PCB Design Software facilitates design reuse.
Press Release Summary:
With Component Variant Support, Altium Designer 14.3 gives users ability to design schematic and PCB for drop-in replacement and alternative parts. To support 3D rigid-flex designs, v14.3 features 3D STEP Export of rigid-flex PCBs in folded state, enabling designers to open folded model of flexible PCB in mechanical design tools to ensure form and fit are correct. Program also provides optimized schematic wire dragging, including handling of overlapping wires, net labels, and junctions.
Original Press Release:
Altium Releases Updated Version of Its 3D PCB Design Tool, Altium Designer
The latest release of Altium Designer delivers improved support and new features to facilitate design reuse and more efficient electronics design
Sydney, Australia – Altium Limited, a global leader in Smart System Design Automation, 3D PCB design (Altium Designer) and embedded software development (TASKING) has announced the latest update to its signature PCB design software, Altium Designer 14.3. Responding to user community feedback, Altium has updated the software to provide improved support and new features that facilitate design reuse and more efficient electronics design.
This update – which is available to all subscription users – will bring Altium users improved Component Variant Support, which will give them the ability to design the schematic and PCB for drop-in replacement and alternative parts. This provides sizeable productivity gains for product variants, while also making it easy to source and manage multiple alternative parts from the supply chain.
“We are committed to deeply engaging with our user community and responding to their needs to continually improve our software,” said Altium Limited CEO, Aram Mirkazemi. “Since the initial release of Altium Designer 14, we have released two additional updates that have incorporated the features and improvements that our customers are looking for.”
To better support 3D rigid-flex designs, the new version features 3D STEP Export of rigid-flex PCBs in the folded state. Previously, MCAD designers had to model rigid-flex boards as sheet metal parts, which limited the accuracy of the design. With this update, designers can open the folded model of a flexible PCB in mechanical design tools to ensure form and fit are correct. In addition, they can run detailed analysis on the PCB, checking on connections and heat flow.
Along with improved support for Variants and 3D STEP Export, Altium Designer 14.3 delivers improvements to schematic wire dragging, with development focused on maintaining connectivity while improving productivity. This includes improvements to the handling of overlapping wires, net labels and junctions.
Other highlights from this release include:
Productivity and speed improvements to Altium’s Interactive Routing Engine and Length Tuning tools.
Automatic Component Rotation on Polar Grid for circular component placements.
Improved via stitching and via shielding tools to reduce manual placement and editing of shielding vias.
Improved internal layer usage for high density designs with automatic, unused PAD removal.
Updated Mentor Graphics PADS® and xDX Designer® Importers to make it easier to incorporate and maintain existing legacy design IP.
Availability
The Altium Designer 14.3 update is available to Altium subscription customers through Altium Designer 14 directly using the Extensions and Updates tool or the Installer can be downloaded from the Downloads page in AltiumLive.
Contacts:
Frank Krämer
Altium Europe GmbH
+49 721 8244 108
frank.kraemer@altium.com
Frank Krämer
Altium Europe GmbH
+49 721 8244 108
frank.kraemer@altium.com
APAC Celine Han
Altium Public Relations
+86 186 1685 9685
celine.han@altium.com
ABOUT ALTIUM
Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) is an Australian multinational software corporation that focuses on 3D PCB design, electronics design and embedded system development software.
Altium Designer, a unified electronics design environment links all aspects of smart systems design in a single application that is priced as affordable as possible. Altium's embedded software compilers are used around the globe by carmakers and the world's largest automotive Tier-1 suppliers. With this unique range of technologies Altium enables electronics designers to innovate, harness the latest devices and technologies, manage their projects across broad design ‘ecosystems’, and create connected, intelligent products.
Founded in 1985, Altium has offices worldwide, with US locations in San Diego and Boston, European locations in Karlsruhe, Amersfoort and Kiev and Asia-Pacific locations in Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney. For more information, visit www.altium.com. You can also follow and engage with Altium via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
