The fundamental design task of searching for and choosing the most suitable component parts for PCB designs can be performed in a single, advanced panel available from within Altium Designer – the Manufacturer Part Search panel. The Manufacturer Part Search panel offers a sophisticated search feature based on categories and parametric filtering that allows you to zero in on the exact manufactured components you need, and also select a preferred supplier of that physical part based on cost and availability.
A selected manufactured part can be saved to a connected Workspace or downloaded as a library, or its parameters and datasheets added to an existing part in the design space. The preferred supplier(s) of that manufactured part may also be selected and added, as Supplier Link parameters, to an existing design part. Saving to your own connected Workspace involves creating a new component using the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, pre-filled with information from the searched part.
Manufacturer Part Search Panel Access
To open the Manufacturer Part Search panel, select View » Panels » Manufacturer Part Search from the main menu or the Manufacturer Part Search option from the button menu at the lower right of the main screen. When vertically docked, use the to toggle the panel layout between full screen (wide) mode and its narrow docked mode.
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The Manufacturer Part Search panel in its normal mode
The Manufacturer Part Search panel in its compact mode
The panel harnesses the manufacturer and supplier data resources of the Altium Parts Provider service to source the most pertinent and up-to-date component data. A selected manufactured part can be saved to a connected Workspace or downloaded as a file-based library, or its parameters and datasheets added to an existing part in the design space. The preferred supplier(s) of that manufactured part may also be selected and added, as Supplier Link parameters, to an existing design part.
Each listed manufacturer part in the panel is associated with a colored stripe tag that indicates its fundamental suitability for use, based on the part's deduced Lifecycle state – for example, a component flagged as Obsolete
(red) is not recommended over one rated for Volume Production
(green). Hover over a colored stripe to see its Manufacturer Lifecycle state.
See Interpreting Lifecycle in BOM Management for more information.
If you are not signed in to your Altium account, you can first sign in or register from this panel. Clicking Sign in will provide access to the Sign In dialog from which you can sign in to your Altium account using your Altium account credentials (username and password). If you have not yet created an Altium account, click register to open the browser-based interface as presented through Altium 365 where you can register for Altium 365 or view and make changes to your Workspace if you already own one.
Use the controls in the panel to sign in to your Altium account or to register a new one.
Manufacturer and Supplier Data
The panel’s advanced search engine allows it to be used in a straightforward search mode, by entering a query in the main Search field, or in its advanced parametric mode by progressively refining the search criteria using component type category choices and smart Filters – or indeed, by using both capabilities together.
Click the icon to show or hide the Filters pane, and use the selection options in the categories drop-down menu ( ) to restrict the list to a particular component type.
When using the parametric search options, which is ideal for researching suitable manufactured parts for a design, the panel's filter options will dynamically adapt to the most relevant parameter choices based on the existing category/filters selections. This allows you to quickly narrow the listed choices to the most suitable manufactured parts, which in turn are ordered by a combination of model availability, supplier stocks and price. Note that multiple options may be selected for a given (checkbox-based) filter attribute, and the filters also include unit-aware (text to number) search options for specifying a range of acceptable parameter values.
Use the provided categories and filters to quickly refine the component list.
If desired, you can enable the display of search times at the bottom of the Manufacturer Part Search panel. This feature is available when the ComponentPartSearch.PerformanceMetrics
option is enabled in the Advanced Settings dialog .
The currently selected filter options are shown above the parts list and may be removed (via their associated X icon) to modify the active search filtering. Similarly, individual choices in the Filters list may be removed by unchecking an entry or deselecting an option button.
The panel Filters options can be tailored to your needs by selecting particular parameter types as favorites, which then shift to the top of the list for the current component category. Hover to the right of a parameter filter’s name and click the star icon to set the filter as a Favorite. Favorite filter settings apply to and are saved for individual component Categories.
