organizing schematic sheets into a hierarchical top-down or bottom-up perspective. As a result, users often proceed with simple (flat) schematic designs without giving a second thought to project organization. In this paper, we’ll take a comprehensive look at the sheet symbols and how they’re used to synchronize the parts of a larger

Altium Designer users can use Altium Vault to produce automated, high-integrity design release systems that automate output job file processing. Using Output Job files to define and store the necessary documentation needs for any Altium Designerproject is an extremely efficient and powerful feature. As more output types are supported by Output Job files (e.g., footprint comparison report, STEP file export, 3D Movie creation), or your company’s

The routing process remains the most time-consuming layout task, Altium Designer interactive routing technology makes design dense board layouts much easier. Modern printed circuit boards must address a broad set of technology challenges. PCB design software needs to include tools that help design engineers stay productive while ensuring new designs are fully manufacturable. Designers that create advanced technology rely on interactive routing

This paper will show you how to easily replicate circuitry for multi-channel design applications using Altium Designer PCB design software. You can save yourself plenty of time by reusing existing functional blocks in your PCB, but design reuse is difficult without the right schematic editor. Each schematic you create for your board contains blocks of circuitry that can be connected together, and multi-channel design makes it easy to reuse

Many of the delays involved with the PCB design to Manufacturing process can be avoided with accurate data and documented notes for fabrication and assembly. In addition, easily reproducing the required data can be a huge time saver for communication between PCB designer and fabricator. The Output Job Configuration file available in Altium Designer can provide a suitable solution for controlling and ultimately simplifying the output generation of

Learn how to quickly add and clearly communicate hole size tolerance specifications to your fabricator to ensure your PCB design is manufactured properly. One of the more forgotten topics in PCB design are the holes through which components are mounted. Specifying the tolerance of hole dimensions in PCB fabrication ensures proper fit of plated-through-hole (PTH) components. Just as important, those dimensions must be clearly communicated to the

Backdrilling in Altium Designer is one of the easiest ways to improve via signal integrity. Read on to learn about back drilled vias and more.

Learn how to prevent the top 10 Design for Manufacturability (DFM) issues in your next PCB design project with these strategies. As a PCB designer, you manage a variety of different requirements and expectations.There are electrical, functional, and mechanical aspects to consider. In addition, the PCB has to be produced in a timely manner, with the best possible quality, at the lowest possible cost. And through all of these requirements, you also

One task that has always proven difficult is moving electronic product designs from one design environment to another. Whether you’ve changed design tools or acquired designs from another company, there are a number of challenges involved in moving a project from one software platform to another, while maintaining design consistency. It’s a difficult and time-consuming process, but it has to be done. INTRODUCTION If a PCB designer has a design in