with me is an SMD chip which is having higher thermal output when it is under operation and am thinking of making a footprint design that allows more ventilation and should have some extra copper so that I can ensure that the chip is in range. Does anyone of you have an idea of where I can gewt the information about how I can make the footprint that have vias through it?I have searched through the internet but could not come cross any information about it.
Thanks!
Why not just search your own PC?
KiCad’s default libraries have plenty of examples of footprints with thermal via’s.
In general, KiCad uses pads for the thermal via’s, and gives them all the same number, which KiCad interprets as if those pads have to be connected.
The Footprint Editor has the best search function for footprints.
If you search for “thermal” in the footprints, then you will find plenty of examples.
In the example below pad nr 11 (one higher than the footprint has pins) for the pad under the footprint, and the 6 thermal via’s also have pad nr 11.
Note that KiCad also has Aperture Pads. These are pads without a pad number and without any copper. Those can for example be used to make a custom cutout in the solder mask or for custom sized solder paste.
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