Altium Course: Learn Altium Designer Today

Create the schematic and printed circuit board for a simple, stable motor vibrator, using a general-purpose circuit configured as a stable multivibrator.

Create a new PCB project in Altium Designer using the create project dialog, managing design documents, settings, and outputs with a connected workspace or local storage.

Add a new schematic sheet to the Altium Designer project by right-clicking the project, selecting add new to project, choosing a schematic template, and saving both locally.

Configure Altium Designer document options by selecting templates for the schematic sheet, setting sheet size and snap and visible grids, and using the interactive properties panel before saving the schematic.

Access and manage components in Altium Designer using schematic symbols and PCB footprints from libraries, and leverage the manufacturer parts search panel and advanced components search engine to create parts.

Explore the search results panel to view parts that match your criteria. Click a part to access supply chain information, model availability, and supplier details with color-coded lifecycle indicators.

Interpret color-coded supplier information with green, orange, and red status banners, ISO alpha country codes, and light grey defaults to assess availability, pricing, and update recency.

Acquire parts from the manufacturer search panel into your connected workspace by creating a new component and saving its component data for placement via the components panel.

Learn to acquire multivibrator components in Altium Designer using the manufacturer part search panel to locate transistors and a two-pin connector, then create components with symbols, footprints, and data sheets.

Place capacitors in Altium Designer by searching the components panel, set designator and footprint, adjust capacitance visibility, rotate 90 degrees, and place C1 and C2 above transistors.

Learn to use the interactive properties panel during object placement in Altium Designer, highlight the editing field, navigate with the keyboard, and return to placement by pausing or pressing enter.

Place capacitors in Altium Designer by locating the capacitor from the components panel, setting designator C1, choosing a footprint, adjusting parameter visibility, rotating, and positioning above the transistors.

Open the components panel, connect to a workspace, and place components onto the schematic using click-to-place or hold-and-drag, with string bay searching, faceted searching, and Find Similar Components.

Place transistors in the schematic by using the components panel and search, adjust designator and visibility, and use placement mode to position Q1 and Q2 with grid snapping and orientation.

Wire up the circuit by creating connectivity between components to wire up your schematic, as shown in the sketch and animation.

Edit multiple objects via the properties panel, displaying same values or an asterisk for differences, apply changes to all selected components, and move components by dragging with spacing for wiring.

Search for 100k resistors in the components panel, select footprints, place R1-R4 with 90-degree rotations, set designator, enable resistance visibility, and position above the transistor bases Q1 and Q2.

Explore the active bar, the top editing window controls. Identify single-function and multifunction buttons (white triangle) and access alternative commands by click-hold or right-click to set a default.

Learn how nets form by connecting components and receive system generated names. Add net labels to assign names to important nets, like 12 volt and Jnd nets.

Place net labels with the net label command, type 12V in nickname field, and place the label at the hot spot to ensure a valid connection, then save the project.

Configure project options in Altium Designer by setting error checking parameters, connectivity matrix generation, and output options for assembly, fabrication, and reports in project files.

Understand how schematic diagrams in Altium Designer convey electrical connectivity and verify designs by compiling projects. Adjust report mode and severity levels in options to detect drafting and electrical violations.

Configure the connection matrix in the project options to detect pin type conflicts, identify allowed connections (for example, output to open collector), and adjust error levels.

Configure class generation in project options to control which classes transfer to pcb; for a single-sheet design, disable component class and room creation by clearing the component glass checkbox.

Learn how the comparator tab in the project options dialog controls which PCB differences are reported or ignored, and how enabling PCB-only ignored rules preserves them during design synchronisation.

Verify the project for errors by validating the design, adjusting electrical rules, and reviewing messages. Select the project and click validate PCV project to check for Motive or Project PCB.

Create a new pcb before transferring your design from the schematic editor to the pcb editor; name the pcb and save it as part of the project.

Add a board via the project's panel by selecting add to project and PCB; it appears as a source document, then use save as and save the project locally.

Configure the board shape and location by setting absolute and relative origins, switching units to metric, adjusting snap grid, and redefining layers such as copper, silkscreen, solder mask, and overlays.