The symbol next to a component entry means that there are models (schematic symbols, PCB footprints, simulation models) assigned to this component. To restrict the listing to those components that have associated model data, select the Yes option for the Has Model and/or Has Simulation parameter in the Filters pane.
Use the drop-down at the right of the MPN in the grid area of the panel to access the Open in Octopart command that opens the Octopart site, providing detailed information on that manufacturer part.
Hover the cursor over the MPN in the grid area of the panel and click the icon that appears at the right of the MPN to copy the manufacturer part number (MPN) and the manufacturer name for a part listed in the panel:
A selected manufacturer part in the list is summarized by its column data, where all available parameter columns are active by default. Within the component listing, the content that is included may be managed by:
Setting the component listing sort order – click a column heading to sort the component listing by that column data. Click the heading again to reverse the sort order.
Setting the order of the displayed columns – drag and drop a column heading to a new position.
Specifying which parameter columns are shown – right-click in a column header and choose Select Columns to open the Select Columns dialog, then toggle a parameter column’s visibility and move its positional order with the Up /Down buttons.
The Select columns dialog
Options and Controls of the Select Columns Dialog
Search - enter characters by which you want the list filtered.
List - this is a list of all possible columns that can be displayed in the Manufacturer Part Search panel. When an item displays , that column will be displayed in the Manufacturer Part Search panel. When an item displays , that column will not be displayed in the Manufacturer Part Search panel. Click the symbols to toggle the show/hide function. Use the icon in the column header to toggle visibility of all items.
icon - hover the cursor over the list column header and click the icon that appears to open a pop-up where you can configure the filter. Use the Filter Rules and Filter Values tabs of the pop-up to switch between filter modes. Use the Clear Filter button to reset the filter.
Up/Down - click to move the selected item up or down in the list. Only items that are checked may be moved. This determines the order in which the columns will appear in the Manufacturer Part Search panel.
Filtering the listing by a specific column entry – hover the cursor over a column header and click the icon to display a list of its unique parameter entries, then select one or more entries to constrain the listed parts to those that include the specified parameter (e.g., the Case/Package
code). Select the blank line to show the parts that have no value for the parameter. Select the (Select All) option to reset the filter. When a filter is applied to a column, its icon will turn blue .
Based on the data of any part in the panel, a new component can be created in your connected Workspace – that effectively means that any listed component can be saved to your Workspace. Use one of the following controls to save a component to your connected Workspace:
the button;
the Save to My Workspace (when connected to an Altium 365 Workspace) / Save to My Server (when connected to an Altium Enterprise Workspace) command of the button menu;
the Save to My Workspace / Save to My Server command of the component entry's right-click menu;
the button that appears on the component entry's image when the mouse cursor hovers over the entry.
Parts with associated models are ready for use in designs and may be attained by downloading the selected component(s) to a zipped Integrated Library Package – select the Download as File Library command from the button menu or the component entry's right-click menu.
Parts located through the panel are saved to your Workspace and then reused in designs as Workspace Library components . Alternatively, a part may be placed in an active design directly from the panel using the Place option in the right-click menu or button menu. Note that with this approach, however, the placed component’s data source will be the Altium Content Vault rather than your own Workspace.
If a component was placed on a schematic sheet from the Manufacturer Part Search panel, you can save it to the connected Workspace by selecting the Part Actions » Save to My Workspace / Save to My Server command from the placed component's right-click menu.
Note that in earlier versions of the software, the Save to My Workspace command was called Acquire , and the Download to File Library command was called Download .
Supplier Data
Each part entry in the list also includes a link to the online manufacturer's data, and a link to a tabular list of supplier choices – again ordered by their price/availability suitability.
The panel provides supplier data for available components.
The supplier entries provide a snapshot of the current (live) stock level, pricing and supplier part number. To view the supplier data, click the SPNs link located in the Manufacturer Part column after selecting a part. Right-click on a supplier cell to add the associated Supplier Link to a component part in the schematic editor, via the mouse cursor (Add Supplier Link to Part ). The alternative Add Supplier Link and Parameters to Part option also adds all parameters for that manufacturer component to the schematic part.
