SODAQ, a Netherlands-based company, has been focusing on creating greener Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for over seven years. They design hardware and software for a variety of applications, including smart desks and bikes that measure air quality. Their first product, a solar-powered weather station, established them as pioneers in green technology. However, as their designs became more complex, integrating GPS tracking and solar power, they faced challenges. Designing complex PCBs with integrated solar panels required professional design tools. Their non-solar designs, like office desks that can track occupancy, featured custom applications that surpassed the limitations of most PCB design software tools. Managing components and design libraries with their old ECAD software was challenging, and collaboration between mechanical engineers and PCB designers was difficult.

Teenage Engineering, a Swedish company, specializes in creating compact, powerful synthesizers, including a series of small, battery-powered synthesizers known as pocket operators. These devices, which are roughly the size of a pocket calculator, can be connected together to produce and record a variety of music genres. The company's mission is to make synthesizers accessible to everyone, with a simple interface, animated LCD displays, and affordable price points. However, the design process of these devices presented a challenge. The company handles everything in-house, from electrical and mechanical engineering to industrial design and software development. The main challenge was getting the balance right between ECAD and MCAD software tools. The company's designs usually start on the MCAD side, building up the overall electromechanical look and feel. An ultra-tight tolerance chain was key when bouncing designs back and forth between Altium and MCAD.

Small PCB design firms often face the challenge of limited access to affordable, comprehensive software tools. These tools are essential for designing, co-designing, sourcing parts, and sharing projects at each stage of the development cycle. Many available tools are incomplete, requiring additional modules that increase complexity and costs. Matthew Lightsey, founder and principal designer of Granite Summit Designs, experienced this challenge firsthand. His firm specializes in designing custom PCBs for various industries, including commercial, industrial, aerospace, and defense. When starting his own design firm, Matt did not want to compromise on professional tools. However, he found that more comprehensive solutions came with a higher price tag, while cheaper solutions were inadequate for professional use.

Energy poverty, defined as the lack of access to modern energy services, affects over 840 million people globally. An additional billion people are connected to unreliable power grids, leading to connectivity losses that negatively impact both public and private sectors. Bboxx, a next-generation utility company, aims to address this issue by manufacturing, distributing, and financing decentralized solar-powered systems in developing countries. However, the company faced challenges in developing hardware units that are compact, easy to use, and capable of transforming solar energy into raw power. The design process required multiple iterations and collaboration among various team members, including electrical and mechanical engineers.

The World Health Organization estimates that hundreds of millions of people suffer from over 600 different neurological disorders, including strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. In 2017, the global prevalence of strokes alone was 104.2 million. For survivors, the road to recovery is challenging and requires extensive rehabilitation with the continued assistance of therapists, doctors, and clinicians. To regain motor functions after suffering strokes or other sudden onset conditions that can cause brain or spinal cord injuries, repetitive motions are essential to help patients regain neuroplasticity. However, this task is daunting for both therapists and patients, requiring a significant amount of time and effort.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has been conducting extensive research on our oceans for over three decades. Their studies range from examining the axial seamount and the active submarine volcano along the Juan de Fuca Ridge off the coast of Oregon to studying methane and hydrocarbons in mud in the Arctic. The research is crucial for understanding the extent of climate change, focusing on the biologic response of stressors to the oceans. However, the process of studying these changes, which involves deep-water mapping three to four thousand meters below the ocean surface, collecting sonar data, and measuring turbulence and bioluminescence up to 150 days per year, is challenging. MBARI uses its proprietary technology, including long-range autonomous underwater vehicles (LRAUVs), to conduct these studies. However, designing these LRAUVs and packing them with ample capabilities within a small space, including 5000-watt lithium-ion batteries encased in air-tight sheet metal pressure housing, is a complex task.

Ricky Willems, an electrical engineer and a fan of the popular show “BattleBots”, was inspired to build his own robots with the goal of competing on the show. The challenge was to create a mechanical warrior that could compete in the show, which required custom hardware, electronics, and a team of up to eight people to operate the bots. The design process was complex, involving the creation of a 6’4”, 250 lb flame-throwing robot capable of catapulting another robot across a ring. The design also needed to be scalable, as the robots needed to prove their worth on smaller stages before moving to prime time. The design process was further complicated by the need for the robot to withstand damage while putting out staggering horsepower in a package that was as light and small as possible.

