Multi-Channel Support for Variants

This document is no longer available beyond version 16.0. Information can now be found here: Variant Support for Multi-channel Designs for version 24

 

Altium Designer's support for Variants allows the designer to create a single, base design, and then populate it in different ways, to create different products.

Originally, variant support allowed components to be defined as Fitted or Not Fitted, or individual components parameters to be varied. Altium Designer 14.3 saw the introduction of True Variants, that is, the ability to replace a base component with a completely different component, in a chosen variant. In Altium Designer 16 this has been extended again, with support for multi-channel designs.

Each Variant can have different parts fitted, and parts within a channel can also be varied.
Each Variant can have different parts fitted, and parts within a channel can also be varied.

Vary Components Across All Channels

Altium Designer 16 sees the introduction of support for varying a multi-channel design. Now, a variant can have components varied across all channels, including: being Fitted/Not FItted; specific parameters varied; or Alternate Parts chosen.

Vary Components Within a Specific Channel

There is even support for varying a component within a specific channel. At this stage this support includes: Fitted/Not Fitted, and parameters being varied.

Summary of Supported Variations

Variation Type Applied to all Channels Within a Specific Channel
Fitted/Not Fitted Supported Supported
Varied Parameters Supported Supported
Alternate Part Supported Not Supported

 

The basic rule is that if you choose to use an Alternate Part, it must be used in all channels.

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Note

The features available depend on your Altium product access level. Compare features included in the various levels of Altium Designer Software Subscription and functionality delivered through applications provided by the Altium 365 platform.

If you don’t see a discussed feature in your software, contact Altium Sales to find out more.

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