SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Dec 15, 2020 – Today, SnapEDA, creator of the first search engine for electronics design, is launching a new plug-in for Altium Designer to cater to engineers and product designers who want to search, discover, and then place parts directly within their PCB design tool.
SnapEDA plug-in search interface
The new plug-in contains CAD models for millions of electronic components, many of which have been created in collaboration with industry-leading electronic component suppliers. These models can be placed directly onto an Altium Designer schematic or layout for instant use, or added to the designer’s library folder for future use.
Altium Designer is one of the most widely-used PCB design tools today, and is the most downloaded format on SnapEDA.
How to search for parts in SnapEDA Altium plug-in
Prior to launching this new plug-in, designers would use SnapEDA’s web platform to download CAD models, and then import them into their designs. This new plug-in removes the extra step of importing the CAD model, and then placing or saving it to a library folder, in addition to creating a native experience for searching directly within Altium Designer. This means that engineers will no longer have to leave their design environment when adding CAD models into their designs, further streamlining their workflows.
In addition to placing parts and saving parts directly, the plug-in’s component database is also updated in real-time as soon as new supplier parts are added to the SnapEDA ecosystem. Designers can also request CAD models via SnapEDA’s InstaPart service – a popular service among large OEMs – when they are unavailable.
Place part or add to library dialog
Using the plug-in is simple. After installing it, designers simply search for a part they need, and will be prompted to place, or save the part to a desired library, or project. All models imported via the plug-in are native Altium .SchLib and .PcbLib file types.
“We created this new plug-in based on feedback from the SnapEDA community. Over the last few months, we’ve been running a beta group with hundreds of designers to better understand how they interact with SnapEDA and Altium Designer. This new plug-in was created based on that feedback, with the aim of further streamlining their design process,” said Natasha Baker, founder & CEO of SnapEDA.
The Altium Designer plug-in by SnapEDA is available for free at www.snapeda.com/plugins. For corporate customers who are unable to install add-ons, they can access native library files from SnapEDA’s website at www.snapeda.com, and simply double-click to open them.
SnapEDA also offers other innovative tools for engineers such as InstaBuild, a free computer vision-based CAD model creation tool, and InstaVerify, its patented real-time CAD model verification technology.
For component suppliers, SnapEDA provides demand generation campaigns, CAD model creation, and a new product introduction (NPI) program.
About SnapEDA
SnapEDA helps engineers design electronics faster by removing barriers. Its search engine for electronics design is used by over 1 million electronics engineers and PCB designers each year, creating everything from smartwatches to drones and robots. By providing ready-to-use building blocks for design, including symbols & PCB footprints, its library shaves days off product development, allowing designers to focus on optimization and innovation. SnapEDA’s models are created using proprietary and patented, automated creation, verification, and translation technology.
Learn more at www.snapeda.com.
