With customers being extremely demanding, the PCB design speed begins to play an extremely important part in coming up with a solution that is both efficient and effective. The previous FR-4 material details has been proven to be a pretty cheap and inefficient board type however has been commonly used for many years – how do we modernize and change to meet the demand?
One of the answers is to use a well recommended software system called Altium. In line with CAD modelling, this advanced PCB design solution has been proven to be extremely efficient when it comes to simplification of the PCB ASSEMBLY process, and being pro-active in terms of mistake proofing. If you are not used to this software type then it may initially overwhelm you however in the long term, when you get used to all the features, it is sure to make your life a whole lot easier.
Design Simulations
One of the nifty things about this software is that it has a simulation feature where you can test your component. Although the simulation itself isn’t completely error proof as it won’t pick up everything, it gives you a really good indication as to whether or not the outcome will be satisfactory. You can run these design simulations efficiently on a sub unit or as an overall assembly. Clearly in terms of manufacturing a number of PCBs, if you have ran a simulation on the components and assembly prior to this then you have a much higher confidence in your product being sent to be made. This improves efficiency and lead time. Warning – if the simulation does come up with an error, it is crucial you don’t ignore this, even if you think you know better. Check it out in detail to make sure there is not a negative effect.
Software Download
You can download PCB design software such as Altium really efficiently online. There is no need for you to go to a store or online to purchase multiple discs. One of the benefits of this is again the speed but also if there are any software updates then this is all completed online also. Software updates may include fixing bugs but there may actually be operational improvements included such as an additional tool to help with design efficiency. If you are prompted to make an update then the recommendation is to not ignore this.
Online Support
If the thought of moving to a more sophisticated advanced software is too much, then why not chat with the developers online first. Designers are very well known to be stuck in their ways therefore moving to something new could be a step too far if not managed effectively. The online support teams will not just answer specific questions that you have around the product but they may also offer some courses. Clearly if you are new to this software type then taking the course would be a good idea however even if you have been using it (or a similar software), it would do no harm to attend a course as there may be a technique or tool you didn’t know existed that will overall improve design efficiency.