altium designer 17 review track glossing

 

Introduction

In the ever-evolving world of electronics design, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for engineers and designers. Altium Designer, a comprehensive and powerful Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design tool, has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation. With the release of Altium Designer 17, the software takes a significant leap forward, introducing new features and enhancements that streamline the design process and improve overall efficiency.

One of the standout features in Altium Designer 17 is the track glossing functionality, which promises to revolutionize the way designers approach routing and signal integrity. This article will delve into the details of track glossing, exploring its benefits, applications, and impact on the PCB design workflow.

What is Track Glossing?

Track glossing, also known as trace glossing, is a cutting-edge technique that allows designers to modify the shape of PCB tracks or traces without altering their electrical characteristics or signal integrity. By selectively applying a glossing profile, designers can adjust the physical appearance and layout of the tracks while preserving their functional properties.

In traditional PCB design, routing often involves compromises between aesthetics and signal integrity. Designers may struggle to achieve visually appealing and organized layouts while maintaining optimal electrical performance. Track glossing addresses this challenge by decoupling the physical appearance of tracks from their electrical characteristics, providing designers with greater flexibility and control.

Benefits of Track Glossing

The introduction of track glossing in Altium Designer 17 offers numerous benefits to PCB designers, including:

1. Improved Aesthetics and Layout Organization

Track glossing allows designers to enhance the visual appeal of their PCB layouts by creating smooth, curved tracks that seamlessly integrate with the overall design. This feature enables designers to achieve a more organized and visually pleasing layout, which can be particularly beneficial for complex or densely populated boards.

2. Efficient Routing and Space Utilization

By applying glossing profiles, designers can optimize the use of available board space by routing tracks in a more efficient and organized manner. This can lead to reduced board size, improved component placement, and better overall design efficiency.

3. Increased Design Flexibility

With track glossing, designers can explore different layout options and experiment with various track shapes without compromising signal integrity. This flexibility encourages creativity and enables designers to push the boundaries of PCB design while maintaining functional performance.

4. Enhanced Signal Integrity

While track glossing primarily focuses on improving aesthetics and layout organization, it also indirectly contributes to better signal integrity. By enabling more organized and efficient routing, designers can minimize track lengths, reduce potential for crosstalk, and maintain consistent impedance throughout the signal paths.

How Track Glossing Works in Altium Designer 17

In Altium Designer 17, the track glossing functionality is seamlessly integrated into the software's routing tools. Designers can access and apply glossing profiles through the user interface, enabling them to customize the appearance of tracks while ensuring optimal signal integrity.

The process of applying track glossing typically involves the following steps:

1. Define Glossing Profiles: Designers can create and customize glossing profiles, which define the shape and appearance of the tracks. These profiles can be tailored to specific design requirements or personal preferences.
2. Assign Glossing Profiles: Once the glossing profiles are defined, designers can assign them to individual tracks, groups of tracks, or entire nets. This flexibility allows for selective application of glossing based on design needs.
3. Preview and Adjust: Altium Designer 17 provides real-time previews of the track glossing effects, allowing designers to visualize the impact of their changes on the overall layout. Adjustments can be made on the fly, ensuring that the desired aesthetic and functional requirements are met.
4. Maintain Signal Integrity: While applying glossing profiles, Altium Designer 17 automatically ensures that the electrical characteristics of the tracks, such as impedance and signal integrity, are preserved. This seamless integration ensures that designers can focus on the visual aspects without compromising functional performance.

Applications of Track Glossing

Track glossing in Altium Designer 17 has numerous applications across various domains of PCB design, including:

1. High-Density Interconnect (HDI) Designs

In HDI designs, where space is at a premium, track glossing can help optimize routing and component placement, leading to more compact and efficient layouts. By applying glossing profiles, designers can create smooth, curved tracks that navigate through densely populated areas while maintaining signal integrity.

2. Rigid-Flex PCB Designs

Rigid-flex PCB designs often require intricate routing patterns to accommodate flexible regions and complex shapes. Track glossing can be invaluable in these scenarios, enabling designers to create visually appealing and organized layouts that conform to the unique requirements of rigid-flex designs.

