Altium PCB Project Template

How use this template for your project

Content of the template
o Template Folder Structure
o Project
o Schematic
o PCB
o Outputs
What's next
Terms of use



Altium PCB Project Template
PCB Project Template is sample project template for Altium Designer with all necessary settings of source documents and settings of output
generation process. It should make starting of a new project easier. Please read Terms of use at the end of this page.
The template was created and is using features of Altium Designer 13.3.
Design rules in this template are set according to Seeed Studio Fusion service, what is international and I think affordable service which I
successfully used for my hobby projects. The difference of 2 layer and 4 layer board template is in the PCB file (number of layers,
documentation details) and in the setup for generation output files.
How use this template for your project
Detailed description of template files can be found in section Content of the template.
Note: All file extensions must remain untouched during renaming operations.
Project
1. Unzip the package folder with desired number of layers
2. Rename main folder to your project name
3. Rename file "Project Name.PrjPcb?" to your project name
4. Rename PCB file (PcbDoc?) in folder PCB\ to your project name
5. Rename schematic file (SchDoc?) in Source\ folder to the name of your schematic sheet number 1
6. Copy SchDoc? file as many time as you need to reach final number of schematic sheets in your project
7. Load project file (PrjPcb?) into Altium Designer, error message about missing file can be ignored
8. Use menu Project Add Existing to Project and add all PcbDoc? and SchDoc? files from PCB and Source folder (you
would need to call the command twice to add two folders)
9. Go into Project Project Options Parameters tab and set the values of user global/project parameters according to
your project
Schematics
1. Go into each schematic sheet and set required local/document parameters in Design Document Options
Parameters tab
2. Draw your schematics, components can be included from Libraries panel
3. Run logical annotation (component numbering and document numbering in source documents) by Tools Annotate
Schematics and Tools Number Schematic Sheets
4. Run physical annotation (component numbering and document numbering as it will be displayed on PCB and in all
outputs) by Tools Board Level Annotations and Tools Annotate Compiled Sheets
see Design Annotation for details
5. Use Project Compile PCB Project to run Electrical Rule Check (ERC) and solve the reported issues - some of them by
NoERC directive probably
PCB
1. Import information from your schematic sheet into PCB document by Design Update PCB document in schematic
editor or Design Import Changes from Project in PCB editor
2. Check settings in Design Layer Stack Manager according to your board stackup. Defauls stack is set for 2 or 4 layers
3. Check settings in Design Rules to comply with parameters of your board manufacturer.
4. Place your components and route the board
5. If polygon pours are used for GND signal you can add them into GNDpolygons class in Design Classes Polygon
Classes what causes they will be handled with differen clearance by ClearanceGNDpolygons rule
6. Run Tools Design Rule Check Run Design Rule Check and solve all violations through PCB Rules and Violations
panel by PCB modifications and DRC exceptions
Outputs
1. Open Outputs.OutJob? file and click on Generate content in each Output container what will produce all data outputs
into the separate folders described in Template Folder Structure section
2. Check all generated files, Gerber files will be automatically open in CAMtastic (build-in gerber editor)
3. Backup all project data prior sending to a manufacturer by Project Project Packager (turn on timestamp option)
4. Send data - Gerber and NC drill folder - to the board manufacturer, do the assembly, testing ...
Content of the template
Template Folder Structure
This template is using fixed folder structure. The folders contain following files (typical file extension):
BOM\ - bill of material for component purchasing purposes (XLS, XLSX)
Documentation\ - documentation for printing (PDF)
Export 3D\ - model of PCB in 3D STEP format (STEP)
Fabrication\ - all data for board manufacturing and assembling
o BOM\ - assembly bill of material as additional document to the assembly view in printed documentation from
Documentation\ folder for manual assembling (XLS,XLSX)
o Gerber\ - PCB export in gerber format for PCB manufacturing (G??)
o NC Drill\ - program for CNC drill machine (TXT)
o Pick Place\ - assembly data for machine assembly (TXT)
History\ - automatically managed history of project available in Storage Manager panel, versions are created when a document is
