Generation of position file for devices mounting onto the PCB

[max]

Hello everybody,
my problem is as follow:
at the end of my work on Pcbnew, my pcb board is ready and all of the connections have been done.
I sent the files to a supplier to create and assemble my circuit. The supplier pointed out to me that many devices are not present on the positioning file (filename.pos), so he can not assemble the circuit.
Can someone help me please?
Max

[kcminer]

I started to use kicad a few months ago and designed several boards. When I generated the position file, the board house informed me that a bunch of parts were missing from the position file. It turns out that parts that don’t have ‘Normal+Insert’ attribute are not included. I had to change the footprint attributes on all parts to ‘Normal+Insert’. It didn’t matter whether the part was through hole or SMD part.

I think something is wrong with position file generation section of the program. Any inputs? Am I doing something wrong here?

[dchisholm]

@kcminer

. . . . When I generated the position file, the board house informed me that a bunch of parts were missing from the position file. It turns out that parts that don’t have ‘Normal+Insert’ attribute are not included . . . .

That behavior is by-design. The “Normal + Insert” flag is how KiCAD determines that a part should be included in the auto-placement file.

Yes, the name of that flag is quite cryptic. (At least to native English speakers. Its meaning in, say, French or German may be quite obvious.) In more recent versions of the Footprint Editor the flag is identified as “Through Hole”, “Surface Mount”, or “Virtual”. There is more discussion in the thread at

Where do i set "Footprint Placement type"?

Making some footptints, and noticed the KLC instruction is the set the Footprint Placement Type. i have clicked all around the FP editor, but have not found that setting yet. Nor did a quick read thru the PCBnew doc uncover. Anyone know where this property is hiding? From KLC: 8. Rules for Surface Mount Devices (SMD) Footprints The following rules apply specifically to SMD footprints (the general rules in section 7 also apply). Footprint Placement type should be set to Surface mount

Dale

[PCB_Wiz]

@dchisholm

In more recent versions of the Footprint Editor the flag is identified as “Through Hole”, “Surface Mount”, or “Virtual”.

Even that is not so useful for Pick and Place, as more parts like connectors, have a mix of Thru-hole and SMD, and then there is thru-hole-paste manufacturing…

[dchisholm]

@PCB_Wiz

Even that is not so useful for Pick and Place, as more parts like connectors, have a mix of Thru-hole and SMD, and then there is thru-hole-paste manufacturing…

Beneath the details of your comment is the reality that creating effective designs - in any field or specialty - requires a knowledgeable and thinking human being.

Dale