I am new to KiCad. Up to now I was using Eagle. I apologize at the start as I am also new to this forum (so far I like the interface!).
I am using KiCad 9.0.0 on Windows 11.
In a nutshell, my current issue is that, when I create the (ASCII) positions file for my pick-n-place machine (Quad IV), the manufacturer’s part number is not present.
“Val” contains the part ‘value’ (e.g: “10uf”) and the “Package” contains the correct thing but I see no column for “manufacturer Part Number”.
Is there a dialog box that allows customization of the PNP output (fields, etc.)?
As background: I have a program that reads the PNP file produced by KiCad (or Eagle, the program can tell the difference) and replaces the manufacturer part number with my company part number which is the part number my PNP machine knows about.
Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.
The way CPLs and BOMs work when I send a job to a fab is that:
The BOM contains the refdes, e.g. C1, and the part number from the fab’s catalog. Many refdes can be grouped to point to one part number.
The CPL contains the refdes and positions.
So you can probably do some processing to add a part number column by cross referencing the CPL with the BOM. For sure the fabs must do some processing to drive their PNP machines.
For example, for ref D101 all I have is “Val” of “Green” and “Package” of “LED_0805_2012Metric”. There could well be another “Green” LED with the same package but a different manufacturers part number so there is no way to tell what to use in the PNP.
You can’t be saying to use the “Ref” as part of the lookup key … that would mean the CPL would have to contain all of the parts designators for all the boards in production. Then someone changes a designator on a board (but same part) and now you have to update the CPL … I doubt that’s what you mean …
I must not understand what you are saying.
In Eagle, the “Value” was the MFR # which was then looked up by me in mu parts XRef to come up with the part number that the PNP knew it as.
One issue might be that this board was created by someone else new to KiCad so maybe he filled in the “Value” field incorrectly, I don’t know because KiCad is all new to me.
Note in the file below that IC401 is as I would expect, “Val” is the MFR# “PCA9955BTWJ”
A year or two ago a similar or the same question was asked. A couple of users posted Python scripts to do the cross referencing. Maybe your can use that.
Good question! Especially since it’s easy to give a good answer.
Here’s what JLCPCB expects the pick-and-place-file to contain:
And here’s what the BOM is supposed to contain:
TL;DR; Ä pick & place file contains refdefs (designators), and information on position and rotation of the component. A BOM contains refdefs (designators) and information needed to buy the component.
