About This Course

This training provides a focused exploration of propagation delay—one of the most critical timing challenges in high‑speed PCB design. Through structured lessons, guided Altium Designer workflows, and real‑world case studies, you’ll build the skills to analyze, calculate, and control delay across traces with confidence. You’ll see how material choices, routing strategies, and delay‑tuning techniques influence signal integrity, reliability, and overall performance. Designed for engineers ready to move beyond the basics, this course balances advanced design concepts against fabrication realities—equipping you with platform‑ready strategies to achieve precise timing and dependable results.


Course Agenda

Explore propagation delay in high‑speed PCB design through fundamentals, calculations, and control strategies. Learn how timing precision is shaped by materials, impedance, and routing, with guided Altium Designer workflows and Sierra Circuits’ calculators. Case studies show how delay management impacts speed, reliability, and signal integrity.

By the end, you’ll gain the skills to manage signal timing with confidence—earning a Certificate of Completion from Sierra Circuits.

  • Propagation Delay Fundamentals

  • Material & Impedance Effects

  • Delay Control & Calculation

Learning Objectives

By completing this course, you’ll gain a clear understanding of propagation delay, why it matters in high‑speed PCB design, and how it differs from transmission delay. You’ll learn to analyze material and impedance effects, compute delay using practical formulas and Sierra Circuits’ calculators, and apply tuning strategies such as meandering and length matching in Altium Designer. These skills will equip you to control timing with confidence and strengthen signal integrity across complex designs.

  • Introduction to Propagation Delay

    Recognize what propagation delay is, why it matters in high‑speed PCB design, and how it differs from transmission delay. Build a clear foundation for understanding timing precision in modern electronic systems.

  • Key Factors Influencing Delay


    Analyze the electrical, geometric, and material‑based contributors to propagation delay across PCB layers and interconnects. Gain insight into how design choices directly affect timing behavior.

  • Material Selection and Impedance Strategies

    Evaluate how dielectric properties impact signal speed and explore practical tips for choosing low‑tpd materials. Learn how impedance relationships shape delay and signal integrity.

  • Calculating Propagation Delay


    Learn to compute propagation delay using rise time, signal velocity, and impedance formulas. Reinforce your skills with hands‑on practice using Sierra Circuits’ calculators.

  • Delay Control Techniques and Design Rules

    Apply tuning strategies such as meandering, length matching, and via delay estimation in Altium Designer. Understand high‑speed design rules and return path considerations for robust timing control.

  • Support &
    Certification Path

    Leverage Sierra Circuits’ end‑to‑end PCB expertise. From design through fabrication and delivery, streamline your workflow, ensure reliable builds, and validate your skills with expert training and certification.

Course Essentials at a Glance

Gain the tools, insights, and confidence you need—through guided lessons, expert resources, and certification‑ready skills.

  • Intermediate

    Difficulty

    This is an intermediate‑level course for learners with a basic PCB design foundation

  • $45

    Price

    This course is available for $45 and includes full access to modules, calculators, and resources for practical high‑speed PCB design skills.

  • 3.75 hrs.

    Duration

    Complete this 3h 45m course on propagation delay with focused modules covering fundamentals, calculations, and control techniques.

  • Step-by-Step Lessons

    Step-by-Step Lessons

    Learn through structured, sequential lessons that build from core concepts to advanced delay control techniques.

  • Case Studies and Tutorials

    Case Studies and Tutorials

    Apply concepts through case studies and tutorials, practicing propagation delay tuning in real PCB layouts with Altium Designer.

  • Certificate of Completion

    Certificate of Completion

    Earn a Certificate of Completion to validate your learning and showcase your skills in high-speed PCB design and propagation delay management.

Advance Your PCB Design with Propagation Delay Training

Unlock expert strategies for managing propagation delay in high-speed PCB design. This 3hr 45min intermediate-level course blends theory with hands-on techniques in Altium Designer—covering signal timing, impedance, and delay tuning. Enroll today for just $45 and take the next step toward precision engineering. 🚀

Let’s Elevate Your High‑Speed PCB Timing Skills