Automation Research Group, a Philadelphia-based engineering and design company, was facing challenges in managing and transmitting data securely. With the advent of high-speed internet, data transmission became faster but also brought along security concerns. For some clients, having a private network tethered to a building was more secure than using WiFi or broadband internet connections. This led the company to revisit the idea of using power lines as an alternative to WiFi for data transmission. However, this method, while more secure, was slower and required specialized equipment. Additionally, the company was also struggling with managing parts for their custom-designed PCBs. The parts management was all in a local database and there was no way to determine if the parts were outdated.

Quantel Laser, a division of Lumibird and a global leader in laser technology, has been facing increasing challenges in meeting the evolving needs of its customers. The company, which develops solid-state lasers, laser diodes, and fiber lasers, has seen its customer needs become progressively more intricate over the years. The industry has shifted from a highly specialized technical field to one that powers a wealth of everyday essentials. The demand for more energy in a smaller size at a lower cost has pushed the company's skills to the max. The company's engineers have relied on Altium technology for decades to meet these demands. However, the advent of the global pandemic posed a new challenge for the company, as it impacted their offices in France and the United States, disrupting their design team's ability to work together.

The global pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on the healthcare industry, particularly on the medical supply chain. One of the most critical needs has been for ventilators, which are expensive and time-consuming to manufacture. The Open Source Ventilator Project, a global coalition of engineers, designers, and medical practitioners, rose to this challenge by creating low-cost Field Emergency Ventilators (FEVs) using 3D-printed components. However, the project faced significant challenges in terms of collaboration and coordination. With over 3000 volunteers from different companies, individual engineers, medical device designers, and programmers from all over the world, the project required a platform that could facilitate seamless collaboration and sharing of PCB designs.

Morgan Solar, founded in 2007, has been on a mission to make solar energy the most widely used and affordable power source in the world. However, the solar market has been changing rapidly, with product costs decreasing significantly over the past decade. This has increased the urgency for Morgan Solar to develop and patent newer, more efficient solar energy solutions. The company has had to consistently innovate to keep up with the fast-paced industry and stay ahead of the curve. The challenge was to accommodate less forgiving production timelines and increase product turnover, while maintaining the quality and efficiency of their solar panels and solar tracking systems.

NuCurrent, a company known for its patented wireless inductive technology, faced a significant challenge as it grew. The company's technology is found in a variety of everyday essentials, from PopSockets® to smart basketballs and kitchen countertops. However, as the company expanded, it became clear that they needed a professional solution for PCB component library management and version control. Their existing system, GitHub, was proving to be inadequate for their growing needs. The lack of synchronization in GitHub made it difficult to reuse parts across multiple projects and changes were not getting propagated. This often resulted in issues being caught later in the development cycle, causing delays and inefficiencies. Furthermore, the company was using Google Drive and emailing files to clients, which created serious version control issues.

The University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) Sunswift Racing team, led by Professor Richard Hopkins, has been competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 1996. This race, which spans the Australian Outback from Darwin to Adelaide, showcases solar-powered, custom-built cars. The Sunswift Racing team, made up of 45 undergraduate students across multiple engineering disciplines, has designed and built 6 solar-powered hybrid vehicles. Their most recent vehicle, the VIolet, ranked 2nd in the 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and set a new Guinness World Record for Lowest Energy Consumption in 2018. However, the team faced a setback when the 2021 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

SpaceQuest, a satellite technology company, was facing challenges with their PCB layout on complex designs and often had to outsource projects. With a major microsatellites program on the horizon, they needed a more efficient solution. They were also in the process of developing microsatellites for asset tracking and management services from low earth orbit and exploring how to collect AIS signals from space. However, their preliminary design of a payload to collect AIS signals was still a prototype and their development processes were evolving. In a critical situation, they had to integrate a brand new payload relatively late in a satellite development project, with only six weeks remaining before the design was scheduled to ship for launch. The task of delivering a completely new electronic board on such a tight schedule using their previous tools and processes was daunting.

MKS Instruments, a leading provider of mass spectrometers and other essential laboratory equipment, was facing a significant challenge amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which holds over 2,500 patents and employs over 500 degreed scientists and engineers, was under immense pressure to support the urgent need for the development of treatments for COVID-19. The situation was further complicated by stay-in-place orders, which made it difficult for MKS's engineering team to work around the clock from anywhere. The company needed a solution that would allow them to keep up with the frenetic pace of work, while also ensuring the availability of parts for their devices, which are used in labs worldwide.

