Altium Designer study notes

Brief description

This article refers to the official guide for Altium Designer19 PCB design

The composition of the complete project file

1. Project file, .PrjPCB
2. Schematic file, .SchDoc
3. Schematic library file, .SCHLIB
4. PCB file, .PcbDoc
5. PCB component library file, .PcbLicb
   

Schematic library common operations

1. Create a new component in the schematic library
   

2. Placing the line
   drawing element shape, where the line is different from the schematic wires having no electrical connection characteristics
   
   
   after standing a good line Double-line, or in the drawn state, press TABbuttons to set the line properties
   

3. Place arcs and elliptical arcs
   
   
   Click the mouse to determine the center of the circle for the first time, determine the x-axis length of the elliptical arc for the second time, and determine the y-axis length for the third time

4. Place text strings and text boxes
   In order to enhance the readability of the schematic library, text descriptions should be added in certain key positions

5. Place the pin
   with the electrical attribute 带X号facing out, and rotate the space.
   
   Double-click to set the pin attribute:

• Designator: Set the component pin label. The label should correspond to the package pad pin.
• Name: Set the name of the component
• Electrical Type: the electrical properties of the pin
• Pin Length: Pin length

6. Modify multiple pin information of the component
   
   

Common operations of pcb component library

1. Place the line.
   Space bar to turn, no node will be automatically added at the T-shaped intersection.
   Common attributes:

• Line Width：
• Current Layer: The layer where the line is located

2. Place pads
   
   Common attributes:

• Designator: Set the label of the pad, which should correspond to the pin label of the component symbol in the schematic
• Layer: Set the layer where the pad is located
• Shape: Set the shape of the pad (circle, rectangle, octagon, rounded rectangle)
• (X/Y): Set the size of the pad
• Solder Mask Expansion: Set the solder mask expansion (green oil coverage on the top and bottom of the pad)
• Paste Mask Expansion: Set up the soldering layer (solder paste protection layer)

The difference between the soldering layer and the soldering layer. The soldering layer
is a negative layer. If Tented is not checked, the pad will not be expanded by the soldering layer, and the copper skin will be exposed (called windowing)

If there is a solder mask, it will be covered by green oil:

there is a solder mask on the top layer of the pad on the right in the above picture

• Top image:
  
• Bottom image
  
  The difference between surface mount pads and through-hole pads: the
  
  left side is the surface mount pad (the Layer layer is Top Layer), and the right side is the through-hole pad (Layer layer is Multi-Layer).
  Only the top layer of the surface mount pad has a pad, and the through-hole pad will have a hole on the bottom surface, and there are pads on both sides.

My own understanding: Surface mount pads are used to solder SMD components, such as chips, SMD capacitors, etc. The through-hole pads are used to solder through-hole components such as pin headers, etc., and solder on the bottom layer is required. (See someone explaining that through-hole pads are component pins that need to pass through many layers through vias.)

3. Place vias
   
   Common attributes:

• Drill Pair: Set the layer to which the via is connected
• Hole Size: Set the size of the inner diameter of the via
• Diameter: Set the diameter of the via hole
• Solder Mask Expansion: Set the top and bottom cap oils of the vias

4. Place the fill
   Click the mouse to confirm a vertex of the fill, move it to a suitable position and click again to confirm the diagonal vertex.
   
   Common attributes:

• Layer: Set the layer where the fill is located
• Length: Set the length of the padding
• Width: the width of the fill
• Paste Mask Expansion: Set the external expansion value of the filled flux layer
• Solder Mask Expansion: Set the external expansion value of the filled solder mask

Hand-made package

1. Download the corresponding data sheet, take the specification of the LMV358 chip as an example
   
2. Placing pad
   Now put the center pad a surface-mount (because it is a surface-mount components), and set the length and width of
   
   click pad, press the Mkey to select moved by X, Y movement of the selected object pads
   
   because the longitudinal center of the pad The center distance is e = 0.65mm, and the horizontal distance is E1+L1=5.4mm. Set the X offset to 1.5e and the Y offset to -5.4/2=-2.7mm.
   
   Copy and move other pads. Note that 修改焊盘标号（与规格书对应）
   
   you can press the ctrl + mmeasurement distance to shift + cclear the measurement after completion .
3. Draw silk screen on Top Overlayer. According to the method of drawing lines above, draw the silk screen frame according to the component specification. The line width is generally 0.2mm and
   
   can be drawn through the Start and End attributes. Some components have polarity markings and 1-pin markings.

Component wizard to make package

There is the IPC Compliant Footprint Wizard command in the tool (T), select the package type and fill in the data, and keep the default setting for next until the pad shape is selected in the Pad Shape (pad shape), and continue to next, fill in the information such as the closed account name.

