Altium Designer Create New Component
Kipa Crawn
Creating a new component in the Altium 365 library starts with a default template. Each type of component comes with its default template. You can use it as is, change it, or create one completely from scratch. The template includes specific details and models while designating a server location for storage. To add a new component in Altium Designer, follow these steps:
In the Create new component dialog, select the type of component by clicking on it and confirming with OK. This will open the component editor, allowing you to explore the specifics of your component.
Let's complete the fields in the component editor. Enter the component name and select the appropriate option from the drop-down list (06032C471JAT2A). The component Name, Description, Parameters, and models are now automatically filled in using the Octopart database.
Tip: It is recommended you do not change the entries in the Advanced Settings because the new component will have a set of specific parameters depending on the component type that was selected in step 2.
Tip: During the migration of the library into Altium 365, the component models are not included in the template. We recommend that you create and use your own templates to create new components.
Ensure your modifications are saved by selecting Save to Server from the menu (saving the current document as a new revision on the server). This action will release the component, making it ready for use.
The real-world component that gets mounted on the board is represented as a schematic symbol during design capture, and as a PCB footprint for board design (optionally, with a 3D model for visualization, 3D clearance checking, and export to the mechanical CAD domain). A design component can also include a simulation model for the circuit simulator, an IBIS model for signal integrity analysis. To provide a representation of design components to a wider product development arena, one or more Part Choices can be added to it.
Components for your PCB design project can be created in and placed from your company's Workspace library. These components are placed through the Components panel that uses Altium Designer's advanced component search engine.
A new Workspace library component is created using the Component Editor where you can define all component data (domain models, parameters, part choices, etc.) manually, or use data acquired from the Manufacturer Part Search panel.
In the Create new component dialog that opens, choose a component type. If there is a component template linked to the selected component type, this template will be used to predefine the component with the data from it.
Click the Advanced Settings control to define or change some other component details such as the component's Id used for the saved component in the Workspace and Folder in the target Workspace where the component will be saved.
In the Parameters region of the Component Editor, define further component details: standard parameters, URL links to website pages (for example, a manufacturer's website), and links to datasheets (in any format).
In the Models region of the Component Editor, add links to saved (or created on-the-fly) domain models, for use by the component. A component can have one schematic symbol and multiple PCB footprint and simulation models. A component must have at least one model.
With the component defined, select the File Save to Server command from the main menus to save the component to the Workspace. The Edit Revision dialog will appear, in which you can change Name and Description, and add release notes as required. The editor will close after the save.
A component can be defined using data provided by the Manufacturer Part Search functionality. Start typing in the Name field and select a matching manufacturer part or add a part choice to the component being defined, and the Use Component Data dialog will open providing controls for selecting data you would like to apply to the component being currently created/edited: name, description, parameters, models, and datasheets.
Component data can be acquired from manufacturer part search. Shown here is an example of accessing the functionality by typing a component name in the Name field and selecting a matching entry from the pop-up list.
The features available depend on your Altium product access level. Compare features included in the various levels of Altium Designer Software Subscription and functionality delivered through applications provided by the Altium 365 platform.
An electronics design is a collection of connected components. The rewarding part of product development is coming up with cool ways of solving those engineering challenges and connecting those components to craft your unique design.
However, a large part of the work, and to many designers, the more tedious part, is creating the components. While it might not be exciting, the components become a valuable resource for your company, and it is essential that they accurately represent the real-world component.
The component that you buy and solder onto the board or use in a wiring harness is the real component, but that component has to be modeled in each of the electronic design domains in which you want to use it.
Depending on what type of design implementations you plan to perform, your component could include a symbol for the schematic, a simulation model for the circuit simulator, an IBIS model for signal integrity analysis, a pattern or footprint for PCB layout, and a 3D model for visualization, 3D clearance checking, and export to the mechanical CAD domain.
Effective management of component data is essential for electronic design, and the management of components used in a design has always been a fundamental element of the Altium design software. As the software evolved over years, the component management methodologies traveled a long way, from simple discrete libraries of schematic and PCB models, through database libraries, to the Workspace components providing representation of design components to a wider product development arena, along with cutting-edge and easy-to-use features for unparalleled collaboration during the entire design process.
Components stored in a connected Workspace that provides a single source of up-to-date and standardized component data for your entire design team. Parametric and faceted search capabilities allow you to find and place the parts you need efficiently and quickly. These components are tightly coupled with the real-world manufactured part and supply chain data accessible at design time, offering a significant improvement in terms of procurement cost and time when manufacturing the assembled product.
With an Altium 365 Workspace, you'll benefit from a richer set of collaborative features, including Global Sharing. And because it is cloud-based, you get the latest version of the Workspace without having to worry about manual upgrades.
The real-world component that gets mounted on the board or used in the production of the wiring harness is represented as a schematic symbol during design capture and as a PCB footprint for board design (optionally, with a 3D model for visualization, 3D clearance checking, and export to the mechanical CAD domain). A design component can also include a simulation model for the circuit simulator and an IBIS model for signal integrity analysis. To provide a representation of design components to a wider product development arena, one or more Part Choices can be added to it.
Components for your design project can be created and placed in your company's Workspace library. They are placed through the Components panel, which uses Altium Designer's advanced component search engine.
A new Workspace library component is created using the Component Editor, where you can manually define all component data (domain models, parameters, part choices, etc.) or use data acquired from the Manufacturer Part Search panel.
In the Create new component dialog that opens, choose a component type. If there is a component template linked to the selected component type, it will be used to predefine the component with the data from it.
In the Parameters region of the Component editor, define further component details: standard parameters, URL links to website pages (for example, a manufacturer's website), and links to datasheets (in any format).
In the Models region of the Component editor, add links to saved (or created on-the-fly) domain models for use by the component. A component can have one schematic symbol and multiple PCB footprint and simulation models, or it can have one harness wiring model. A component must have at least one model.
With the component defined, select the File Save to Server command from the main menus to save the component to the Workspace. The Edit Revision dialog will appear, in which you can change the Name and Description and add release notes as required. The editor will close after the save.
Component data can be acquired from manufacturer part search. An example of accessing the functionality by typing a component name in the Name field and selecting a matching entry from the pop-up list is shown here.