saved, the folder can be deleted when project history is not needed
Checks\ - results of validation outputs
o DiffReport?\ - results of consistency check between schematics and PCB (HTML)
o DRC\ - results of Design Rule Check of PCB (HTML)
o ERC\ - results of Electrical Rule Check of schematics (HTML)
Libraries\ - project related libraries, usually not necessary, DXP Preferences Data Management Installed Libraries used
instead (SchLib, PcbLib, IntLib?), template contains Stamp.SchLib (schematic library with title block for schematic files) and
Fiducial.PcbLib(footprint/package library with fiducial marker)
PCB\ - PCB file (PcbDoc?)
o additional - script and configuration files for mechanical layers naming, exported DRC settings, screenshots of some
settings in the PCB (INI, RUL. PNG)
Settings\ - settings of batch output generation (OutJob?)
Source\ - schematic files/sheets (SchDoc?)
Project
PCB project in this template is set in default settings what is usually ok.
Global Parameters - parameters which has the same value for all project documents. These parameters can be set on Project
Project Options Parameters tab. The parameter values can be displayed anywhere in the project by =parameter_name in
schematic documents or by .parameter_name in PCB document. Don't use spaces or special characters in parameter name.
Template predefined parameters are:
o GlobalProjectLink? - short web link to the project or company web page with project details
o GlobalProjectName? - full project name without revision number
o GlobalProjectRevision? - revision number, e.g. v1.3
o GlobalProjectTeam? - team, company or department name
o GlobalRevisionDate? - release date of the revision
Schematic
Title block from library - The title block (stamp) in the template comes from Stamp.SchLib from Libraries\ folder. It's included as a
component into the schematic file and it's locked to prevent unwanted moving of the stamp. Component type is Graphic so the
component won't be synchronized with PCB and won't be in BOM reports. Values are loaded from Global/Project parameters and
Local/Document parameters. The stamp contains actual date and time from system parameters what will produce timestamp
during document printing.
Size and orientation can be set by Design Document Options Sheet Options tab
Units - set to DXP units, 1 DXP unit = 10 mils, imperial units are recommended because most of available libraries are using
imperial grid
Grid - 5 DXP units
Local parameters - parameters which has different value for each project document. These parameters can be set on Design
Document Options Parameters tab. The parameter values can be displayed anywhere in the document by =parameter_name.
Don't use spaces or special characters in parameter name. Used parameters are predefined by Altium. Template stamp using
these parameters:
o Author - author name and contact info (email)
o Title - descriptive name of the schematic sheet, 1 DXP unit = 10 mils,
o There are also SheetNumber?, SheetTotal? parameters used in the document parameters. They are filled by
annotation process described previously.
Hint: Document Parameters of all schematic documents can be modified together through Tools Parameter Manager set to Documents
options only. Keep option Exclude System Parameters unchecked.
PCB
PCB file contains settings of layer stackup, naming of mechanical layers, layer pairs, layer sets (predefined sets of displayed layers) and
basic set of rules usually given by PCB manufacturing technology. PCB used in this template is using clearance 0.2mm, minimum track
width 0.16mm, via diameter 0.3mm and via annular ring 0.2mm what comply (including some margin) with Fusion service by Seeed Studio
and other manufacturing services.
Default Grid - 0.1mm, it will not produce any big issue when you change grid or even units used in the PCB during layout
Technology Design Rules - basic rules with highest priority number defines technology limits mentioned above, other rules
(exceptions) has to have lower number of priority and can't break the values given by technology limits to keep board
manufacturability
Additional Design rules
o ClearanceGNDpolygons - exception of general clearance rule for polygons which are members of GNDpolygons class
in Design Classes Polygon Classes to be able define setback for polygons independently.
o ClearancePadVia? - additional clearance between component pads and vias to keep vias in distance from pads
(because of assembly issues)
o Note: All design rules are exported to RUL files in PCB\ folder. You can import the rules by Design Rules dialog to
another PCB files.
PCB file contains simple title block/stamp drawn directly in the PCB file. Values are loaded from Global/Project parameters and
system parameters. Primitives of the stamp are locked to prevent unwanted moving.
Copper Layers
o 2 layer PCB

