Introduction

Altium Designer is one of the most powerful and widely used electronic design automation (EDA) tools in the industry. It offers a comprehensive suite of features for designing printed circuit boards (PCBs), from schematic capture to PCB layout and manufacturing output generation. Altium Designer is favored by professionals and hobbyists alike for its intuitive interface, advanced capabilities, and robust performance.

This tutorial aims to provide a step-by-step guide to using Altium Designer for PCB design, covering everything from installation to final PCB production. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer looking to refine your skills, this guide will help you navigate the complexities of Altium Designer and create high-quality PCB designs.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Altium Designer
2. Installation and Setup
3. Altium Designer Workflow Overview
4. Creating a New Project
5. Schematic Design
   • Adding Components
   • Wiring Components
   • Annotating Schematics
   • Electrical Rules Check (ERC)
6. PCB Layout
   • Importing Netlist
   • Placing Components
   • Routing Traces
   • Design Rules Check (DRC)
7. Generating Output Files
   • Gerber Files
   • Drill Files
   • BOM (Bill of Materials)
8. Tips and Best Practices
9. Conclusion

1. Introduction to Altium Designer

Altium Designer is a professional-grade EDA tool developed by Altium Limited. It is used for designing complex PCBs and is known for its advanced features, such as multi-channel design, high-speed design tools, and 3D PCB visualization. Altium Designer supports the entire PCB design process, from initial concept to final production, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications.

Key features of Altium Designer include:

• Integrated schematic capture and PCB layout tools
• Extensive library of components
• Advanced routing capabilities
• Real-time design rule checking
• 3D visualization and clearance checking
• Support for multi-layer and high-density interconnect (HDI) designs
• Comprehensive output generation for manufacturing

2. Installation and Setup

Downloading Altium Designer

Altium Designer can be downloaded from the official website: https://www.altium.com/. You will need to create an account and choose the appropriate license type (e.g., subscription, perpetual).

Installation

Windows:

1. Download the installer from the Altium website.
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Ensure that all components (schematic editor, PCB editor, library manager, etc.) are selected for installation.

macOS:

1. Altium Designer is primarily designed for Windows, but it can be run on macOS using virtualization software like Parallels or VMware Fusion.
2. Install the virtualization software and set up a Windows virtual machine.
3. Download and install Altium Designer within the virtual machine.

Linux:

1. Similar to macOS, Altium Designer can be run on Linux using virtualization software or Wine.
2. Install the virtualization software or Wine and set up a Windows environment.
3. Download and install Altium Designer within the Windows environment.

Initial Setup

After installation, it’s a good idea to configure Altium Designer to suit your preferences:

1. Set Up Libraries: Altium Designer comes with a set of default libraries, but you may want to add custom libraries. Go to Preferences > Data Management > Libraries to add or remove libraries.
2. Configure Paths: Ensure that the library paths are correctly set up. This can be done in the Preferences > System > General menu.
3. Set Up Design Rules: Depending on your PCB manufacturer, you may need to set specific design rules. This can be done in the PCB editor under Design > Rules.

3. Altium Designer Workflow Overview

The typical workflow in Altium Designer involves the following steps:

1. Schematic Design: Create the circuit diagram using the schematic editor.
2. Symbol and Footprint Assignment: Assign footprints to each component in the schematic.
3. PCB Layout: Import the netlist from the schematic and design the PCB layout.
4. Design Verification: Perform Electrical Rules Check (ERC) and Design Rules Check (DRC) to ensure the design is error-free.
5. Output Generation: Generate Gerber files, drill files, and other necessary files for PCB manufacturing.

4. Creating a New Project

To start a new project in Altium Designer:

1. Open Altium Designer and click on File > New > Project.
2. Choose a location to save your project and give it a name.
3. Select the project type (e.g., PCB Project) and click OK.
4. Altium Designer will create a new project file (.PrjPcb) and associated files (e.g., schematic, PCB).

5. Schematic Design

Adding Components

1. Open the schematic editor by double-clicking the .SchDoc file in the project folder.
2. Use the Place > Part tool (shortcut: P) to add components to the schematic.
3. Search for components in the library. For example, to add a resistor, type “resistor” in the search bar and select the appropriate symbol.
4. Place the component on the schematic canvas by clicking where you want it to be.