3. High-Speed and RF Designs

While track glossing primarily focuses on aesthetics and layout organization, it can also indirectly benefit high-speed and RF designs. By enabling efficient routing and minimizing track lengths, designers can reduce potential signal reflections and maintain consistent impedance, ensuring optimal signal integrity in high-frequency applications.

4. Artistic and Aesthetic Designs

Track glossing opens up new possibilities for designers who wish to incorporate artistic elements or distinctive visual styles into their PCB layouts. By leveraging glossing profiles, designers can create intricate patterns, shapes, or even company logos, adding a unique and visually appealing touch to their designs.

Best Practices for Using Track Glossing

To fully leverage the benefits of track glossing in Altium Designer 17 and ensure optimal results, designers should consider the following best practices:

1. Establish Design Guidelines: Develop clear guidelines and standards for the use of track glossing within your organization. This ensures consistency and helps maintain a cohesive visual style across different projects and design teams.
2. Start with Functional Routing: Begin the design process by focusing on functional routing, ensuring that signal integrity and electrical performance requirements are met. Once the functional aspects are addressed, apply track glossing to enhance the aesthetics and layout organization.
3. Utilize Glossing Profiles Judiciously: While track glossing offers creative freedom, it's important to use glossing profiles judiciously. Excessive or unnecessary glossing can lead to cluttered layouts and potential signal integrity issues.
4. Maintain Design Rule Compliance: Ensure that the application of track glossing profiles does not violate any design rules or manufacturing constraints. Altium Designer 17 provides tools to verify and maintain design rule compliance throughout the process.
5. Collaborate and Share Profiles: Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among design teams by creating and sharing glossing profiles. This can promote consistency, streamline the design process, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
6. Conduct Design Reviews: Regularly review and assess the impact of track glossing on your designs. Seek feedback from stakeholders, manufacturing partners, and fellow designers to identify areas for improvement and ensure that the aesthetic enhancements align with functional requirements.

By following these best practices, designers can effectively leverage the power of track glossing in Altium Designer 17, striking the perfect balance between aesthetics and functional performance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Q: Does track glossing affect signal integrity or electrical performance? A: No, track glossing in Altium Designer 17 is designed to modify the physical appearance of tracks without altering their electrical characteristics or signal integrity. The software ensures that impedance and other critical parameters remain unchanged during the glossing process.
2. Q: Can track glossing be applied to existing designs or is it only available for new projects? A: Track glossing can be applied to both new and existing designs in Altium Designer 17. Designers can selectively apply glossing profiles to individual tracks, groups of tracks, or entire nets within their existing projects.
3. Q: Is there a limit to the number of glossing profiles that can be created or applied? A: Altium Designer 17 does not impose a strict limit on the number of glossing profiles that can be created or applied. Designers have the flexibility to define and utilize as many profiles as needed to meet their design requirements.
4. Q: Can track glossing be used in conjunction with other routing tools and features in Altium Designer? A: Yes, track glossing seamlessly integrates with the existing routing tools and features in Altium Designer 17. Designers can leverage glossing alongside other routing functionalities, such as interactive routing, differential pair routing, and length matching, to achieve optimal results.
5. Q: Is track glossing compatible with different design rules and manufacturing constraints? A: Yes, Altium Designer 17 ensures that track glossing remains compliant with established design rules and manufacturing constraints. The software provides tools and checks to verify and maintain compliance throughout the design process, ensuring that glossed tracks adhere to specified requirements.

Conclusion

Altium Designer 17 continues to push the boundaries of PCB design with the introduction of track glossing. This innovative feature empowers designers to achieve visually appealing and organized layouts while maintaining optimal signal integrity and functional performance.

By decoupling the physical appearance of tracks from their electrical characteristics, track glossing offers designers greater flexibility and creative freedom. Whether it's enhancing aesthetics, optimizing space utilization, or exploring new design possibilities, track glossing opens up a world of opportunities.

As the demand for high-density, complex PCB designs continues to grow, features like track glossing become increasingly valuable in streamlining the design process and ensuring efficient workflows. Altium Designer 17 reinforces its position as a cutting-edge PCB design tool, equipping designers with the tools and capabilities needed to push the boundaries of innovation.

Embrace the power of track glossing, and unlock new horizons in PCB design with Altium Designer 17. Elevate your designs to new levels of aesthetic appeal and functional excellence, all while maintaining the highest standards of signal integrity and electrical performance.