Constructing an LM555 Blinking LED Board in Altium

DESIGN FAULTY; needs a FET connected to a power source (can be 5V) to supply the LED from a different current source, since the LM555 cannot provide enough current to turn the LED on

Introduction

This guide will briefly go through the process of using Altium and its features to design a simple LM555 timer circuit to produce a blinking LED. To follow along, you will need to obtain an Altium license and access to Altium’s Manufacturer Part Search (both of which are briefly mentioned below with links and notes).

PCB = Printed Circuit Board

Process

Step 1: Get Altium License

Go to this link,

https://www.altium.com/education/student-licenses

and follow their instructions to get yourself an Altium license. A few things to note,

  1. You can only use the license on one machine (and you only get one license), so make sure you install it on whatever you plan to use it for long term (whether that’s your laptop or desktop).
  2. The license is independent of S&T or UMSystem.
  3. The license will expire after 6 months – to renew it you’ll have to go through the same process as if you were getting it for the first time.

Step 2: Altium Setup (Altium 365)

You’ll want to setup Altium 365, which is Altium’s cloud-based storage for your projects and whatnot. By setting it up, you’ll get access to Altium’s Manufacturer Part Search, which is an incredibly convenient and easy way to source components for your projects.

Note: The blue cloud with the green circle means that you’ve successfully set up and connected to your Altium 365 cloud.

Step 3: Project File

Create a project in your Altium 365 workspace - name it something like “LM555 Blinking LED”.

Right click on your Altium 365 workspace in the projects tab on the right-hand side of your screen, then click Create Project. Fill the wizard out as shown below and click Create.