Bosch Rexroth, a Fortune 100 company and one of the world’s largest suppliers of technology and services, has been committed to sustainability and green engineering practices for nearly half a century. The company recognizes the potential of green engineering to reduce costs, improve product performance, enhance corporate reputation, and open up new market opportunities. However, to truly be considered 'green', engineers must consider factors such as product life cycle, reusability, and the elimination of toxic chemicals. Bosch Rexroth’s engineering division faced the challenge of designing its latest Rexroth Frequency Converter Fe series to be more economical and environmentally friendly. The goal was to reduce parts, size, and power consumption, while improving reliability and stability.

APTUS DesignWorks Inc., a product development and machine design services provider based in Maryville, Tennessee, was facing challenges in accelerating project times and delivering quality service to their customers faster than their competitors. Despite their best agile practices, collaboration tools, and in-house iterative processes, they realized they needed external resources to provide them with substantial advantages in terms of price and lead time. The company was also struggling with the manufacturing approval phase and product launch, which was slower than desired. Before Altimade, they used to order the bare boards and components separately to produce a prototype, which was either assembled in-house or outsourced to a third party. Both methods required considerable time and resources.

The Binar team at Curtin University's Space Science and Technology Centre aimed to create a custom-designed CubeSat that was smaller and more effective than the existing miniature satellites. The challenge was to build a CubeSat from scratch, as most universities traditionally use kits made in the US or Europe. The team believed that designing their own CubeSat would provide a more enriching learning experience and inspire others to take a similar approach. They aimed to reduce the space inside a CubeSat to create a more lightweight and powerful device. The initial designs were between 2U and 3U, but the team wanted to reduce this to just 1U. The goal was to fit all the systems designed at Curtin University onto a single PCB that could fit in their 1U CubeSat.

CAS Tecnologia, a São Paulo-based technology firm, was struggling with its PCB design process. The company, which applies scientific and engineering principles to improve efficiency across a wide range of government services, environmental, financial, and telecommunication projects, was heavily reliant on outsourcing to complete critical parts of a product design process. This dependence on other companies was hindering their financial success and future growth potential. To continue growing in the intelligent automation and telemetry industry, CAS needed to bring all of their design processes in-house for complete control and independence. A significant aspect of their restructuring required integrating an electronics design process into their existing mechanical workflow.

Breville, a global kitchen products brand, was facing challenges in its design facility in Sydney. The facility, staffed by around 200 professionals, required a high degree of flexibility to support its fast-paced business. The biggest problem was communication. Information was disseminated through multiple channels, leading to reduced efficiency and difficulty in completing projects on time. The communication between the designer and the manufacturer was inconsistent, leading to issues with ensuring the correct revision drawings were used. Additionally, the manufacturer would select components based on solutions that worked for them, which may not have been the best fit for the specific project.

The process of transforming great ideas into real, physical electronic products involves a team of talented individuals and multiple companies. One of the key challenges in this process is the communication of PCB designs with customers. This is often difficult as visualizing the board’s development can be somewhat esoteric. Furthermore, the process of designing electronic systems can take upwards of a year and a half or more, making it challenging to explain to customers where their projects are in the pipeline. It’s difficult to share schematics and part placement during the development cycle. Paul Payen de la Garanderie, Founder and Owner of AW Audio, an engineering services company based in France, understands these challenges very well. He has had to work with multiple companies over the years, from small start-ups to celebrated AV firms, and is all too familiar with these challenges.

Apollo Fusion, a Bay Area startup, develops propulsion systems for satellites that provide global connectivity. Their Power Processing Units (PPUs) are built to withstand the harsh environment of space, being rugged and radiation-tolerant for ongoing operation inside thermal vacuum chambers or in orbit around the earth. However, to ensure that their PPUs can hold up under extreme conditions, Apollo Fusion has to test their propulsion systems for just about everything, from radiation, to shock, and random vibration. The electronic components, including the PCBs, have to withstand the rigorous testing. As a startup company, maintaining a level of transparency is essential from an investment perspective. With the first major launch on the immediate horizon, Apollo Fusion needed to find a way to connect their R&D team, management and investors quickly and easily, ensuring all key stakeholders had the most accurate, up-to-date information on product development.

Accuphase Laboratories, a respected manufacturer of high-performance audio products based in Yokohama, Japan, faced a significant challenge in maintaining the quality and consistency of their circuit board production. The company's iterative design approach, which is based on sequential circuit refinement in response to both subjective and objective performance testing, resulted in the creation of many prototypes. This process led to short, critical PCB design cycles for Accuphase’s engineers. To maintain their high standards, Accuphase needed to complete all phases of their board-level design in-house while maintaining the highest possible quality. The demands of the high-end audio equipment industry, akin to the limited-production luxury car market, placed high demands on both their design engineers and the electronic product development software they used. Production volumes were low, research and development was a primary focus, and design quality was never compromised.

