Learn how to draw and define antipads in Altium with this comprehensive tutorial. Tech Consultant Zach Peterson demonstrates three different methods for creating antipads around vias, from simple design rules to advanced polygon cutouts for complex PCB designs.
Discover when to use clearance rules for through-hole vias, how to draw keepouts for differential pairs, and why polygon cutouts are essential for blind and buried vias. Whether you're working on high-speed designs or need precise antipad control on specific layers, this tutorial covers all the techniques you need to master antipad design in your PCB layouts.
👉 Resources from this Episode:
- Why Via Impedance Calculators Can Be Inaccurate:
https://youtu.be/Mt5roii44qk?si=nyt5koEwkJf5fp7s- How to Design High-Speed & RF Via Transitions:
https://resources.altium.com/p/how-design-high-speed-rf-transitions?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=yt-sponsor&utm_content=altium-academy- Why Your Impedance Calculator is Wrong:
https://youtu.be/raG6piNjtxE?si=5iifgYiRpdH_x9Q_💡 Stay Connected: Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from @AltiumAcademy Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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0:00 Intro
0:49 Viewer Question: How to Define Antipads
1:05 Three Methods for Drawing Antipads
1:54 Example PCB with Edge Connector Design
3:26 Method 1: Using Design Rules for Clearances
4:16 PCB Rules and Constraints Editor Setup
5:34 Limitations of Design Rule Method
6:20 Method 2: Drawing Keepouts for Antipads
7:32 Creating Custom Clearance Rules for Keepouts
9:50 Method 3: Polygon Cutouts for Blind Vias
12:35 When to Use Each Antipad Method
13:22 Wrapping Up