Established in 1984, the Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) is a private research and development centre specializing in microtechnology, nanotechnology, microelectronics, systems engineering and communications technologies. 

Its research has been the foundation for many start-up companies that are pioneering technologies as far-reaching as advanced imaging sensing devices to surface engineering. CSEM has hundreds of employees from the most varied scientific and technical fields, working in offices located in Neuchatel, Zurich, Basel, Alpnach, and Landquart.

One of CSEM’s more ambitious endeavors was the BIOTEX project, a collaborative effort between CSEM several European research centers, universities, and small-to-medium textile companies. The project’s aim was to develop a biochemical sensing system that can be incorporated into textiles – the first of its kind to monitor bodily fluids via sensors distributed on a textile substrate. The sensor patches were developed to measure different types of body fluids and biological entities around the body, ideal for ambulance care, burn victims, in sports monitoring, isolated patients, or patients suffering from a chronic illness.

While the BIOTEX project may have been ambitious, CSEM knew they had the right tools to tackle such an exciting task. With Altium Designer on hand, PCB development was smooth sailing.

Empowering Innovation with Seamless Integration

As part of the BIOTEX project, CSEM needed to develop a portable electronic sensor interface. The portable interface had to be as small and as lightweight as possible, and remain noninvasive to the patient. The challenge for the CSEM electronics designers was creating the two interconnecting boards and small connector board within its compact mechanical case. 

Altium Designer’s IGES format and STEP files import-export functions allowed for greater design transparency between the mechanical and electrical engineering departments and greater collaboration between teams. Detailed PCB data helped ensure the electrical department could provide 3D imagery for the correct development of both mechanical and electrical designs.

Altium Designer’s 3D visualization engine lets engineers view the PCB in a realistic form. Engineers can, in real-time, flip or rotate the board and zoom in to view internal layers, and understand the physical parameters of the board with greater ease.

Altium Designer also provided CSEM’s electronics designers with powerful routing features that allow greater board performance and optimize on existing routing space.

Altium’s Interactive Routing feature integrates rules-driven, versatile interactive routing modes, predictive track placement and optimized connectivity to automate the routing process, raising electronics engineers to a whole new level of design. Designers now simply watch as the board routes itself with a 100% completion rate. With the focus shifted away from basic functionality, CSEM can design innovatively, ensuring its boards perform correctly and to their maximum capacity.

Successful Results in Record Time

The BIOTEX team was able to complete its portable electronic device in just six months. Altium Designer also afforded CSEM greater design flow efficiencies. Because designers could collaborate effectively, the traditionally sequential process was broken down and both electronic and mechanical developers could work on their designs simultaneously.