Pulling Part Data from SiliconExpert in Altium Designer

The SiliconExpert integration provides advanced data on the manufacturer parts so you can make more informed decisions when choosing components for your designs based on additional parameters such as the estimated time until obsolescence, RoHS and REACH status, risk metrics, etc. The key capabilities of the integration are:

  • Direct integration – no need to leave your design environment since data is available in Altium Designer and Altium 365's Web Viewer interface.
  • Comprehensive database – SiliconExpert offers data on over a billion parts, from passives to ICs.
  • Accurate and reliable data – regular updates and strict protocols ensure you work with the most up-to-date and reliable information.
  • Improved risk analysis – risk analysis parameters aid in making more reliable strategic decisions when choosing parts.
  • Providing alternatives – the integration simplifies searching for possible part replacements by providing a ranked list of alternatives. 

The SiliconExpert integration is a paid functionality. If you would like to try it, contact us using the form on the Altium 365 SiliconExpert Integration page.

Note that after getting access to the functionality, your SiliconExpert account must be enabled on the Admin – Apps page of your Altium 365 Workspace's browser interface. From here, you can also configure the visibility of data provided by SiliconExpert in parts data listings for both Altium Designer and your Altium 365 Workspace – learn more.

If you have access to the SiliconExpert integration functionality, you can pull high-quality data provided by SiliconExpert for manufacturer parts as described below.

Data entries pulled from SiliconExpert are marked with the  icon.
A user must have Paid Part Info permission to be able to pull data from SiliconExpert. To learn more about managing permissions, refer to the Setting Global Operation Permissions for a Workspace page.

Getting Advanced Part Data from SiliconExpert

The places described below allow getting data from SiliconExpert.

  • When the required manufacturer part is selected in the Manufacturer Part Search panel, click the Get SiliconExpert Advanced Part Data control in the parameter list region of the panel's Details pane.

  • When exploring a part choice for a component or a solution in an ActiveBOM document, the entry will include an additional Parameters control. The number in parentheses reflects the current number of manufacturer part parameters. Click the control to display a pop-up with a list of available manufacturer part parameters, then click the Get SiliconExpert Advanced Part Data control at the bottom of the pop-up.

  • When creating a Workspace library component from a manufacturer part search (by saving a manufacturer part from the Manufacturer Part Search panel or by searching for a manufacturer part through the Component editor in its Single Component Editing mode), click the Get SiliconExpert Advanced Part Data control on the Parameters tab of the Use Component Data dialog.

  • In an ActiveBOM document, columns of data from SiliconExpert can be made visible using the Select columns dialog or the Columns tab of the Properties panel.

    Note that adding a SiliconExpert parameter column (except for a column of a Lifecycle, YTEOL or RoHS Status parameter) will pull SiliconExpert data and, hence, use the quota from your SiliconExpert package for all components listed in the ActiveBOM document.
    SiliconExpert data columns can be added to an ActiveBOM document of both a Workspace and non-Workspace project.

Columns of data from SiliconExpert can also be made available when:

What SiliconExpert Integration Provides

After getting data from SiliconExpert for a manufacturer part, the following is available for this part.

Part Parameters

Parameters provided by SiliconExpert become available in the following locations:

  • The parameter list in the Details pane of the Manufacturer Part Search panel.

    SiliconExpert parameters are also supported in the Selected Part Details pane of the Manufacturer Part Search panel when comparing two selected parts – show image.
  • The parameter list available by clicking the Parameters control in a part choice or ActiveBOM solution.

  • The Parameters tab of the Use Component Data dialog, from which the data can be opted to be included in the new component.

    Note that the following SiliconExpert parameters are not included in the Parameters list:

    • Overall Risk
    • Lifecycle risk
    • Lifecycle
    • YTEOL
    • Multi sourcing risk
    • Crosses available within Part Category
    • RoHS risk
    • Inventory risk
    • SE grade
  • The corresponding data column made visible in the ActiveBOM document.

