Tag Archives: Altium

Safe in the Cloud

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Data are safer in the cloud.

That’s what tech industry research firm Aberdeen concludes, based on findings from multiple benchmark studies on best practices in content security and security software.

Aberdeen says its analysis shows that users of cloud-based web security had substantially better results than users of on-premise web security implementations when it comes to security, compliance and reliability (and cost, by the way).

Over a 12-month span, cloud-based web security solutions users had 58% fewer malware incidents, 93% fewer audit deficiencies, 45% less security-related downtime, and 45% fewer incidents of data loss or data exposure than did their on-premise web security colleagues.

Extrapolated to the PCB design industry, the report suggests Altium’s move to a cloud-based server environment isn’t as fraught with security hurdles as some have posited.

Short Cuts Don’t Always Make Long Delays

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The saga continues. I have my parts kit. The PCBs should be here from Sunstone tomorrow. When I placed the order on our website, I estimated that I’d have the parts and PCBs today. I knew it would be tomorrow, but I wanted to see how our communications goes when something is late. Obviously, an assembler can’t start building until the parts have arrived, so the Industry standard is to start the turn-time once everything is in the shop.

If a box is late and the sender doesn’t know it, unintended delays can be added into the process. Knowing this, we recently did a lot of work to improve our communications, on such issues as late parts, to help reduce delays. Sure enough, I dropped on over to the website and right on the top of the home page is a note that I have an issue (late parts) with my job. Tonight at midnight, I should receive an email telling me the same thing too.

On the subject of the PCBs, I sent Gerbers to Sunstone. That works just fine, but I’m always a bit nervous about the accuracy of my layer mapping. They double check, so I’ve never had problems, but I still get nervous.

If I’d waited a few days, like until today, I could have taken a short cut by just sending in my CAD board file — they just started accepting native CAD files. You can still use Gerbers, but if you use Altium, Eagle, OrCAD, National Instruments’ Circuit Design Suite, Ivex Winboard or PCB123, you can just send in the board file and save some time and hassle.

When I get the boards tomorrow, I’ll pack everything up and deliver it to the receiving folks. Then I’ll see how the rest of the build process goes from the other side of the fence, and I’ll see how we deal with extra parts. I did that on purpose also. With a couple of parts, I’m delivering several hundred more than I need. With a few other, just the requisite 5% over. It will be interesting to see just how I get the extras back.

Yes. I know. I work here, so I shouldn’t have any doubt about how all of this stuff works. I do know how it goes, but it’s always a good thing to, every now and then, check and see how well practice matches up with theory.

Duane Benson
Grip, Fang, Wolf! Guard the mushrooms!

http://blog.screamingcircuits.com/

Sunstone’s ‘Fab’ Design Tool

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Sunstone is again acting as much like a software company as it is a quickturn PCB fabricator.

The board shop, which over the past few years has developed and honed its free CAD/DfM tool known as PCB123, today rolled out a conversion tool that features native file upload functionality.

In short, customers no longer need to export data in Gerber; instead, they can use one of a series of native data formats, including Altium, Eagle, OrCad, NI, and others (including, of course, PCB123).

It’s the second big development by the PCB maker in the past year, having already rolled out a parts library addition to PCB123 that supports some 500,000 components.

PCB123 won’t replace the big ticket CAD suites, of course, but for the types of prototype boards most designers need, it keeps getting better and better. And with its CAD conversion capability, Sunstone further extends its “ease” factor to those who don’t use the company’s own software.

The Non-Mentor Post

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Taking a break from the ongoing tennis match between one major CAD company and its, shall we say, less-than-pleased biggest shareholder, there’s been some interesting developments elsewhere this week.

As noted yesterday, Altium is packing up its HQ, R&D and marketing teams and moving them lock, stock and barrel to Shanghai. After hearing some of the usual chortling and catcalls, then finally speaking with Altium (late) last night, the rationale behind the move seems sound, if a bit abrupt. I’ll have more on that later today when I post the interview.

Also on the far West side of the Pacific (it doesn’t pay to sleep in this job) Fujitsu will integrate its signal integrity tool into  Zuken’s CAD suite. (Not certain yet what this means for Zuken’s own SI tools, which at the moment actually have a larger market share than Fujitsu’s.) The move would put the combined suite closer to No. 2 Ansoft in the SI arena. Mentor is still well ahead of the pack, but it’s a start.

Altium on the Move

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Altium is moving to Shanghai.

Yes, you read that right. Sydney’s favorite EDA software developer is turning Chinese, relocating its headquarters and R&D operations to the mainland.

That’s the “what.” The “why” is not so clear.

In a press release, Altium spoke of the “Internet of Things,” China’s talent pool and the potential for greater revenue in China.

I’m probably on the Web 15 hours a day (or more, according to my wife), but I’m mot sure what the “Internet of Things” is. I’m guessing it has something to do with Altium’s move toward cloud computing. If so, it doesn’t need Shanghai for that. Server containers, especially ones laden with databases, should be located wherever energy is cheapest and IP secure. Shanghai is an incredibly safe metropolis insofar as physical well-being is concerned. For technology protections, not so much.

As for the Chinese talent pool and revenue potential, that’s all true. But it would be equally true if Altium maintained a token HQ in Sydney. Companies do that all the time.

The distance from Sydney to Shanghai is about 5,000 miles (8,000 km). Having been to both, I can also say they are quite a bit farther apart in terms of lifestyles and cultures. I’m not certain how Nick Martin convinced his top execs to move, but it couldn’t have been easy.

Compared to its rather staid EDA competitors, Altium is more unpredictable and daring (and usually more fun as a result), and usually those moves have paid off. I’m having trouble seeing the advantages here, though.

Altium to Release Designer 10 Next Month

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Altium will ship the next release of Altium Designer on Jan. 31.

The new release is said to change how designers manage component and design data, and take products from design to manufacture.

Release 10 will feature a new desktop platform; new dimensions to sourcing and managing component data; intelligent linking of supply chain data to the design environment; and new ways to manage component data throughout the design and production lifecycle, with a structured release process to ensure the integrity of all data leaving the system.

Keep watching here for more details.