Altium Develop
Altium, IncReviews from AWS customer
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One of the best for PCB design
What do you like best about the product?
It's powerful. You can do virtually whatever you imagine. Altium has a tool for any task you need. It also adapts to beginner and expert users. You can have been using it for years but you can still learning shortcuts to do your job better and faster. Powerful tools for rigid-flex PCBs.
What do you dislike about the product?
Maybe faster startup time, but The biggest downside is the price.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Saves a lot of time. There a lot of footprints, models available. Changes made in the schematic, PCB and footprints are updated efficiently through the entire project.
I can easily indicate the position of several components in the datasheet of parameters. So, I can export from other documents the exact position of them.
I can easily indicate the position of several components in the datasheet of parameters. So, I can export from other documents the exact position of them.
An excellent decision when needs start to become professional
What do you like best about the product?
There are a lot of things I like in Altium Designer.
Starting from simple features, layout design experience is very pleasant and flexible, it is supported by automated guidelines as well as easy access (key-shortcuts) layout tools.
In addition, user can easily navigate through the design and focus on details very simply by using the fully configurable filter tools. The accuracy experience is something that definitely shouldn't be excluded from pos.
Going more professional, the opportunity to define classes in schematics is very helpful in layout. Furthermore, the Design Rule Check interface is an excellent feature to create strict design rules according to IPC standards for more professional designs. Even deeper, simulation tools to meet signal timing constrains in high speed designs and power grid consistency analysis tool (not in standard version), classify Altium Designer as one at the top of the list.
Finally, apart from layout design, Altium in latest versions did a remarkable job in order to support and simplify 3rd party tasks as components libraries organization and product documentation for manufacturer through Outjob feature.
Starting from simple features, layout design experience is very pleasant and flexible, it is supported by automated guidelines as well as easy access (key-shortcuts) layout tools.
In addition, user can easily navigate through the design and focus on details very simply by using the fully configurable filter tools. The accuracy experience is something that definitely shouldn't be excluded from pos.
Going more professional, the opportunity to define classes in schematics is very helpful in layout. Furthermore, the Design Rule Check interface is an excellent feature to create strict design rules according to IPC standards for more professional designs. Even deeper, simulation tools to meet signal timing constrains in high speed designs and power grid consistency analysis tool (not in standard version), classify Altium Designer as one at the top of the list.
Finally, apart from layout design, Altium in latest versions did a remarkable job in order to support and simplify 3rd party tasks as components libraries organization and product documentation for manufacturer through Outjob feature.
What do you dislike about the product?
One of the things I don't like in Altium Designer interface is the top list menus. I think they are not well-organized, either in schematics as well as in layout. I think these drop down list menus should be further categorized according to functionality they provide, so that, it would be easier to find and select a specific functionality.
An other thing I want to mention is the "Mixed Simulation" tool for circuits simulation in schematics. Although Altium Designer claims that it provides SPICE-based simulation, in my experience most of integration circuits spice models are not recognizable by Altium's simulator (whilst were recognizable by PSpice simulation software). As far as I know, Altium claims that has some progress to present on the latest version (19.1) regarding this problem.
An other thing I want to mention is the "Mixed Simulation" tool for circuits simulation in schematics. Although Altium Designer claims that it provides SPICE-based simulation, in my experience most of integration circuits spice models are not recognizable by Altium's simulator (whilst were recognizable by PSpice simulation software). As far as I know, Altium claims that has some progress to present on the latest version (19.1) regarding this problem.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Altium designer may be used versatilely from simplest to very complex designs.
It may support a lot of phases of HW development and production chain, from simulation to detailed design, from BOM estimation and components availability to final order to manufacturer.
It may support a lot of phases of HW development and production chain, from simulation to detailed design, from BOM estimation and components availability to final order to manufacturer.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
It is a good decision for professional designs in conjunction of organizing the production chain of a company.
Best for beginners, smart and easy for professionals
What do you like best about the product?
I personally like Altium Designer for its GUI simplicity in comparison with any other CAD from Cadence or Mentor. Just because you don't have to battle with interface, you do yours job without any disrupting stuff. Altium does the same things as competitiors, but at least it is pleasant to spend time in it.
What do you dislike about the product?
The biggest issue for me - not regular, but periodic crashes with an ultimate freeze, you have to kill the process, reopen CAD and recover all your work from dedicated folder. But first you have to enable that feature in preferences...
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
My job is making electronic products. Altium Designer allows me to make concept scratches using graphic primitives in the schematic editor, then concept turns into electrical scheme. Adding new components into my own library is nice and easy, the only thing you have to worry - patience while pasting data from datasheets. Data transfer between schematic and PCB editor is literally three sequent button pressing - after OrCAD or Pads that is like god mode on!
