Aligning a KiCad foot print to an imported DXF outline

[Mike_Lemon]

Hello,

I’d like to take a DXF import from another program use the edge outlines as edge cutouts and the rest oh the holes to guide my footprints now the question is:

Is there a way to align the foot prints to the DXF alignment holes in a proper way?(Angle, coordinate ect…)
Another thing as you can see some of the lines get cutted off when Importing into kicad and I’d like to use some of them as silk screens doe’s anybody know how to fix and do that properly as well?

Thanks for your time.

[maui]

Anyone have a FP for Amphenol latched right-angle IDC connector?

rivimey, From my perspective you could likely use the aforementioned 2x5 or 2x8 or 2x?? header with the correct pitch “as-is” (from the photo I only count 10 contacts… you state 16, which is it??) The only reason to change the “courtyard” or footprint is so the silkscreen matches, which is a good idea. But the main thing, as you likely already know is that the pin pitch and hole size matches your actual part. It is super simple to grab a caliper and measure and expand the silkscreen to match…

[Mike_Lemon]

Didn’t get it.
What I asked was what is the best method to cut a feature from say such a DXF file like the outline of the marked XT60 connector and import it as a silkscreen to KiCad footprint editor.

[maui]

If you have the STEP file of your connector, you can project it to XY plane and get its outline, then export it as dxf … this dxf can now be imported in footprint editor as silkscreen and used as guide to place pads…

[Joan_Sparky]

@Mike_Lemon

Is there a way to align the foot prints to the DXF alignment holes in a proper way?(Angle, coordinate ect…)

As you don’t have proper coordinates you will have to eyeball it.

PS: don’t use circles on edge.cuts for defining holes <= 6.35mm - use circular NPTH footprints. Drilling is more accurate than milling. Diameter variations of +/- 1mm are possible otherwise!

@Mike_Lemon

Another thing as you can see some of the lines get cutted off when Importing into kicad and I’d like to use some of them as silk screens doe’s anybody know how to fix and do that properly as well?

I don’t see anything that is cut off?
Can you circle an example?

If you can, modify the DXF before importing and make versions for outline / silkscreen / positions of devices.
Then import them and select the appropriate layer in KiCAD during that process.
Afterwards this is possible as well, but takes ages, as you have to select every segment on it’s own and select it’s layer - very tedious.

[Mike_Lemon]

@Joan_Sparky

before importing and make versions for outline / silkscreen / positions of devices.Then import them and select the appropriate layer in KiCAD during that process.Afterwards this is possible as well, but takes ages, as you have to select every segment on it’s own and select

Uploading… Uploading…

There are where it’s missing

[Rene_Poschl]

Your images did not upload correctly.

[Mike_Lemon]

Yeah I was hurring to get out of home and posted it before it managed to upload I’ll repost it again in a few houres but if you zoom in you can see there is suppose to be a label of “12V” near the right XT60 outline.

[Joan_Sparky]

Unless you need the original (?) dxf look, you can always place text + lines/etc. on the silkscreen layer directly. Should be cleaner from a dataset point of view anyway.