The Pulse: Caught in the Crosshatch—A Cautionary Tale of Detective Work
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
Elementary, Mr. Watson DFX—Basically a Basket of Crabs With Spreadsheets
Nexar Announces Massive CAD Model Marketplace
June 16, 2022 | Nexar, a business unit of Altium LLCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Nexar, a business unit of Altium LLC, announced today the launching of the Octopart CAD Model Marketplace, a free database made up of a massive repository of computer aided design (CAD) models for electronic components. Octopart, part of the Nexar ecosystem, is an electronic component search engine powered by part data and intelligence from the Nexar API. Octopart’s new CAD Model Marketplace simplifies PCB design and part selection workflows to create a single unified user experience that aggregates CAD models.
“As the industry’s leading search engine for electronic parts, Octopart continues to simplify the part search and discovery journey by introducing our CAD Model Marketplace feature,” says Daniel Schoenfelder, Head of Nexar Sales and Octopart. “Octopart users can eliminate the drudgery of locating and accessing CAD models. By using Octopart’s powerful search capabilities, users can access 10 million electronic component CAD models that are compatible with all major PCB design tools.”
Octopart.com simplifies and streamlines workflows by providing a central hub to search for parts and their available data and models. Users no longer have to search in various locations for CAD models. They can now preview symbols, footprints, and schematics from partners like Ultra Librarian and SnapEDA on a single platform, making their Octopart experience a one-stop-shop for free CAD models. In the future, users will also have access to 3D models from TraceParts, Nexar’s newest partner.
To start searching the CAD Model Marketplace or to find out more about Octopart, visit Octopart.com.
About Altium
Nexar is a Business Unit of Altium, LLC (ASX:ALU). Altium, LLC, is a global software company headquartered in San Diego, California, who are accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. For over 30 years, Altium has been delivering software that maximizes the productivity of PCB designers and electrical engineers. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
A Designer's Focus on High Density
04/30/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007 MagazineVern Solberg is a distinguished member of the Global Electronics Association Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame and has served as chair or vice chair of many committees, developing technical standards and implementation guidelines, including the IPC-7090 series, which focuses on design for manufacturing and reliability for electronic assemblies. He’s a long-time contributor to Design007 Magazine, and he conducted a half-day tutorial at APEX EXPO 2026, where he addressed 2D, 2.5D, and 3D packaging and ultra-high density hybrid bond interconnect. I caught up with Vern at the show and asked about his pivot from addressing more standard design challenges to his focus on high-density circuits.
Zuken Launches GENESYS 2026 to Broaden Access and Improve MBSE Workflows
04/28/2026 | ZukenZuken announced GENESYS 2026, the latest version of its model-based systems engineering platform, with updates designed to improve performance, expand access to model-based information, and enhance the day-to-day modeling experience for engineering teams.
EDADOC: Building the ‘Neural Hub’ for High-Compute Chips Within a Compact Space
04/28/2026 | ECIOEvery chip to the market must pass a stringent checkpoint before shipment known as ATE testing. Serving as the physical “neural hub” that connects test equipment worth millions of dollars with the device under test, the performance of the ATE test board directly determines the accuracy, efficiency, and final yield of chip testing. Amid the rapid rise of high-compute chips, what extreme challenges is this seemingly small circuit board facing? How is EDADOC addressing industry pain points through its one-stop “design + manufacturing” model?
Cadence Reports Q1 2026 Financial Results
04/28/2026 | Cadence Design SystemsCadence had a strong start to 2026, delivering a solid Q1 with accelerating AI demand and record backlog, reflecting strong customer commitment to our AI-driven portfolio,” said Anirudh Devgan, president and chief executive officer.
Tomachie Launches AI-Powered PCB Analysis with Smart Test Point Insertion
04/28/2026 | TomachieTomachie announced its AI-Assisted PCB schematic design analysis platform, enabling engineering teams to evaluate and improve schematic quality before layout begins. Schematic errors caught after layout — or in production — cost 10 to 100 times more to fix than those caught during schematic capture.