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Altium Complaints

.lia files are fully broken in Altium. You literally just can't import them anymore.

There's this nice PCIe template I want to use, but circuit maker is effed. Why are they even trying to keep circuit maker alive? It's fully broken because it wants you to sign in with a name and password but you can only use google to sign up in the browser and there's no option to change your password anywhere.

There used to be a template libary?. Now all the "design content" links redirect to octopart which doesn't seem to have templates like the design content. https://designcontent.live.altium.com/#Search/pcie

The license manager has to be one of the most annoying things known to man. Every now and then you start up Altium and you have to click "release" then roam on three licenses because it thinks you're signed in somewhere else.

Altium, Solidworks and Onshape have different methods of rotation.

Onshape is clearly the best, pan zoom and rotate are all done without a modifier. It's just constrained rotate which uses shift. I don't think solidworks even has that though.

Altium is the worst is uses track ball rotation which inherently requires more clicks.

Matt Keeter // 3D Rotation Design

Everying time I paste a JLCPCB part number into the BOM the entire software freezes for a good 20 seconds.

JLCPCB and Altium Design Rules Issues

JLCPCB "PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Capabilities" is kinda confusing.

So for a two layer PCB,

alt text

it says "2-layer: 0.15mm hole size / 0.25mm via diameter." That would mean the pad width or "annular ring" can be 0.05mm right?

\[ \frac{0.25}{2} - \frac{0.15}{2} = 0.05 \]

but wait: alt text

Now it says: "2-layer: 1 oz: Recommended 0.25 mm or above; absolute minimum 0.18 mm."

I guess a via doesn't count as a PTH (Plated Through Hole)?

By default in Altium you set your minimum annular ring: alt text and this applies to vias and PTH. So... I guess Altium probably shouldn't do this by default?

Nov 21th

Added a battery "fuel guage" it gives you an accurate reading of the battery level over I2C

alt text

I started the PCB alt text

Nov 20th

Current progress:

alt text

The hardest part was definitely the component selection. I read through so many data sheets. Maybe I can get the rest of the board done tomorrow?! Then I can go relax with some 6502 stuff for a bit.

Tomorrow: - MCU schematic - PCB layout - Verify design for PCBA

Nov 19th

Considering ordering the power board on its own for now. The only issue is the wait time. Could continue with 6502 stuff until then or work on the CPU board.

Here's the current check list of things to implement:

  1. Battery protection IC
  2. Charging IC
  3. Buck-boost

Nov 18th

Learnt that I shouldn't just use a mosfet since there's power switching/charging ICs

Nov 16th

Agenda for today:

  • Altium with GitHub
  • Altium with Solidworks
  • Begin 4" Avionics
  • in Info
  • 1 min read

Init

I'm starting a new website. Getting tired of my php site.

I noticed my school is behind compared to other schools. I plan on getting us up to speed, while at the same time learning as much as possible. The end goal is making a rocket that can compete with waterloo's borealis. If all goes right, we'd launch it at LC 2026. This year (LC 2025), the goal is to make a mojave spinx esque rocket. I'm going to start off with recovery, and avionics. The reason being, is that it is possible to launch the same avionics in a 4 inch diameter kit rocket, that we could use in a mojave sphinx. The recovery system will be almost the exact same.

The first thing I'm gonna do is make a very simple board in Altium. It will have the rp 2040, a usbc port, flash, a LED, reset button, pin out, USB over current protection, a barometer and an accelerometer. It'll be a bit better than a pico.