Flexable PCB edge connector library for ffc cable ends?

Layout Footprints
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I hereby certify that I am not simply asking someone else to design a footprint for me.

This is an auto-generated message that is in place on the “footprints” section of the KiCad.info forum. If I remove it and ask for a footprint to be designed anyway, I understand that I will be subject to forum members telling me to go design my own footprint or referring me to a 3rd party footprint site.

Hey I want to design my first flexable pcb, it plugs into an FFC connector. This seems like a common task, does anyone know if the footprints for the conector end of the pcb already exist in a library somwhere, or do I need to make my own?

These would be similar (in function) to the built in ConnectorPCBEDGE footprint library that covers things like board edges for PCIe connectors.

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Thanks for the reply, but they all look like specific connectors, I’m looking for the FPC fooprint that plugs into one of those connectors. As in the exposed bits of copper on the FPC that make contact with those connectors on another board.

Sorry if that wasn’t clear, I’ve ammended the original post

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KiCad doesn’t ship with those, you have to create them yourself. You find the measurements in the dataseheet of the FPC connector you’re using. My designs then look like this:

image

I used one user layer to define the polyimide stiffener

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OK thanks for the confirmation, I haven’t done a lot of footprint design, I normally just download them from digikey or jlcpcb. Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of? Do you just define the pads, stiffener, courtyard and edge cuts?

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There you go, I have most of my footprints in this library: GitHub - TimGoll/kicad_libs

And pitfalls, not sure. As long as the measurements are fine and the 3D render looks good, you’re probably good.

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For ordering at JLCPCB, define a seperate layer for your stiffeners, like I did here:

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. This design actually has an FR4 and a polyimide stiffener, so two layers.

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Thanks for that thats great info

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Hi Guys, thanks for your help, I made this tool/ library of footprints for anyone who stumbles on this in the future. Hope you find it useful: If you can see any problems or think of any enhancements please let me know here or in the issues and I’ll fix them. I’m pretty new to this stuff so there are probably a couple

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I always put them on the same layer with text explaining them, works as well

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Hi, I have question about this ffc library/footprint.
I want to use the FFC connector, for example like this one you posted in the screenshot.
I can only find it in the footprints, and I can’t find it in the schematic library

Should I add any connector to the schematic, e.g. 30 pins, and connect 30 pins footprint to it?

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Yes, correct. Any 30-pin connector from symbol libraries is fine.

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Yes as long as the schematic has the same arrangement of pins and number scheme as the footprint. Meaning; your symbol can’t be A - G pin labels and your footprint 1-8 pin numbers