Create and import 3D component bodies

General source of 3D component body:

• AD's built-in 3D component volume rendering function
• Download 3D models from other websites and import
• Professional 3D software such as SolidWorks

1. AD's own 3D component volume rendering function to
   draw a simple 0603 package

   1. Open the component library and find the 0603 package
   2. Menu "disposed" → "3D element body", the software layer and Mechanical automatically jump to a crosshair appears, press the Tabkey parameter setting
      
      Extruded extruded, Cylinder cylindrical, ball Sphere body, Overall Height overall height, Standoff Height element Hanging height.
   3. Select the extrusion type, after setting the parameters, draw the 3D component body according to the actual size, the drawn mesh area is the actual size of 0603R

2. Import 3D model
   3D model can be downloaded from https://www.3dcontentcentral.com/

   1. Open the component library and find the 0603 package
   2. Menu "disposed" → "3D element body", the software layer and Mechanical automatically jump to a crosshair appears, press the Tabkey parameter setting
   3. Select the Generic type, click the Choose button to
      
      open the 3D model path, and select the file with the suffix of STEP or STP format
   4. Put the imported 3D model in the corresponding position

Use package manager

Use Package Manager to view and modify the corresponding model of components in the schematic, "Tools"→"Package Manager", or shortcut key T→G

Add integrated library

1. "File" → "Project" → "Integrated Library" to create an integrated library and ctrl + ssave it.
2. Create a schematic library and PCB component library in the integrated library, and add components and corresponding packages.
3. Move the cursor to the Integrated_Library1.LibPkgposition, click the right button, and execute the Complie Integrated_Library1.LibPkgcompilation of the integrated library.

Load library

Click the Componentstab in the upper right corner of the software , Operatio→ File-based Libraries Preferences...→ "Tools" → "Add Library"

Design schematic

1. Drawing settings
   Double-click outside the schematic, set the attributes such as the size of the schematic,
   
   "Place" → "Text String", and fill in the schematic information in the lower right corner
   
2. Place components and set properties:

• Designator: Set the serial number of the component, that is, the bit number. Such as U1, R1, etc.
• Comment: Set the basic characteristics of the device, such as resistance value, capacitance, chip model, power, package size, etc.
• Design Item ID: The unique ID number randomly assigned to the component in the entire AD project, used to synchronize with the PCB, and generally does not need to be modified
• Footprint: component packaging

3. Place the wire connection components

4. Place the network label and power port.
   Modify the network label name. Wires or buses with the same network label indicate electrical network connections. In the schematic diagram, Alt + 左键you can highlight the same network label to check for single-ended network errors.
   

5. Place the off-picture connector. It
   has the same function as the network label. It is usually used for the wire connection between the same electrical network in multiple pages of the schematic diagram in the same project.

6. Place differential pair indication
   "Place" → "Indication" → "Differential pair indication"

Assign component label

Manual modification, or "Tools"→"Marking"→"Principle Icon Note"

Schematic electrical testing and compilation

There may be some single-ended network, electrical open circuit and other issues

1. Commonly used check settings
   "Project" → "Project Options", shortcut keys T→ O, when compiling the schematic diagram, it will be compiled according to these rules and options, and an error message will be displayed in the Message

2. Schematic compilation
   
   may also beComplie PCB Project

3. Schematic diagram modification
   According to the error message in the Message.

PCB design

1. Synchronize the schematic data of the circuit
   "Design" → "Update Schematics in .PrjPcb", click to implement changes. If there is a xmark, find the error and modify it, and resynchronize the data.
   

2. Define the board frame

   1. Customize the board frame
      Switch to the Mechanical 1layer, "Place" → "Line", and draw the board frame shape (closed area).
   2. Import frame from CAD.
      Before importing, you need to convert the AutoCAD file to the version below 2013, "File" → "Import" → "DWG/DXF".

   "Design"→"Board Shape"→"Define according to the selected object".

3. Setting the origin
   In the PCB industry, for rectangular board frames, the coordinate origin is generally set at the lower left corner of the board frame. "Edit" → "Origin" → "Settings"
   

4. Positioning holes
   Positioning holes are used for positioning and sometimes also used as mounting holes. In fact, it is a through-hole pad.
   
   Here we set it to 3.2mm, and the Platedoption is non-metallized hole wall

Layer related settings

1. Shortcut key shift + ssingle layer display or shortcut key L
   
   can set the display and hiding of the layer, and the color of the layer

PCB design common rules design

"Design" → "Rules"

• Electrical: Electrical rules
• Routing: Wiring rules
• SMT: Surface Mounting Rules
• Mask: Mask rules
• Plane: Plane rules
• Testpoint: Test point rules
• Manufacturing: manufacturing rules
• High Speed: High-speed rules
• Placement: Placement rules
• Signal Integrity: Signal Integrity Rules

You can create new rules in each category to set rules on a specific network or layer.

1. Electrical’s Clearance
   Clearance (safety distance) rule sets the minimum safety distance between two electrical objects
   1. Set the main search label
      
   2. Set the first matching electrical object
   3. Set the second matching electrical object

• All: All parts are edible

• Net: For a single network

• Net Class: For the set network class

• Net and Layer: For network and layer

• Custom Query: custom query

  3. Set the value of the safety distance in the constraint
     

2. Routing’s Width
   Width rule. Set the line width
   
   during routing. In "Constraints", the width of the wire can be set with 3 values: Max Width (maximum line width), Preferred Width (preferred line width), Min Width (minimum line width).

