Multi-board design is becoming increasingly popular in the electronics industry. It involves designing multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs) that work together to form a complete system. Multi-board design allows for greater flexibility and modularity in electronics design, as well as improved performance and reliability.
Altium Designer is a powerful software tool that supports multi-board design. With Altium, designers can easily create and manage multiple PCBs, and ensure that they work together seamlessly. Altium also provides a range of features and tools that make multi-board design more efficient and effective, including advanced routing and layout capabilities, design rule checking, and 3D visualization.
Overview of Multi Board Design
Multi board design is the process of designing and integrating multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs) into a single system. This approach is commonly used in complex electronic systems, such as smartphones, computers, and medical devices, where a single PCB cannot meet all of the system’s requirements.
Multi board design allows engineers to break down a complex system into smaller, more manageable subsystems, which can be designed, tested, and optimized independently. Each PCB can be optimized for its specific function, such as power management, signal processing, or user interface, without compromising the overall system performance.
One of the key advantages of multi board design is the ability to use different PCB technologies, such as rigid, flex, and rigid-flex, to meet the specific requirements of each subsystem. This approach can also reduce the overall system cost, as it allows engineers to use off-the-shelf components and modules, rather than custom designing everything from scratch.
However, multi board design also introduces new challenges, such as signal integrity, power distribution, and mechanical integration, which must be carefully managed to ensure the overall system performance. Therefore, it is important to use a comprehensive design tool, such as Altium Designer, that can handle the complexity of multi board design and provide advanced features, such as cross-board connectivity, design rule checking, and 3D visualization.
In summary, multi board design is a powerful approach to designing complex electronic systems that can improve performance, reduce cost, and increase flexibility. However, it requires careful planning, coordination, and management to ensure the success of the overall system.
Creating a Multi Board Project
Setting up the Schematic Sheets
To create a Multi Board project in Altium, you need to first set up the schematic sheets for each board. You can create a new schematic sheet for each board, or you can use an existing schematic sheet and add the necessary components and connections for each board. Once you have the schematic sheets set up, you can move on to defining the board regions.
Defining the Board Regions
To define the board regions in Altium, you need to use the Board Planning Mode. This mode allows you to set up the board regions and assign the schematic sheets to each region. You can create as many board regions as you need, and you can define the size and shape of each region. Once you have the board regions defined, you can assign the schematic sheets to each region.
Assigning the Boards to Regions
After you have the board regions defined, you can assign the schematic sheets to each region. This is done by selecting the region and then selecting the schematic sheet that corresponds to that region. You can also assign the schematic sheets to multiple regions if necessary.
In conclusion, creating a Multi Board project in Altium requires setting up the schematic sheets, defining the board regions, and assigning the boards to regions. By following these steps, you can create a Multi Board project that is organized and easy to work with.
Designing the Individual Boards
Creating the Board Layouts
When designing a multi-board system in Altium, it is important to start by creating the individual board layouts. This involves defining the size and shape of each board, as well as the placement of components and connectors.
To create a new board layout, simply select “File” > “New” > “PCB” from the menu bar. This will open a new PCB document, where you can begin defining the board outline and adding components.
One useful feature of Altium is the ability to import board outlines from mechanical CAD (MCAD) software. This can save time and ensure that the board fits within the mechanical constraints of the system.
Routing the Board
Once the board layout has been defined, the next step is to route the traces between components. Altium provides a number of powerful routing tools to make this process easier and more efficient.
To begin routing, select the “Route” tool from the toolbar and start drawing traces between components. Altium will automatically route around obstacles and other traces, making it easy to create complex routing patterns.
One important consideration when routing a multi-board system is signal integrity. It is important to ensure that high-speed signals are routed correctly to avoid signal degradation or noise.
Altium provides a number of tools to help with signal integrity, including differential pair routing and length matching. These tools can help ensure that the system meets the required signal integrity specifications.
Overall, designing the individual boards in a multi-board system is a critical step in the design process. By using Altium’s powerful tools and features, designers can create high-quality, reliable boards that meet the requirements of the system.
Connecting the Boards
Defining the Board-to-Board Connections
Before routing the board-to-board connections, it is important to define the connections between the boards. This can be done by using the Multi-Board Schematic feature in Altium.
In the Multi-Board Schematic, each board is represented as a separate sheet. The connections between the boards are defined by adding ports to the sheets and connecting them with nets.
To add a port, simply right-click on the sheet and select “Add Port”. Give the port a name and select the appropriate type (input, output, or bidirectional).
Once all the ports have been added, they can be connected with nets. To do this, simply draw a net between the ports and give it a name.
Routing the Board-to-Board Connections
After the board-to-board connections have been defined, they can be routed using the Multi-Board Layout feature in Altium.
To route the connections, first select the appropriate board in the Multi-Board Layout. Then, select the “Route” tool and click on the port that you want to connect.
Altium will automatically route the connection between the ports on the two boards. If necessary, you can adjust the routing by dragging the connection or changing the routing options.
It is important to ensure that the board-to-board connections are properly routed and tested before finalizing the design. This will help to ensure that the multi-board system functions as intended.
Design Rule Checking for Multi Board Designs
Design Rule Checking (DRC) is an essential step in the design process that ensures that the design meets the required specifications and rules. In multi-board designs, DRC becomes even more critical as it helps to ensure that the individual boards are correctly connected and that the entire system functions as intended.
Altium Designer provides a comprehensive set of DRC features that can be used to check multi-board designs. These features allow the designer to define rules for the entire system, including the connections between the individual boards.
The DRC rules can be defined for each individual board, and the system-level rules can be defined to check the connections between the boards. The rules can be defined based on the electrical properties of the design, such as the net classes, impedance, and clearance rules.
Altium Designer also provides a powerful feature called the Design Rule Query (DRQ), which allows the designer to query the design rules and highlight any violations. This feature helps to identify any potential issues in the design before it is manufactured, saving time and money.
In conclusion, Altium Designer provides a comprehensive set of DRC features that can be used to check multi-board designs. The DRC rules can be defined for each individual board, and the system-level rules can be defined to check the connections between the boards. The Design Rule Query (DRQ) feature helps to identify any potential issues in the design before it is manufactured.
