Hello everybody,
I am a newby with KiCad that looks very interesting. But obviously, I ask me a lot of questions to get started.
My first question is : has anybody a model for that component ?
Sincerely.
Pierre.
Hello everybody,
I am a newby with KiCad that looks very interesting. But obviously, I ask me a lot of questions to get started.
My first question is : has anybody a model for that component ?
Sincerely.
Pierre.
A module sold in Aliexpress – you can expect to have no models (whatever you mean by that), datasheet or any support. The connector is just a normal pin header, so you don’t need any specialized symbol or footprint. If you insist on having a realistic or semi-realistic 3D model, you can create one by creating a mockup board with similar looking components and exporting it as STEP. Except for the metal SD card slot the components look standard ones.
BTW, there are three different modules there in the same images. Be careful about what you need/get/have.
What do you mean by “model”?
A symbol? Probably 5 minutes work to make your own. It’s just a part with 6 pins.
A footprint? Depending on how it’s connected to your PCB, it may be a 6 pin socket connector, or 6 wire pads or something else.
If “symbol” and “footprint” puzzle you, then perhaps a read of the documentation is called for.
3D model? I doubt it, at least not at the level of detail of the photos. But if you need something photorealistic you could with a lot of time create one.
Simulation model? I doubt it.
The modules to which you link all have 100mil (2.54mm) distances between pins so they will fit breadboards. Design your footprints with this distance between pins. Locating holes, board sizes and positions of the pin arrays, you will have to measure with a ruler.
You are right. But as I am a beginner, I have to learn how to do since downloading an already made SD Card (symbol and footprint) was easier.
I am going to learn how to create symbol and footprint.
Sincerely.
Pierre.
Nearly all the information you will need is here.
Also, by placing a footprint or symbol in their appropriate editor allows that symbol or footprint to be dismantled. You will then see the techniques for how to construct new footprints and symbols.
If you ever have problems with how to build either footprints or symbols after your experimenting, please ask here.
You’ll need to learn to make symbols and footprints anyway, so it’s easy to start here with an easy one which you need now. On the other hand you don’t really need custom symbol and footprint here.
The symbol can be Conn_01x06 from the official KiCad libraries. You just have to name the nets properly. In you want to start to create your own symbol you can take this symbol for the base for editing, add pin names in the symbol and save it to your personal library. On the other end of the spectrum you can spend time drawing a symbol which resembles the looks of the module.
The same goes for the footprint – the actual connector in the module is a standard pin header, so you will choose the corresponding connector component or a group of holes for your own board and can choose the ready made footprint, for example from the library Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm or Connector_PinSocket_2.54mm, depending on how you will actually connect the module. You can edit the footprints and add as many details as you want, like module outlines on silkscreen and fab layers.
This is a good case for learning to create symbols and footprints and you can choose the level of the details. If you will choose the way I would do this, namely using the ready made library items and adding details, you will learn some basics without spending too much time.
A lot of the designs like this are rip offs of some other product. In the past I’ve been able to locate the original with more detailed documentation. You can even try contacting the seller. They might have a website with this info.
I use only symbols and footprints from my own libraries, but I have never learned how to create a symbol or footprint. I always open some similar symbol or footprint and right click its name and select “Save Copy As…”. Then all I have tro do is only to modify it. For example when you add pad for footprint you have to know how to set all its parameters, but when you just copy existing pad it already has everything set.
The SD and microSD adapters appear to be just adapters from a SPI host to the card, with resistors, and a LDO regulator in the microSD adapter. So there’s no datasheet to look for and you will find libraries to drive SD cards. The TF adapter has an interface chip, and it would be a well-known one with library support. The item you linked to is probably one of hundreds of identical ones manufactured in CN.
But this is a software issue and not related to KiCad, except this is a good chance to learn to make or adapt symbols and footprints.
Thank you all for your advice. I note that an efficient way to do this is to copy a similar footprint and modify it for what I need to do with it.
Sincerely.
¨Pierre.
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