追加機能と機能強化

コンポーネント エデイタ

コンポーネント ピンを複数のパッドへマッピング

この新しいバージョンでは、管理されたコンポーネントのピンをパッドへマッピングする機能を導入しました。シングルコンポーネント エディタ の機能強化と新しい Pins パネルの導入により、コンポーネント シンボルピンを任意のコンポーネント フットプリントパッド、または任意の数のフットプリントパッドにマッピングできます。

エディタの ボタンから開いた Pins パネルを使用すると、デフォルトの 1 対 1 のピンパッド マッピングをカスタムに変更できます。例えば、1 つのピンを複数のフットプリント パッドへ関連付けたり、その他の整列されていないピンをパッド番号へ関連付けできます。ピンを複数のパッドへマッピングする時、マッピング エントリは、コンマ区切りの数値形式 (1,2,3,4 等) を使用して入力します。ピンからパッドへのクロスプローブ ハイライトは、複数の一般的なフットプリント パッドで対応しており、カスタムフットプリント マッピングは、 アイコンで示されます。

カスタムのピンからパッドへのマッピングを使用して配置されたコンポーネントは、デザインの 回路図-PCB 同期 中、ピン、パートスワップ、Component Pin Editor ダイアログ で対応しています。回路図のコンポーネントでは、ピンデジグネータではなくパッドデジグネータが表示されるようになり、カスタム マッピングが適用されている場合、ピンデジグネータは グレーで表示される ことに注意してください。後者は、Preferences ダイアログの Schematic - Graphical Editing ページ の Show Pin Designators オプションをオフにすることで無効にできます。

回路図ライブラリ エディタ

カスタム代替シンボル名

Altium NEXUS の回路図ライブラリ エディタには、コンポーネントに代替シンボル グラフィックを追加するオプションがあります。これは、部品をデザインに配置する時、Properties パネル の Graphical の項目にある Mode オプションから選択できます。

ライブラリ エディタで 代替シンボルを追加、削除する ために使用する Tools » Mode メニューに、Rename オプションを追加しました。これにより、現在、選択されているシンボル グラフィックの名称を Rename Alternate Representation ダイアログで変更できます。

PCB エディタの機能強化

Component Clearance デザインルールの新しいオプション

PCB Component Clearance デザインルール には、2つの新しいオプションが含まれています:

• Do not check components without 3D body – このオプションを有効にすると、3D 外形の無いコンポーネントは、このルールによるクリアランスチェックの対象から除外されます。
• Check clearance by component boundary – コンポーネントのクリアランス チェックには、コンポーネントの境界 (コンポーネントを選択した時にハイライト表示される領域) を使用します。

coverlay 領域の追加と削除

PCB エディタの基板プランニング モードで、新しい coverlay 領域を追加/削除できます。新しい coverlay 領域を追加するには、Flex 領域で右クリックして、Coverlay Actions » Add Coverlay を選択します。coverlay layer (bikini coverlay) は、最初に Layer Stack で追加して、アクティブレイヤである必要があります。Add Coverlay コマンドを実行すると、coverlay 領域が追加されます。

coverlay は、Board Region モードの Properties パネルの Actions 領域でも追加/削除できます。

Perform Polygon Update Actions from the Panel

Polygon update actions, such as Repour, Shelve and Modify can now be invoked from buttons in the Properties panel.

Using Polygons on Power Planes

Traditionally, a PCB power plane is designed as a negative, that is, the objects placed on a power plane layer become voids in the copper when the board is fabricated. This approach is used because it is more efficient to generate the output data this way, as the bulk of a plane layer is normally copper; voids in the copper are only needed in specific locations such as around non-connected pads, or as separation voids when the plane is divided into different voltage regions.

As part of improving support for more complex power plane design, this release sees the addition of support for defining power planes as polygons. This change does not affect the approach to designing a power plane; they are still defined in the negative - so placing an object creates a void in the copper, and they continue to be split into separate regions by placing a split line.

By using polygons, copper islands, narrow necks and dead copper can automatically be detected and removed.

Notes about the new Polygons on Plane mode:

• After enabling the option, review each plane layer and repour the plane polygon(s) with the polygon options configured to suit your design needs.
• Connections and Clearances for plane layers are defined by the PlaneConnect and PlaneClearance design rules.
• After modifying a plane (connect or clearance) design rule, repour at least one polygon on each plane layer, to update the connections/clearances on that layer.
• Edits made on a plane layer, such as modifying the location of a split line, cause an automatic repour of polygons on that plane layer.

Outline Vertices for Region & Polygon Objects

Region and Polygon objects now include their Outline Vertices in the Properties panel and their object dialog.

Embedded Board Arrays at Any Angle

Embedded board arrays can now be placed at any angle within a PCB fabrication panel, which offers improved flexibility in how unusually shaped PCBs in particular can be arranged to maximize the available board panel real-estate.

Display of Polar Grid Coordinates

Polar grid coordinates (Radial distance and Angle) are now displayed in the Heads Up Display and the Properties panel, whenever the cursor is over a polar grid.

Snap to Arc Center Option

The PCB editor now supports snapping to the center of a placed arc. Configure the snap behavior in the Objects for Snapping settings in the Board mode of the Properties panel (displayed when there are no objects selected in the workspace), or configure it as you work by pressing the Ctrl+E shortcuts.