Set the origin in Altium Designer using the lower-left and a user-defined relative origin, zoom to reveal grid, and apply a 5 mm metric snap grid for placement and routing.

change the board size from the default six by four inches to 30 mm by 30 mm, then in board planning mode edit the board shape to view the edges.

Resize board to 30 mm by 30 mm by dragging corner and edge handles, using a 5 mm grid as a guide, then switch back to layout and save locally.

Configure defaults when placing an object in the PCB editor, applying shape and properties from the first applicable design rule. If no rule exists, use defaults from the Preferences dialog.

Transfer the design directly from schematic to PCB editor with no intermediate file, creating engineering change orders, and transferring nets and footprints from connected workspace via Manufacturer Part Search Panel.

Transfer the design from schematic to PCB layout in Altium by updating the PCB document, validating changes, and executing them before placement. Prepare for placement with layers and design rules.

Open the view configuration panel to adjust display attributes for leaders, colors, and visibility, including object placement, transparency, origin marker nicknames, and pad numbers.

Configure the display of layers in a layered PCB editor, viewing the board from above along the z axis. Manage electrical, component, and mechanical layers via the view configuration panel.

Configure physical layers with the layer stack manager in Altium Designer, selecting materials and dielectric layers, defining via types and impedance for high-speed, rigid-flex, and back-drilled PCBs.

Configure the grid to fit component pin pitch and routing technology, choosing imperial or metric. For new designs, prefer metric for small devices to improve reliability and cost.

Configure snap grids in Altium Designer, selecting Cartesian or circular grids and using the grid manager to add, edit, or delete grids, with defined area and priority.

Learn to set snap grid using G for the snap read menu (imperial or metric), shift+G for the snap dialog, and Control+G to edit grid values in the grid manager.

Set up design rules in the pcb rules and constraints editor before you start designing to keep spacing, routing, and component placement compliant with immediate violations highlighted.

Use routing width design rules to control net widths during interactive routing. Apply the lowest priority rule for broad coverage and higher priority rules for nets with power requirements.

Define the electrical clearance constraint by setting how close nets from different objects can be, typically 0.25 mm, with the minimum clearance field applying to all grid fields.

Define the routing via style to control route and layer changes, with via properties governed by the routing via style design rule and the built-in default primitives settings.

Identify design rule violations, including a 0.22 mm clearance violation between a pad and the multilayer. Clear markers with the reset arrow markers command, while the error returns after edits.

Review the design rules in the PCB Rules and Constraint Editor to tailor values, remove unused rules, and adjust imperial units for your board.

Focus on component placement as the key factor in PCB design, and learn to tune placement as you work in Altium Designer.

Learn Altium placement options by moving a component with a click and hold, using the reference point when center snap is unavailable, and smart component snap to the nearest pad.

Position components on the board using drag, rotate with spacebar, and click to place; or use move and component command to pick up, reposition, then right-click to exit move mode.

Master interactive board routing in Altium by manually routing a single-sided, top-layer board using cursor guidance, single-click routing, obstacle pushing, and active route with design-rule compliance.

Learn how to configure interactive routing in Altium Designer by adjusting the PCB editor preferences, enabling automatic routing termination and loop removal, and setting conflict resolution to walk around obstacles.

Route a PCB in Altium Designer using top-layer routing, rat's nest guidance, and default vertical, horizontal, or 45-degree constraints for accurate surface-mount layouts.

Discover how the BCB editor's interactive routing modes streamline the design process with shortcuts, status feedback, a heads-up display, and clearance boundaries.

Explore feedback during interactive routing by viewing net names and net settings in the heads-up display and status bar, and visualize clearance boundaries around net objects to avoid constraint breaches.

Learn to modify and reroute existing traces in Altium, start and end a new path, swap lanes, and use loop removal to eliminate redundant segments.

Rearrange rules by interactively sliding or dragging segments across the board. Use click-and-drag to apply default routing behaviors; the PCB editor maintains 45° or 90° angles while adjusting segment lengths.

