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.
Hi Im trying to design my first PCB, and Im following an online tutorial.
The PCB will be made by JLPCB, but since they dont have the USB connector used in the tutorial, I picked another one that they have in stock.
The connector I picked is the Amphenol 10118194-0001LF, there is a footprint on the manufactures website and a 3D model, which I added to my library and aligned to match the footprint mount.
JlPCB has some constraints for clearances, which I added to my settings, then after I do my PCB routing, I run DRC and I get lots of violations regarding clearances on the pads for that USB connector.
I created a dummy KiCAD project, with default clearances, but Im having the same problem.
Again, Im a new user, maybe someone can provide some help.
I tried uploading attachments here, to explain, but the system says Im a new user and I cannot upload file
Thanks
Many times these third party footprints are ‘generated’ and not checked. From what I see here it isn’t too uncommon to have them fail things like DRC. Clearances may be wrong on the footprint. Don’t assume since you got it from JLPCB that it is correct. Actually always verify EVERY footprint. Many here keep personal libraries of things they have used and verified.
Here is a screenshot of the problem (using a dummy PCB design with clearances by default, just to check if Iit had the same problem that on my original one) I got the footprint and 3D from Amphenol directly.
I dont have to use that USB, maybe there is another one, a better one, but it needs to be in stock at JLPBC, and most of the things I see in stock there are Asian brands with little to no documentation.
It seems like there are copper polygons on that footprint. In KiCad these are only supported for graphical elements, like logos, but not for connecting them to nets. You should fix the footprint by converting the polygons to custom pad shapes. (Select the pads overlapping the polygons and hit Ctrl+E twice, this will probably work.)
Or just learn how to create footprints yourself and don’t rely on downloaded ones. Most have issues because they’re automatically generated by some script that doesn’t follow the KiCad conventions.
Thanks so much !!
I did the Crtl-E and it fixed the constrain issue !! (screenshot below).
The DRC said I needed to connect S1 to S6 together, so I did.
And then no errors on DRC. Im not sure what I did, S1, S2, S3 and S6 are yellow, while S4 and S5 are red, but I could route them together anyways.
I do not know if I did correctly though, I was expecting the pad to turn red like the ones in between, but it shows yellow, I think they went to a layer called F.Paste
Do you think it will trigger issues with manufacturing?
Look at your gerber files. I’m pretty sure you need them to show up as copper for them to be correct. You might contact JLPCB since they provided the footprint and will be doing the board.
I will order the board fully assembled (at list the first time around), so you are right, i will contact their support first and will confirm what they can do, and learn for next time.