Wiring Components

1. Use the Place > Wire tool (shortcut: W) to connect components.
2. Click on the pins of the components to start and end wires. Ensure that all connections are properly made.
3. Use the Place > Net Label tool (shortcut: N) to label nets, especially for complex schematics where direct wiring is impractical.

Annotating Schematics

1. Annotating assigns unique reference designators (e.g., R1, R2, C1) to each component.
2. Go to Tools > Annotate Schematics and follow the prompts to annotate your schematic.

Electrical Rules Check (ERC)

1. ERC checks for common errors in the schematic, such as unconnected pins or conflicting outputs.
2. Run ERC by going to Project > Compile PCB Project.
3. Review any errors or warnings in the Messages panel and correct them in the schematic.

6. PCB Layout

Importing Netlist

1. Once the schematic is complete, generate the netlist by going to Design > Update PCB Document.
2. Review the changes in the Engineering Change Order (ECO) dialog and click Execute Changes to import the netlist into the PCB editor.

Placing Components

1. Use the Edit > Move > Component tool (shortcut: M) to place components on the PCB canvas.
2. Arrange components logically, considering factors like signal flow, power distribution, and thermal management.
3. Use the Edit > Move > Rotate tool (shortcut: Spacebar) to orient components as needed.

Routing Traces

1. Use the Route > Interactive Routing tool (shortcut: Ctrl+W) to draw traces between components.
2. Follow the ratsnest (the thin lines indicating connections) to route traces.
3. Use different layers (e.g., top and bottom layers) for complex designs. Switch layers using the Layer Manager (shortcut: L).
4. Use vias to connect traces between layers. Place vias using the Place > Via tool (shortcut: V).

Design Rules Check (DRC)

1. DRC ensures that your PCB layout adheres to the design rules, such as minimum trace width, clearance, and via size.
2. Run DRC by going to Tools > Design Rule Check.
3. Review any errors or warnings in the Messages panel and correct them in the PCB layout.

7. Generating Output Files

Gerber Files

1. Gerber files are the standard format for PCB manufacturing.
2. Generate Gerber files by going to File > Fabrication Outputs > Gerber Files.
3. Select the layers you want to include (e.g., top copper, bottom copper, solder mask, silkscreen).
4. Choose the output directory and click OK.

Drill Files

1. Drill files specify the locations and sizes of holes on the PCB.
2. Generate drill files by going to File > Fabrication Outputs > NC Drill Files.
3. Choose the output directory and click OK.

BOM (Bill of Materials)

1. The BOM lists all components used in the design.
2. Generate the BOM by going to Reports > Bill of Materials.
3. Choose the output format (e.g., CSV, Excel) and click Export.

8. Tips and Best Practices

1. Plan Your Design: Before starting, sketch out your schematic and PCB layout to ensure a logical flow.
2. Use Hierarchical Sheets: For complex designs, use hierarchical sheets to break the schematic into manageable sections.
3. Keep Components Organized: Group related components together to minimize trace lengths and improve signal integrity.
4. Follow Design Rules: Always adhere to the design rules specified by your PCB manufacturer to avoid manufacturing issues.
5. Use Copper Pours: Use copper pours for ground and power planes to reduce noise and improve thermal performance.
6. Check for Errors: Regularly run ERC and DRC to catch and fix errors early in the design process.
7. Document Your Design: Add notes and labels to your schematic and PCB layout to make it easier to understand and troubleshoot.
8. Test Your Design: Before sending your design for manufacturing, double-check all connections and consider creating a prototype.

9. Conclusion

Altium Designer is a powerful and versatile tool for PCB design, suitable for both beginners and experienced designers. By following this tutorial, you should be able to create a schematic, design a PCB layout, and generate the necessary files for manufacturing. Remember to plan your design carefully, follow best practices, and regularly check for errors to ensure a successful PCB design.

With practice, you’ll become more proficient in using Altium Designer, allowing you to tackle more complex projects and bring your electronic designs to life. Happy designing!