When the logical design is compiled (an automated process), each physical component is instantiated in memory, ready for transfer to the board design space. Such features require the ability for one logical component to represent multiple physical components.Īltium Designer delivers this one-to-many capability through its compiler technology. Examples of this are multi-channel designs, where a section of circuitry is 'stamped out' as many times as required, and variants, where a single design can be implemented with different components fitted to each variation of the board design. While this one-to-one, logical-to-physical model works well for a simple design, it cannot support some of Altium Designer's more powerful features. The distinction is that components placed on the schematic sheet are logical components, where each is a conceptual entity that represents the physical component that is ultimately mounted on the assembled PCB. It is helpful to understand that there are essentially two types of components in Altium Designer logical components and physical components. Working with the Variant Management Dialog.To learn more, refer to the following pages: This type of variant is referred to as a Fabrication Variant.ĭesign Variants are managed, created and edited in Altium Designer's Variant Management dialog or the Variant Manager document-based interface. Such a variation requires the production of two overlay screens, which results in the manufacture of two different bare boards. A completely different component, as an alternative replacement part.ĭesign Variants that use any of these types of variations are all referred to as Assembly Variants, as they only impact the assembly process – in this case, all variants share the same fabricated bare board.Īltium Designer also supports variations to component overlay information on the PCB, such as changing a component’s Comment, for example.Fitted to the board, but with modified component parameters, such as its value.Using Variants, you can define any number of variations of the board design, where each component may be configured as: The ability to create variations of the same base design adds significant flexibility to how PCB projects are created in Altium Designer. A variation may then be nominated when generating the design’s manufacturing output (BOM, P&P, Assembly drawings, etc), which will, in turn, determine how the product is assembled. In practice, a Design Variant uses the same base design, but the PCB assembly is loaded with the set of components specified by the variation. When a product needs to be designed and produced as a number of variations of that product, where each has different options or capabilities, the ability to implement Design Variants avoids the need to create a unique version of the design for each variation.