Explore interactive sliding tips in the PCB editor preferences to adjust selection and conflict resolution modes during dragging, including converting 90-degree corners to 45-degree routes.

Activate route automates interactive routing by selecting nets, choosing a layer, and running multi routing algorithms, while also allowing you to interactively define a route path to guide the traces.

Configure and run route from the PCB active routing panel, select nets by name with nets mode enabled, and use window or drag selections to pick connections, pads, and vias.

Verify your board design with a rules-driven pcb editor and set up design rules at the start. The D.O.C. feature monitors enable rules in real time and highlights violations.

Explore how Altium Designer displays design rule violations in the PCB editor. Learn about DRC violations display options, zoom-based overlays, and violation details like site, type, and numerical rule values.

Configure the rule checker by running the design rule checker, open the dialogue via design > check, and review DRC and general reporting options (defaults).

Learn to navigate drc rules, view rule types (electrical), enable or disable rules with check boxes, and run the design rule check via the right-click menu.

Run the design rule check (DRC) by clicking the run button to detect violations, then review errors in the messages panel and open the design rule verification report if enabled.

Locate the error condition by reviewing a clearance violation in pcb rules with the design world check dialog. Measure the actual value from violation details and decide how to resolve.

Learn to interpret error conditions in Altium Designer, compare actual to specified rule values, and resolve violations using measurement tools and the violations and messages panels.

Explore the PCB rules in violations panel to inspect violations, view rule type and measure value, jump to or open violation details, and apply normal, dim, or mask filters.

Resolve design rule violations by adjusting solder mask shoulder expansions and mask openings, considering fabrication techniques, and balancing high quality vs low cost approaches for simple boards.

Address clearance violations by reducing transistor footprint pads to increase spacing, or configure rules to permit a smaller clearance, such as 0.22 mm, in the PCB Rules and constraints editor.

Identify silk-to-silk clearance violations by adjusting designators and component placement, then run the design rule check, generate and review the report, resolve violations, and clean up the project.

View your board in 3D with Altium Designer, switch to 3D mode, and zoom, rotate, and pan to inspect internal layers and interconnects.

Prepare pcb design and layout and output documentation for board review, fabrication, and assembly, including pdf 3d with zoom, pan, rotate, display nets, and silkscreen control in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Explore Altium Designer’s output types, from assembly drawings and pick and place files to test point reports, 3D views, and fabrication outputs like Gerber and IPC-2581.

Learn three Altium output workflows: per-output settings in the project file, an output job file for all types, and the design release process with integrated validation.

Configure Gerber files for board fabrication in Altium, mapping dual files to each layer—component overlay, top single layer, bottom signal layer, and top solder layer—while consulting fabricators for requirements.

Configure the bill of materials in Altium Designer with the component management editor, mapping each part to a real world manufacturer part and verifying supply chain availability.

Learn how the report manager generates the bill of materials output in Altium Designer, supporting CSV, PDF, EdgeHTML, and Excel, with templates, clustering, and customizable columns.

Automate the board design release in altium designer by releasing to the connected workspace, capturing a design source snapshot and generated output as a tangible product via the release view.

Altium Designer's connected workspace lets you view and interact with a detailed project history timeline, featuring creation, commits, releases, clones, exchanges, color-coded tiles, and a search field with string filtering.

Access PCB project documents via the workspace web viewer in a web browser, and explore 2D schematics, 3D board, and bill of materials with highlights, notes, search, and cross probe.

Master document commenting in the web interface by adding notes to design documents at specific points, enabling remote collaboration. Comments are stored by the workspace and synchronize with Altium Designer.

Learn how to share and control access to saved projects in a workspace using Altium Designer and Altium 365, enabling collaboration with managers, suppliers, and manufacturers through manufacturing packages.

Download and install Altium Designer to begin your journey in this course and gain a practical introduction to the software.

Explore the Altium Designer interface, including the main menu, project explorer, and navigator, and learn to create a new project, add a schematic, and save files.

Learn to create a component symbol and add pins in Altium Designer by building an integrated library, creating schematic and BCB, and naming pins per datasheet.