Use the panel’s button (top right) to set supplier data options such as specifying the displayed Currency and restricting the supplier cells to those that contain valid data. When the Exclude invalid SPNs option is checked, only cells that show suitable Stock levels and up-to-date data are included.
When a part is selected in the Manufacturer Part Search panel, base supply information (minimum available stock, unit price, and manufacturer lifecycle) can also be seen at the top of the Details pane. The associated colored stripe indicates the fundamental suitability of the part for use based on its deduced Lifecycle state – for example, a part flagged as Obsolete
(red) is not recommended over one rated for Volume Production
(green). Hover over a colored stripe to see its Manufacturer Lifecycle state.
When a Schematic Library is the active document, drag and drop a Supplier cell onto an entry in the SCH Library panel , or onto the editor space, to add that component Supplier Link. Alternatively, right-click on the Supplier cell to add the link and/or the part parameters to the component selected in the SCH Library panel, or choose the Import Into option to add that component data as a new library entry.
Manufacturer Part Search Panel Right-click Menu
Save to My Workspace / Save to My Server – use to save the selected component to a connected Workspace .
Download as File Library – use to download the selected part(s) to a zipped compiled Integrated Library (*.IntLib
), with its source library package (*.LibPkg
) and library files. Select multiple part entries to download those parts in a single session.
Place - use to place a part in the active design.
Submit Request – use to access the active part request process definitions. If no active process definitions are available for the Part Requests process theme, the Submit Request button will be grayed out (not available). You may need to sign out of the Workspace and back in again or restart Altium Designer to refresh.
Add Supplier Link To – use to add the selected Supplier Link to a component part in the schematic editor (when a schematic document is currently active) or to the component currently selected in the SCH Library panel (when a schematic library document is currently active).
Add Supplier Link And Parameters To – use to add the selected Supplier Link and all parameters for that manufacturer component to a component part in the schematic editor (when a schematic document is currently active) or to the component currently selected in the SCH Library panel (when a schematic library document is currently active).
Import Into – when a schematic library document is currently active, use to add the selected component data as a new library entry.
Refresh – use to refresh the panel's contents.
Copy – use to copy all or selected parameter data as a tab-delimited text list.
Copy With Header – use to copy and paste the selected component into an external spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel.
#select_columns_dlg_manufacturer_part_search_pnl Select Columns – use to open the Select columns dialog to choose which columns to show or hide in the panel.
Preferences – click to open the Data Management - Parts Providers page of the Preferences dialog to configure parts providers.
Part Details
Full details of the selected manufacturer part, including models if available, are presented in the panel’s Details section pane – on the right in the panel’s full-screen mode. Use the panel's button (top right) to toggle the visibility of the Details pane.
The information and options presented in this section depend on the available component data, where a part may be saved to your connected Workspace, saved as an integrated library package or placed in the design (the button menu), and datasheets viewed from the menu or from the pane's Datasheets list.
The drop-down menu offers options to save the component to a connected Workspace (via the Create new component dialog and Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode ) or download the component locally as an Integrated Library Package in a zip archive. Alternatively, a new Part Request can be created.
Further options in the part Details section include:
Add selected parameters to a schematic component part using mouse cursor targeting (drag and drop, or from right-click menu).
Copy all or selected parameter data as a tab-delimited text list – right-click menu options.
View alternative part suggestions in a list ordered by a suitability rating (Alternatives ), where each entry links to its online part data.
Select multiple component entries to enable the data comparison feature, where the parameter differences between the selected parts are highlighted as red text.
When the selected manufacturer part has a simulation model, the model's text preview is shown in the Details pane when the MPS.ShowSimulationModelPreview
option is enabled in the Advanced Settings dialog .
Alternatives
Component replacement is often performed when a part is obsolete or no longer recommended. The Alternatives region of the Manufacturer Part Search panel provides a list of available alternatives for the currently selected manufacturer part. The number next to an alternative part indicates the confidence score of this part as a replacement for the selected part.
