RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

The Role of Altium Circuit Maker in PCB Development

PCB fabrication requires the use of several software, tools, and procedures. There are software for
designing PCB schematic, PCB layout, and more. Circuit design at all levels requires a wide range of various
disciplines. There are various tools that meet the demands of designers and allow them to achieve their board
in a short time.

It can be difficult to determine the interplay between steps in a design cycle due to the wide variety of
subjects covered. Therefore, it is crucial to realize the forward and backward annotation between the board
level and schematic. PCB construction is always a one step back, two steps forward cycle. Also, you can
generate more data from simulations and testing as the design proceeds.

Furthermore, the task at hand usually determines the best tool to use when designing. Board layout and
schematic capture are essential for creating boards that impact each other through ongoing updates and
revisions to the project. This is where the circuit maker software comes in. Therefore, we will be exploring
the circuit maker software and how it impacts PCB development.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Table of Contents

What is Altium Circuit Maker?

A circuit maker is software for PCB designs. It is electronic design automation (EDA) software targeted at
hobbyist and the circuitmaker community. This software comes in freeware. The hardware designed with
this software is ideal for both non-commercial and commercial purposes. It is presently available as version
2.0 by Altium Limited.

There are different types of circuit maker. These include Altium and Protel. These two circuit makers are
popular among PCB designers. A circuit maker integrates printed circuit board design and schematic capture
by utilizing the same engine as Altium Designer. Therefore, this offers a similar user experience.

The Altium circuit maker is an easy-to-use and powerful simulation tool and schematic capture. With this
software, you can design output netlists and electronic circuits for other PCB design tools. Also, this
software offers accurate and fast simulations of analog, digital and a combination of both.

Circuit maker is a free software that allows PCB designing on Windows. Also, this desktop based software
requires internet to function. To start circuit design on this software, all you need is to create a new project.
Circuit maker comes with a nice feature of collaboration. This feature allows you to work on a project as a
team.

All members will work together on a project if you add team members to the project. Select the team option
in this software to design a team project. Also, you can add members and assign attributes. You can only

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

save the design online. Once you complete your project on the software for Windows, you can display it for
anyone to view or submit to partner with selected members. Also, this helps you to gather the knowledge and
skills to get the projects done.

Features of Altium Circuit Maker

pcb layout

Circuit Maker is EDA software designed based on Altium Designer technology. Therefore, the altium
designer technology offers a powerful engine and a streamlined interface. These features below make design
and schematic capture as simple as ABC.

Great community library

The Altium Circuitmaker is specially designed on a community library with several components. This
library is all supported by the Octopart database. With this library, it is easy to place all the component in
designs. Also, you can include your own mechanical components and custom parts.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Multi-sheet schematic editor

Circuitmaker utilizes a similar easy-to-use schematic PCB editor. Altium is well known for its great looking
and easy-to-use schematic editor. Also, this software allows you to carry out complex multi-sheet designs
and as well as generate SmartPDF outputs. Complex multi-sheet designs are easily carried out with this
software. Furthermore, this feature allows you to utilize hierarchical design blocks.

Capable and free

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

This software offers about 16 plane and 16 signal layers. Also, this software allows no restrictions to how
you can work with the PCB dimensions. You can have about 5 private projects with Circuit Maker and
decide if you desire to share it with authors and the circuitmaker community.

Topological auto-router

Circuit maker features Situs topological auto-router. This feature works in line with the design rules to help
you create the board quickly. The design rules ensure you easily create boards. With via optimization and
BGA and SMT fanout, you can use Situs to get fast result. Also, you can route single nets or multi nets.

Native 3DTM

Altium Circuitmaker features a native 3D technology. With this technology, press the 3 key and you will
see the PCB layout in 3D. Also, it will display component clearance violations and you will know the
overlap distances.

Other Features Include

Share and collaborate

This free PCB design tool, Altium Circuitmaker, allows you to share your project with the whole community
or the authors you want. Also, this helps you to gather the knowledge and skills to get the projects done.

Push and shove routing

The push and shove routing feature is available in free version of Altium Circuit maker. The interactive
routing modes include obstacle ignore and hug. Also, the interactive routing modes feature push obstacle
avoidance. You can route differential pairs and include accordions to nets that require additional length for
signal delays.

DRC/DFM outputs

Circuit maker produces industry standard CAM outputs when transforming your design into a real board.
Also, you can choose ODB++ or Gerber files and NC Drill. You can choose both NC Drill and ODB++ if
you wish to. Furthermore, this software can generate IP test point reports and other necessary outputs.

One-click manufacturing

Altium 365 will be integrating this feature. The one-click manufacturing feature allows you to release the
project to the community after you have completed your design. Altium circuitmaker collaborated with
some manufacturers to offer a one-click manufacturing button. With this button, you can send your circuit
board for quoting.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Circuit maker is reliable PCB software with several features like streamlined interface. Also, this software
helps to interactively route multi nets. The generation of industry standard CAM outputs helps to transform
your PCB design.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Other Facts About Circuit Maker

Circuit make integrates PCB design and schematic capture by utilizing the Altium Designer technology.
Also, the schematic PCB editor features circuit design and basic component placement. Furthermore, it
includes hierarchical design blocks and multi-channel design. Anyone having a CircuitMaker account can
view schematics uploaded to the Altium server.

