Altium Designer New Board Wizard

The Altium Designer New Board Wizard is the easiest way to create a new PCB design document. The Wizard will guide you through steps to define measurement units for the board (imperial or metric), board outline/profile with a range of industry-standard board outlines or you can define your own custom board size, number of layers, via style, component and routing technology, and default track and via sizes.

Refer to Defining the Board Shape for more information about board creation.

Using the Altium Designer New Board Wizard

The Altium Designer New Board Wizard is launched by clicking PCB Board Wizard in the New from template region of the Files panel.

Wizard Navigation

• Click Cancel to close the Altium Designer New Board Wizard.
• Click Back to navigate to the previous screen.
• Click Next to navigate to the next screen.
• Click Finish to close the Altium Designer New Board Wizard and create your new board. This option is available only on the final page of the Wizard.

Setting the Board Units

Use the Choose Board Units page to set the measurement units for the board you are creating. To use mils, select Imperial; to use millimeters, select Metric.

Selecting the Board Profile

Use the Choose Board Profiles page to select the board profile. You can select a specific board type from the predefined standard profiles list or choose Custom to define your own board profile. If available and appropriate for your chosen profile, a preview of the board profile will appear in the large region on the right-hand side of the page. If there is no appropriate preview, or if Custom has been selected, No Preview will appear in the region.

Setting the Board Details

If Custom was selected on the previous page, the Choose Board Details page appears next. Use this page to define the board details, such as the board shape and size.  

Setting the Board Layers

The Choose Board Layers page is used to set the number of layers and power planes that are appropriate for your new design. Enter the desired number of layers for Signal Layers and Power Planes directly in the text boxes or use the up and down arrow keys next to each textbox to select the desired number of layers.  

Setting the Routing Via Style

You can set the routing via style that is appropriate for your design on the Choose Via Style page. Select either Thruhole Vias only or Blind and Buried Vias only. A preview of each selection appears to the right.

Selecting Component and Routing Styles

Use the Choose Component and Routing Technologies page to select the component and routing style you want for your design.

To set the component style, select the most appropriate choice, either mostly Surface-mount components or mostly Through-hole components. 

To set the routing style, if you place components on both sides of the board, select Yes, otherwise, select No.

Setting Track and Via Sizes

The Choose Default Track and Via sizes page is used to set the minimum track size, via size, and copper-to-copper clearances for your design.

Click on the measurement for each area to open a textbox where you can enter a new measurement. You can set the Minimum Track Size, Minimum Via Width, Minimum Via HoleSize, and Minimum Clearance. Each measurement has a display that shows a rough image of the defined area.

Completing the Board Wizard

After you have successfully completed the Wizard, the final page appears. In order to create the board you just designed in the Wizard, click Finish. Your new board will be created.