Sanden Vendo America Inc., a Dallas-based company known for designing, manufacturing, and selling innovative vending equipment, faced a significant challenge. The company, which has been in operation for nearly a century, had always relied on specialized vendors and contractors for the design of their machinery. However, to maintain their leading position in the market, they realized the need to move their electronic design process completely in-house. This transition required finding electronic design automation tools that would not only facilitate their innovative designs but also avoid production delays or compromises in quality control. The challenge was compounded by the fact that they were first-time users of electronic design software, and the software would be used by their existing engineering department staff, not a dedicated PCB design specialist. Therefore, the software needed to be intuitive and easy to use, with excellent customer support from the vendor.

AustriaMicrosystems (AMS), a company with over 30 years of experience in designing and manufacturing advanced analog sensor solutions, was facing significant challenges in their development process. Their customer base, under pressure to deliver increasingly complex products in shorter time frames, relied on AMS to provide component reference designs, application samples, and sensor technologies that worked flawlessly. However, AMS was struggling to meet these expectations due to errors in their development process that were affecting their customers. The issues stemmed from AMS's reliance on multiple sets of software for their in-house electronic design, leading to data conversion and exporting issues, and corrupted databases. The existing systems were causing more harm than good, and it was clear that a unified design solution was needed to integrate their entire workflow under one common thread.

Cirris Systems, a major leader in the cable testing sphere, faced a significant challenge in finding the right eCAD software tools. The company had struggled with six different software platforms before considering Altium Designer. The need for a tool that would support their team and their eventual replacement was crucial. Furthermore, the company had to meet the rigorous cable testing requirements of various industries, including government, defense, and aerospace firms. This necessitated tight revision control and process tracking, which was difficult to manage with their existing systems. The situation was further complicated by the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the company to transition from onsite to remote work almost overnight.

Adam Gerken, the founder and president of Flight Circuits, has been designing complex, futuristic devices for his clients from his studio in Rochester, New York. His creations range from battery-powered medical pump controllers to wearable asthma monitoring systems, palm-sized single-board computers, and a small, sleek ring that replaces keys, credit cards, and passwords with personalized security. He has also begun to develop compact wireless receivers for use in machine learning and continuous monitoring devices. However, Adam's peers often struggle with legacy systems and complex programs that hamper the development process. Adam needed a reliable, efficient, and advanced tool to design simple and complex PCBs for his various projects.

Foresight Sports, a San Diego-based company, is known for its sophisticated golf data collection tools that help golfers and teaching professionals improve their game. The company's systems, which include portable launch monitors and indoor golf simulation systems, use high-speed cameras to capture a series of images during the first several inches of ball flight. These images are then analyzed to measure speed, launch angle, and spin. However, the design of these devices, particularly the GCQuad and the GCHawk, posed significant challenges. The GCQuad, which used the framework of two existing products, required four different rigid-flex boards and an unusual design to fit inside its upright, hourglass-shaped chassis. The GCHawk, on the other hand, had to accommodate a six-layer rigid-flex board, three circuit-layer boards, a 14-layer high-speed board, and a two-layer LED board with an indicator, all within a narrow space.

Animo, a commercial coffee equipment company based in The Netherlands, has been a leader in the European commercial coffee dispensing market for over 70 years. Their products, ranging from traditional filter coffee pots to award-winning touchscreen systems, are sold in over 70 countries. However, with the increasing complexity of their designs, particularly in their OptiLine series, Animo faced challenges in developing their products. The OptiLine series, which includes the OptiVend, OptiFresh, OptiBean, and OptiMe, are designed for convenience and elegance, with features such as touchpads and the ability to yield up to 1250 cups of coffee daily. The first-generation OptiLine devices were created using freeware PCB software, but as designs became more complex, Animo began working with external firmware development houses that relied on Altium Designer. This shift to external development houses presented a challenge for Animo in terms of control and efficiency in their product development process.

RWTC Aachen University, the largest technical university in Germany, presented its students with a unique challenge to develop a space-ready satellite that can withstand the harshness of space and a return into earth’s atmosphere, all while keeping development costs as low as possible. This project was an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in the spacecraft engineering discipline, learning valuable management and technical skills as they juggled the responsibilities of mechanical, electrical and systems engineering and the complexities of project management. The development of the innovative satellite system, named COMPASS-1, came with a strict set of design restrictions. Students had to meet requirements as defined by the international CubeSat standards, including shape and weight restrictions as well as using only commercial, off-the-shelf components while controlling production costs.