Note that while the Manufacturer Part Search panel suggests confidence scoring for alternatives, it is not possible for Altium to guarantee the accuracy of these data. Before implementing a part as an alternative to another part in your design, it is highly recommended to check with the datasheets and verify the replacement.
Community-based data for part alternatives are provided, with the confidence scores aggregated from distributors' data. If you have access to advanced part alternative data provided by IHS Markit® , the confidence score reflects the following:
9 – an alternative identified by component engineers through detailed analysis of device characteristics as having identical form, fit, and functionality.
8 – an alternative identified as having identical form, fit, and functionality based on internal rules.
6 – an alternative that is functionally equivalent, meaning that it has the same functionality but may have a different form or fit.
2 – an alternative that has similar functionality but may have a different form or fit.
Advanced data available by leveraging the partnership with IHS Markit also includes manufacturer lifecycles, component parameters (technical) and datasheets which are also available within the Manufacturer Part Search panel.
You can open a drop-down menu at the right of an alternative part's MPN to access the following commands:
Open in Manufacturer Part Search – uses the Manufacturer Part Number and Manufacturer Name as a search request in the Manufacturer Part Search panel so you can further investigate this alternative part.
Open in Octopart – opens the Octopart site, providing detailed information on that manufacturer part.
The data of a found alternative (the manufacturer part number and the manufacturer name) can be copied from the panel (which might be helpful if you need, for example, to add this alternative part as a part choice for a component). Hover the cursor over the MPN or manufacturer name of an alternative part and click the icon that appears at the right of the MPN.
Data Sources
The search engine behind the Manufacturer Part Search panel will source parts data from the Altium Parts Provider service and where possible, access matching schematic, PCB and Sim models from the Altium Content Vault. The match between a part listed in the Manufacturer Part Search panel and models from the content server is based on the manufacturer name and the manufacturer part number. In a Workspace, this is determined by the Part Choices associated with a Workspace library component.
In the example shown below, models from the Altium Content Vault are sourced by the panel because that particular LED component can be found in the content server, based on its Part Choices entry. All other data is sourced live from the Altium Parts Provider, giving you the latest Manufacturer and Supplier information for the selected component.
The selected component has assigned models as indicated by its associated symbol.
Parameter data
When a component part is saved to a Workspace/integrated library from the Manufacturer Part Search panel, the component data (both models and parameters) are sourced from the Altium Content Vault. In practice, the found component is matched to an Altium component, which will include its parameters when placed.
As an adjunct to this, the panel offers a rich source of parameter data with each part entry, courtesy of the Altium Parts Provider service – see the parameter list in the selected part Details section. These parameters represent the current manufacturer data for that part, and therefore relevant, up-to-date information that can be added to a component in a Workspace/integrated library or board design.
For example, use the right-click menu in the panel's parameters list to add selected parameters to a schematic component, or choose the Add Supplier Link and Parameters to Part option (as outlined above) when adding supplier data to a component. Note that parameters sourced from the panel are added to the schematic component's existing parameters.
Part Search Dialogs
The search engine and view used in the Manufacturer Part Search panel are also applied in other Altium Designer applications where component data is sourced. The Part Search functionality is included in these (modal) dialogs, along with an OK confirmation button and minor variations in the available action commands.
Manufacturer Part Choices:
Supplier Links:
Part Compare Feature
The Compare feature allows you to compare the parameters of two selected parts (components). This feature is accessed by selecting two parts in the grid region with the icon enabled (blue). The Selected Part Details region opens to the right of the grid region. The upper region (region 1 in the image below) displays the selected parts side-by-side. Click the Datasheet button to open the manufacturer's datasheet (if available) for the associated component.
The lower region (region 2 in the image below) displays a side-by-side view of the components' parameters, with differences highlighted in red text for easy comparison.
The Compare feature and functionality is also available in the Components panel .