The YTEOL parameter can also be viewed in the following locations:

  • In the header of the Details pane when a manufacturer part is selected in the Manufacturer Part Search panel.
  • In the header of the Details pane when a component is selected in the Components panel.
  • In all places where part choices are presented, as well as in an ActiveBOM solution.
  • In the Properties panel when a component placed on a schematic sheet is selected.
Javascript ID: SE_YTEOL_AD24_4

Displaying the YTEOL parameter in the Manufacturer Part Search panel.

Displaying the YTEOL parameter in the Components panel and part choices.

Displaying the YTEOL parameter in the Properties panel for the selected component.

Parameters available from SiliconExpert, as well as their possible values, are described in the collapsible section below.

'Free' Parameters

The Lifecycle, YTEOL and RoHS Status parameters are presented by default in the Manufacturer Part Search panel and all places where part choices are presented, as well as in an ActiveBOM solution. Therefore, there is no need to request data for this part (and hence, use the quota from your SiliconExpert package) to access these 'free' parameters.

Compliance Datasheets

Some SiliconExpert parameters support references to SiliconExpert compliance datasheets in various places where SiliconExpert data can be accessed, including the Manufacturer Part Search panel, part choices, ActiveBOM documents (*.BomDoc) and generated BOM outputs (in PDF or Excel format).

Javascript ID: SE_ComplianceDatasheets_AD24_4

An example of accessing a compliance datasheet from the Manufacturer Part Search panel.

An example of accessing a compliance datasheet from an ActiveBOM document.

An example of accessing a compliance datasheet from a generated BOM output in PDF format.

Product Change Notice Data

The Product Change Notice (PCN) data provided by SiliconExpert is available from the Manufacturer Part Search panel and all places where part choices can be accessed, as well as in an ActiveBOM solution. By default, the latest PCN data is shown. Use the Historical Details control to open the Product Change Notice Historical Details dialog, where details on previous PCNs can be browsed.

Javascript ID: SE_PCN_AD24

Access the latest and historical PCNs from the Manufacturer Part Search panel.

Access the latest and historical PCNs from a part choice (the Components panel is shown here as an example).

Alternatives

The list of alternatives in the Alternatives region of the Details pane in the Manufacturer Part Search panel is extended with the alternatives provided by SiliconExpert. For each found alternative, a cross type code is provided.

Cross type codes available from SiliconExpert are described in the collapsible section below.

Component Datasheets

Component datasheets provided by SiliconExpert can be accessed from Altium Designer as follows:

  • The Manufacturer Part Search panel lists a datasheet from SiliconExpert in the Datasheets region when the manufacturer part is selected.

  • The Datasheet button in part choices and solutions in ActiveBOM opens a datasheet from SiliconExpert.

Component datasheets provided by SiliconExpert are presented by default. Therefore, there is no need to request SiliconExpert data for a part (and hence, use the quota from your SiliconExpert package) to access a SiliconExpert datasheet for it.

Displaying Lifecycle States from Multiple Sources

When using the SiliconExpert integration functionality, manufacturer part lifecycle data can be obtained from different sources – e.g., Altium Parts Provider (powered by Octopart or IHS Markit®) and SiliconExpert. Hover the cursor over the manufacturer lifecycle state/bar or use the drop-down that reflects the number of available lifecycle sources to see the lifecycle information from all sources in the tooltip when exploring manufacturer part data in the locations shown below.

Javascript ID: SE_MultipleLC_AD24

An entry in the Manufacturer Part Search panel.

A part choice of a Workspace library component.

A solution derived from a part choice or added as a manufacturer link in an ActiveBOM document.

The supply chain data for the component selected in a schematic.

BOM Verification Based on SiliconExpert Parameters

ActiveBOM provides a range of checks based on parameters from SiliconExpert. You can enable or disable these checks in the BOM Checks dialog accessed by clicking the  button in the BOM Checks region of the Properties panel. Checks related to SiliconExpert are listed in the Violations Associated with Part Choices category of the dialog.

Detected violations of enabled SiliconExpert checks (those with Report Mode set to Report) have the Error severity level.

Refer to the Finalizing Your BOM page to learn more about BOM verification.
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Note

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.

If you don’t see a discussed feature in your software, contact Altium Sales to find out more.

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