Altium is a printed circuit board (PCB) design software. This is the software of choice used for the electronics projects in STARR. It is closed source, but it generally has a much better UX than KiCad, and we have a student team licence so the cost is no problem to us.
The workflow of an Altium project starts with the workspace. STARR has a shared project workspace which has the digital properties and footprints of every component we use on our electronics. This is perpetually updated as new components are added, and so if any of our boards has ever used a part, then it’s as easy as searching for the part to be able to use it in your design as well. The workspace allows for shared default design rules, parts, standard PCB layouts, and much more. Its very important to familizarize yourself with the workspace.
Past the workspace, the next step is putting all your components together in the Schematic. An altium schematic is a very high level overview of how all the components connect. The important parts of the schematic are defining what nets a board has and what components connect to those nets. This high level overview is also where you can define any rules for certain nets, such as impedance values, and is where all your parts not in the workspace should be added.
Finally, the last two sections of an Altium project are the PCB and the BOM files. The PCB file is where the high level Schematic turns into a real life board with accurate dimensions and real electrical considerations. Everything defined abstractly is physically placed in its location in the PCB file, and this is when its important to use your engineering skills to develop a system that can function successfully. Board geometry, trace design, board layers, and conductive holes are all made in the PCB file. The BOM is the final stage, where every component is rigorusly defined instead of defaul values. This is where any generic components (such as a general ‘resistor’ with value 100 Ohms) is changed into a real component part number which is manufactured by a real company. Considerations for components ratings, such as current rating and general impedance, are to be considered in the PCB and BOM.
These are all the steps to an altium design, and mastering this software and flow will allow the electronics engineer stand out from their peers, and most importantly contribute to STARR 😋.