The Circuit maker supports any incorporation with Octopart and enables the drag and drop component
placement. Also, users can design missing schematic symbols and dedicate them to the server known as the
Community Vault. Therefore, they are available for users. The increasing part database gets rid of the need
for a PCB footprint design or a custom schematic symbol. Therefore, this makes it user-friendly for
beginners.

Furthermore, component models can’t be directly imported from Altium Designer to Circuit maker.
However, there are workarounds to this restriction. Concurrent editing was included in Version 1.3.
Therefore, this allows several users to cooperate on a PCB document or schematic at the same time. Also, it
allows the exchange of thoughts via annotation system and integrated comment.

In Circuit Maker, schematics transfer to a PCB is quite straightforward since PCB footprints can attach to
any component on the schematic. PCB footprints can have simple 3D models that enable real time 3D
rendering. Circuit maker offers support to design rules configuration. This software includes advanced
features like interactive length routing and differential pair routing.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

You can directly export production files. However, you must export production files directly. Also, you can
export the whole board as a 3D STEP model. Circuit maker is available for Windows only. To use Circuit
maker, users must have a Windows license. Also, this software doesn’t support the export of design
resources. Circuit maker allows you to include your mechanical components.

Circuit Maker Software Begins with Schematic Capture

The circuit maker will cover designs from the schematic to PCB level while creating output files for more
manufacturing processes along the way. Therefore, this process starts by using symbols to populate the
schematic and their associated data. You may have to make new symbols for pinouts and parts that don’t
adhere to standard designs.

For readability purpose, the data sheet should follow the naming convention while planning later phases of
the layout design. After this, the engineering team will need to wire the circuit. The engineer can now use a
SPICE environment to start simulating the design. This is quite similar to the breadboard setup and
through-hole components set up of those days. Therefore, this enables quick and correct simulation of
different waveforms without the need to deal with probe contacts.

Furthermore, cross-probing functionality enables the visualization of data and real-time calculations. An
example is the imaginary and real voltage components of Bode plots or phasors for attenuation and gain.
Analyzing a circuit simulation at this depth and speed will help to streamline the review process. Also, this
will offer an insight to downstream operators on the best way to modulate their work perfectly.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Simulation offers Feedback Before Production

Figure 1 Sample PCB Design file

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Information such as basic circuit connections and material details are provided by the manufacturer. These
pieces of information determine early circuit simulation. Power and signal integrity enables you to analyze
the board. Therefore, at this design stage, engineers can now simulate worst-case signals meant to represent
a bigger sample. Unluckily, the computational power needed to perform analysis wouldn’t enable
across-the-board simulation of all signals feasible.

However, you can test the thermal properties of PCB by integrating similar degree of sophisticated
simulation. Therefore, this minimizes the time spend during testing.

How to Get Started with Circuit Maker

In this section, we will use the free student edition to simulate and design logic circuits. The Circuit maker’s
student version is available for download. However, this software is only ideal for students to use on their
computers.

Facts to note before getting started

 Circuit maker can simulate and design both digital and analog signals. Therefore, SPICE in the
help system indicates analog simulation. Also, you can design your circuit without paying attention
to this fact. However, when you simulate ensure to do so in digital mode. Otherwise, you will
receive a cryptic message indicating that you need a ground node before it can generate a valid
spice netlist.

You can prevent this problem by clicking on the toolbar button having a transistor symbol. This button is in
the middle. Always click the transistor button when you start running Circuit maker. Also, ensure you set
up Circuit maker with your favorites.

 If you want neat diagrams, choose “Grid” in the Options menu and click on the “Snap to grid”
option. Displaying the grid can be distracting for some users. Therefore, it is a choice for
you. Also, use the wire tool to link outputs and inputs together. To add a wire, click on a
connection point and move the mouse.
 Utilize the Devices menu to choose gates. Several simple devices and gates are on the Hotkey
submenu without browsing through device and parts lists.
 The digital logic switch is a common input device. It alternates between 0 and 1 anytime you click
it. Also, you can type “hotkey” to get one.
 When you want to set several inputs at once, the Hex keypad comes in handy. By simply typing a
hex digit, you will get four outputs.

Conclusion

Altium Circuitmaker offers better and more efficient design tools. These tools are specially created to help
you transform your ideas into reality. The Circuitmaker is a great schematic and PCB design software. The

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

powerful engine and streamlined interface make PCB design easy for you. Also, Circuit maker is a fee PCB
design tool.

Furthermore, Circuit maker is a free design software and broad design community. It enables users to work
on the same premises and easily gather skills and knowledge. You definitely need design tools that can
transform your ideas into real-life products. Therefore, the Altium circuit maker is the ideal choice. This
software won’t limit your creativity or imagination. Circuit maker includes all the features needed to create
high quality layout and schematics.

Related Posts:

1. The Role of UL PCB Marking in Printed Circuit Board Safety

2. Role and Future of Graphite Circuit Board in Electronic Industry

3. Perfection Made Easy with a Custom Stencil Maker

4. Altium Designer 19 vs Altium Designer 18: What are the Differences in their Functionalities
and Features?

https://www.raypcb.com/altium-circuit-maker/

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/