PCB editor allows user to route diff pairs with length matching. You can make DDR and PCIe signal groups using xSignals to look after correct trace route and so on. It is allowed to make mechanical project for PCB stiching to each other at least for checking physical interferences: previously you had to export step-models to CAD like Solidworks and spend your life here.
As an engineer you have a broad variety of tools to also make manufacturing files like gerbers, drills. Using Draftsman you can make an excellent documentation not quitting Altium at all. GOST BOM for russian-speaking users is an absulute overkill too!
PCB editor allows user to route diff pairs with length matching. You can make DDR and PCIe signal groups using xSignals to look after correct trace route and so on. It is allowed to make mechanical project for PCB stiching to each other at least for checking physical interferences: previously you had to export step-models to CAD like Solidworks and spend your life here.
As an engineer you have a broad variety of tools to also make manufacturing files like gerbers, drills. Using Draftsman you can make an excellent documentation not quitting Altium at all. GOST BOM for russian-speaking users is an absulute overkill too!
Recommendations to others considering the product:
To understand procs and cons of the Altium Designer you have to suffer a lot in CADs like OrCAD or Pads. Don't be afraid of trying new Altium features while its version become stable: 18.1.7 instead 18.0.5 for example.
Very easy to use, but a lot of instability issues.
What do you like best about the product?
3D CAD modeling and rendering are amazing
What do you dislike about the product?
I wish there were more easily mating features for 3D CAD models similar to SolidWorks. Also, the ability to mill out certain parts of the PCB if required.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Having worked with Altium for many years, the speed of designing is very beneficial, but it does bog down with bigger designs.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
Very modern and sleek design. Gets the job done with a lot of bonus features. Could be more lightweight and fluid with more sophisticated designs.
very capable tool with good documentation
What do you like best about the product?
I found altium to be a very capable schematic and board editor, with a few nice features in particular. The library and footprint manager is well integrated, easier to use than the cadence equivalent. The ability to easily view 3D renderings of the board is valuable for prototyping more exotic board designs
What do you dislike about the product?
This depends on your board vendors and internal CAD environment. If there are less Altium users (this was the case for me), then library support will be limited and you will have to do more library population yourself. Some board vendors also do not support Altium's toolchain, and will quote increased turn times because of this
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I used Altium to design demo/evaluation boards for post-silicon validation purposes
Perfect Design Tool
What do you like best about the product?
I was suprised how quickly you get used to use the tool. Did my first PCB design with it.
What do you dislike about the product?
Didn‘t come to a real problem, even though the 3D view I was not able to get directly.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I had to do a pcb design, which went really quick to a prototype with Altium Designer.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
Just start and watch the tutorials, pretty easy to get started.
Good integrated product
What do you like best about the product?
A lot of schematic symbols and PCB footprints. Good error checking at schematic and layout level. Good routing helpers.
What do you dislike about the product?
Can't recall one. If one goes into the flow, design process is quite straightforward.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
MCU based product design. Fully integrated system.
Sr Electronics design engineer
What do you like best about the product?
Easy integration of distributor parts into the schematic, good IPC footprint wizard, intuitive and simple PCB tools, nice useful 3D viewer and good CAD format compatibilities for import/export.
What do you dislike about the product?
Random bugs that get introduced into each new versions - usually stuff that worked previously ok.
E.g. print PDF schematics in one version hides all power nets and designators. Or changing the shortcuts and ctrl usage with new versions, so when working with different versions it slows you down
E.g. print PDF schematics in one version hides all power nets and designators. Or changing the shortcuts and ctrl usage with new versions, so when working with different versions it slows you down
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Mixed signal (analog-digital) PCBs with FPGA/ARM or other. Benefits are differential and single length tuning for high speed signals (e.g. LVDS), good room copy for multiple channel design, inner planes formation and automatic connection. The tools generally work well.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
You cannot go wrong with this one!
Very, very disappointing
What do you like best about the product?
Nice graphical userinterface. Old versions from years ago were very productive, recent versions are crap.
What do you dislike about the product?
Lots of new functionality that does not work, is very buggy and breaks the functions that used to work in older versions.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Mostly fighting with the tool, instead of doing productive work with the tool.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
Look elsewhere, Altium will not be able to solve the chaos that was created by software designers that did not understand the inner data structures.
It is much useful for defining BOMs
What do you like best about the product?
Design adaptation from PCB schematic to layout
What do you dislike about the product?
Crashes sometimes, poor component library for mosfets
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Schematic and design issues
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