Learn to finish a schematic by renaming bin names, adjusting designators, and adding comments and documentation in Altium Designer, with tips for multi-screen workflows and saving the schematic.

Create an ibc compliant footprint using the footprint wizard by entering e and d dimensions from the datasheet, configure the package type and pins, and save to the library.

Open the schematic library, double-click the item, and attach the created footprint by browsing to it. Review the 3D view, confirm the footprint details and library name, then click okay.

Copy and base the integrated library across projects to reuse its schematic and footprint, then install, place, and connect items in your design.

Rename and organize atmega component bins in Altium Designer by editing designators, names, and descriptions in the schematic library, then save the schematic and prepare for footprint integration.

Create a BCB Atmega footprint in Altium using the IBC compliant footprint wizard, inputting datasheet values, positioning the pads, and saving the footprint with a 3D model in the library.

Learn to copy integrated library files, base them in any project, install libraries, and place schematic and footprint components on your schematic.

Learn how to place components in your atmega schematic by searching for the Arduino Nano manual, installing libraries from file, and dragging items like USB connectors, regulators, resistors, and headers.

Assemble a usb-c connector schematic in Altium Designer by placing the ftd, usb-c connector, 5v and 3.3v rails, grounds, and decoupling capacitors, then verify against the data sheet.

Place and organize header pins for a nano board in Altium Designer using libraries, smart base labeling, alphanumeric pin names, and ground and voltage connections.

Learn to build a voltage regulator schematic in Altium Designer by placing capacitors, wiring +5 volts and ground, and adding a programming header for a complete LED indicator array.

Annotate schematics to assign C1, C2, C3, C4 and remove the question marks, then compile to check for errors in the messages window and review connections and names.

Resolve common PCB design errors in Altium Designer by cleaning the project, fixing net labels, and compiling to verify changes and update the design document.

Draw the board outline in Altium Designer by creating vertical and horizontal lines, set six mil width, and establish a 1700 by 730 shape; then define from the selected object.

Learn to place PCB items such as ATmega and headers in Altium, switch between 2D and 3D views, align components, center origins, and save your design.

Learn to place and arrange an ICSP header, micro USB header, crystal, and reset switch in Altium Designer, update the schematic, rotate components, and compile to minimize errors.

Learn to arrange components in Altium Designer, switch between top and bottom layers, place a voltage regulator and FTDI capacitors, and inspect a 3-D view of the layout.

Master manual routing and auto routing in Altium Designer for multilayer PCBs, using interactive multi routing and via settings to connect components efficiently.

Initiate auto routing in Altium Designer to route all connections across layers, monitor progress, and resolve routing errors with manual adjustments.

Learn to optimize Altium auto routing by arranging components, removing green errors, and configuring multi-layer designs with ground planes, while adjusting line widths and via sizes.

Learn Altium Designer techniques to improve auto routing through trial and error, arranging connectors, crystals, LEDs, and regulators for efficient PCB layout.

Generate a global file and bill of materials for manufacturers using publication output and fabrication outputs, create drill files and the Excel sheet for the BOM, then zip the project.

Discover how the educational engineering team shares real-world microcontroller knowledge through step-by-step blueprints and bite-sized videos, helping learners grasp concepts quickly and apply them to life and projects.

Download and install Altium Designer to begin your course journey. Follow the setup steps to access Altium Designer for practice.

Create a new integrated library in Altium Designer, add a schematic and BCB, and design a 32-pin component symbol by placing and arranging pins according to the datasheet.

Rename all bins in the schematic, adjust designators, and paste new names while saving the schematic file; then edit the schematic library, add documentation, parameters, and prepare for footprints.

Create an IBC compliant footprint for a library item with the footprint wizard, derive E and D dimensions from datasheet, and configure 2D/3D views before saving to the BCB library.

Link the created footprint to the schematic library in Altium Designer, view the 3D footprint, and compile the integrated library to ensure no errors.

Copy and base the integrated library file in your Altium Designer project, install the library, and place its schematic and footprint components in your design.

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