New PCB Special Strings For Layer Thickness

The new .Total_Thickness special string can be used to display the overall thickness of the board. If the board includes multiple layer stacks, use the .Total_Thickness(<SubstackName>) special string to display the thickness of the chosen substack.

Quick Routing and Quick Differential Pair Routing Tools

New Quick Routing and Quick Differential Pair Routing commands have been added to the PCB editor Route menu. These commands offer lighter routing with less settings and capabilities, suitable for simpler designs.

These routers are referred to as Quick because they offer a reduced feature-set. Features that are not included in the Quick Router/Quick Differential Pair Router:

• No turn smoothing
• Little support for Any Angle routing
• No pushing of T-junctions
• Simple Push&Shove support
• No Miter Ratio, Min Arc, or Pad Entry Stability
• Simple Gloss Effort, with no support for Gloss Neighbor
• No differential pair convergence when exiting the start pins laterally (Quick Differential Pair Router command)
• No hugging by routed differential pairs (Quick Differential Pair Router command)
• No differential pair maintenance when a neighbor differential pair is pushed (Quick Differential Pair Router command)

Updated ODBᐩᐩ Setup Dialog

The ODB++ Setup dialog has been redesigned to support customization of layers. The layer groups generated by the ODB++ output can be modified by the addition of layers from the mechanical group, resulting in a specified set of merged layers.

Layers are selected for addition in the Select Layer dialog accessed from the ellipsis menu associated with each layer group (). In the example shown here, the layers holding the component designators are added to the Silkscreen overlay so these will be merged with the ODB++ overlay output. Other usage examples might be when including solderable mechanical components, where solder and paste mask layers for those components are added (merged with) the existing mask layer outputs.

Place a Rectangle

A new rectangle object has been added to the Place menu. The rectangle is created from four track segments, and is placed and sized as a single object. Press Tab during placement to define the default width used for the border of the rectangle.

Placing a Graphic on the PCB

Use the new Place » Graphics command to place a JPG, BMP, PNG or SVG format graphic on your PCB.

After launching the command, you will be prompted to provide two clicks to define a rectangular area for the image to be placed in. You will then be prompted to select the graphic file, once it has been selected the Import Image dialog will open. Configure the image settings as required and click OK to create the graphic on the active PCB layer.

The image will be imported and scaled to fit in the largest available vertical or horizontal distance within the defined area, maintaining its original aspect ratio. If the graphic was placed as a Union then it can be moved (click and drag) or resized (right-click » Unions » Resize Union) as a single object.

3D View Move and Rotate using Numpad

A range of additional shortcut keys for manipulating the PCB 3D view is now available on the keyboard number pad. The new shortcuts provide preset levels of rotation or panning in all directions – up, down, left, right – along with an additional set of predefined views – left, right, top, bottom, front, back. The existing 3D view shortcuts (0,5,8,9) are maintained – note that the main 8 key and the NumPad 8 key have different functions.

	Rotate 3D scene: 4, 6 – Left, Right 8, 2 – Up, Down Pan (move): Ctrl+4, Ctrl+6 – Left, Right Ctrl+8, Ctrl+2 – Up, Down
	Predefined views: 1, 3, 7 – Top, Left, Front. Ctrl+1, Ctrl+3, Ctrl+7 – Bottom, Right, Back.

Include Mechanical Layers in the 3D View Mode

Mechanical layers can now be included in the 3D display, when the 3D Settings are using Colors - By Layer. The mechanical layers that are currently configured to be visible, will be displayed .

Separate Visibility Controls for 3D Model Reference and Snap Points

3D Body Reference Point and Custom Snap Points now have separate visibility controls in the System Colors region of the View Configuration panel.

Export the 3D PCB as an Image

It's common to need an image of the 3D PCB; perhaps for a product brochure, the cover of the handbook, or for the website. While it is possible to copy an image of the board from the PCB editor to the clipboard using the Ctrl+C shortcut, that approach requires that you paste the clipboard contents into an image editor and save it.

This release sees the introduction of a new export command, File » Export » PCB 3D Print. After selecting the location to save the image file, the PCB 3D Print Settings dialog will open, where you can set the Render Resolution, how you would like the board to be viewed, and the image format.

System

Improved Template Management

The management of Altium NEXUS document templates now can be performed in one location using a simple list interface that encompasses both local file-based templates and managed templates hosted on an Altium Server.

Accessed on the Data Management – Templates page of the Preferences dialog, the interface includes entries for all available templates for all document types – Schematic, BOM, Draftsman, Layerstack, etc. Templates can be added, edited, removed, or where applicable, specified as the document type default.

• Use the button menu to choose a new template type to be added, or loaded – templates are created and edited in their corresponding document type editor.
• An existing or created Footprint can be specified as the template for creating new Footprints.
• Select the Defaults tab to see, edit or remove any of the default templates that have been specified.

Local file-based templates can be migrated to the connected server from the Migrate to Server option on the right-click context menu. Once the migration is complete, the template will be available as a server-based Managed Template of the same name, while the existing local template will be archived as a zip file in its source folder (that shown in the Local Templates Folder field). The archive is named original_template_n.zip, where the numeral n is incremented with each archived template.