Power line individually set line width

enable and set priority

3. Routing Via Style
   Routing Via Style (routing via style) rules, set the size and style of vias during routing.
   
   Via Hole Size (via hole aperture size) sets the diameter range of the inner ring
   Via Diameter (via diameter) sets the diameter range of the outer ring via hole

4. Routing's Differential Pairs Routing
   Differential Pairs Routing (differential pair routing) rules, the rules for the design of differential pairs of high-speed boards.

Differential pair wiring has the characteristics of equal impedance, equal length, mutual coupling, etc., which can improve the quality of the transmission signal. In high-speed signal transmission, it is generally recommended to use differential pair wiring.

Differential pair routing rules can be set on different layers

5. Plane's Polygon Connect Style
   Polygon Connect Style (copper connection style) rules set the connection style of copper and pads or copper and vias, and the connection style must be for the same network component.

• Relief Connecct: Protruding connection method
  
  "Conductor": select the number of wires connected to the copper sheet

• Direct Connect: Fully connected
  

• No Connec: No connection

View configuration

Through the view configuration, choose to show or hide traces, vias, copper skins, etc. The shortcut key ctrl + D

"Draft" is semi-transparent

PCB layout

1. Interactive layout and modular layout

• Interactive layout
  "Tools" → "Cross selection mode", shortcut keys shift + ctrl + X
  Select components in the schematic, the corresponding components in the PCB will also be selected simultaneously

• Modular layout
  Select the components of the same module, and then use the left button to draw a rectangle. The components will be arranged in the rectangular area.
  Combine the interactive layout to lay out the circuits of the same module together, and then divide the whole circuit into modules according to the power flow direction and the virtual number flow direction.

The layout should be based on the signal flow relationship to ensure the rationality of the entire layout. The analog part and the digital part are required to be separated, and the key high-speed signal traces should be as short as possible. Secondly, the clean and beautiful circuit board should be considered.

2. The principle of concentration nearby.
   Use modular layout to roughly distribute the modules around the board frame to facilitate subsequent layout work.

3. Alignment operation
   Left, right, top, bottom alignment, horizontal equal spacing, vertical equal spacing.

wiring

1. Interactive wiring
   "Place" → "Route", or "Interactive Wiring" on the toolbar, shortcut keys to shift + 空格switch corners.

2. Interactively lay out multiple wires
   Select the network that needs multiple wiring, and click "Interactive Bus Wiring" in the toolbar.
   

3. Interactive differential pair routing
   Define differential pairs, set differential pair routing rules and routing.

4. Automatic routing optimization

• Select the part you want to optimize the line, press the Tabbutton, it will select all the corresponding network
• Menu bar "wiring" → "optimize selected routing", shortcut keysctrl + alt + G

5. The addition of differential pairs
   can be added in the schematic or in the PCB. The method of adding in the PCB:

• In the PCB, click the lower right corner to panelopen the PCBpanel, and select the Differential Pairs Editordifferential pair editing option at the top of the PCB panel .
• Click "Add", select the positive network and negative network of the differential pair in the pop-up dialog box, and define the name
• After completing the settings, the differential pair in the PCB editing area is grayed out, indicating that it is in the screening state

6. The display and hiding of the
   flying line The network flying line refers to the electrical connection line between two points. It is helpful to clarify the flow of signals and wiring.
   Shortcut key to Nopen the fly line switch
   

• Net (network): for single or multiple network fly line operation
• On Component (device): for component network flying line operation
• All: For all fly line operations

7. Network color change

• Open the PCBpanel and select Netoptions
• Select one or more networks, right-click, and selectChange Net Color
  
• After confirming the color, right-click and select 显示替换→选择的打开
  

8. Adding and deleting
   teardrops Teardrop refers to: gradually increase the width when the wire is connected to the pad, and the shape is like a teardrop.
   Benefits: Increase signal integrity and reduce signal loss and reflection when the size gap between the wire and the pad is large. When the PCB receives an impact, it reduces the risk of breaking the contact point of the wire and the pad.

• "Design" → "Teardrop"

9. Through hole and cover oil treatment
   See pad,
   insert picture description here
10. Copper paving Copper
    paving refers to placing copper skins in a blank position on the circuit board, which is generally used as a power supply or ground plane. After the wiring is completed, copper can be laid.

• "Place" → "Pave Copper", or toolbar
  
• TabKey to open the properties, Fill Modeselect Hatched(Tracks/Ares)dynamic copper paving method or other methods in the column .
• In the Netselected shop copper network, Layerselected layup copper in Grid Sizeand Track Widthenter the network size and the track width (the same as recommended values to a smaller set, such as solid copper to copper), select the Pour Over All Same Net Objectsoption to check the Remove Dead Copperremoved copper dead .
  

When laying copper, the network generally chooses GND, so that the copper skin is connected to GND for the purpose of anti-interference. Therefore, the pads connected to the GND network are all connected to the copper skin, and there are spaces between other pads and the copper skin.

• Press to Enterexit the property panel, ready to pour copper
• Draw a rectangle along the edge of the PCB board frame and pave the copper to complete it.