o 4 layer PCB - planes are inverse layers (line drawn in this layer mean there will be a gap in copper) used for power
supply distribution, they can be split into smaller regions with different net attached by closed shapes drawn by lines,
see Altium wiki page Split Planes

Mechanical layers usage
o Outlines (Mech 1) - board outline, use Design Board Shape Define from selected primitives to update actual Board
Shape from this layer
o Dimensions (Mech 2) - dimensions of board shape and important objects (mounting holes)
o Ref (Mech 5) - auxiliary reference data in components (e.g. important spots in connectors)
o Assembly Text Top (Mech 6) - text reference for assembly of components on top side (typically ".designator" strings)
o Assembly Text Bot (Mech 7) - as above for the bottom side of the board
o Assembly Top (Mech 8) - outline and pin 1 marking for components on top side (similar to component silkscreen but
without clipping by exposed copper)
o Assembly Bot (Mech 9) - as above for the bottom side of the board
o 3D Top (Mech 13) - 3D models for top side components
o 3D Bot (Mech 14) - as above for the bottom side components
o Courtyard Top (Mech 15) - outline of the component including space needed for assembly purposes where no other
components should be placed
o Courtyard Bot (Mech 16) - as above for the bottom side of the board
Note: Top and Bot layers are linked by layer pairs settings in the PCB file, the data will be distributed into the layers automatically when the
component is flipped to other board side.
Hint: settings of mechanical layers can be imported/exported by MechLayerNames script. Settings from the template are stored in
PCB\additional\ folder.
Outputs
Outputs from the PCB projects has many options so the setup is fixed in OutputJob? file which is able to run batch generation of outputs.
The Outputs.OutJob? is split into several containers (output folders according to the output type). You should click on Generate content in
all containers separately to get complete set of updated output data. Predefined containers:
Checks - validation process, you should check all outputs in Checks folder before you create final data
Documentation - PDF file container with schematic and PCB printouts including 3D board views
o Schematic Prints - schematic sheets printout
o PCB View - one page PCB composite view
o Dimensions - board dimensions drawing
o Layout - routing of each copper layer separately (visual routing check)
o Layout test footprints - top and bottom copper layers with only pads displayed for testing footprints/packages on
paper printout before board manufacturing
o Assembly - assembly drawing from top and bottom side
o PCB 3D Print Top - PCB 3D view from top
o PCB 3D Print Bottom - PCB 3D view from bottom
o Hint: 3D views can be set by positioning the 3D view directly in PCB file and using "Take current camera position"
button in the output properties in Output.OutJob? file
Fabrication - Gerber files (RS-274X, 2:5, imperial), drill files for CNC drill machine (2:5, imperial), assembly bill of material and
pick and place data for assembly machine
BOM - bill of material for component purchasing purposes
Export 3D - export of PCB 3D model into 3D STEP file
What's next
Please check all settings and in case of doubt discuss the settings with your manufacturer specifically.
If you find any state of document typical for your future designs you can set the document into DXP Preferences System New
Document Defaults (the source document must be stored in location where it stays untouched by any modifications). Other advanced
techniques of setting up Altium Designer according to your needs can be found at Altium wiki page Design Environment.
Terms of use
The template is provided free of charge with no warranty or liability.
Feel free to modify the template by your own needs. I would like to encourage you to share your modifications with others.
Please let me know your feedback on this template. Any comments are welcome. You can contact me via email PetrTos? (a) gmail.com .

Petr Tosovsky
2013-07-30