Resolved - Very New to layout process

Layout Footprints
1

I’m not new to design and pcb manufacturing. I’m new to doing the actual footprints through layout and gerber files.

Question about using existing footprints that match the desired hole pattern and pad / drill sizes.

First off when looking at pin header connectors there are vertical and horizontal versions of the same part. Why not have one footprint? Is its the silk-screened labels? Can these parts be rotated and labels moved and rotated at will? Or are they fix to horizontal or vertical?

I’m wondering where the basic footprints are for something like an LED with 2.54 mm / 0.1 inch spacing. Looking over all the LEDs one would expect to find generic footprints. I did find, labeled 1.27mm not 2.54mm. Same question as above about rotating and moving labels.

Given this is a shield for Arduino UNO is there something that could be leveraged already defining spacing for mounting holes and pin connectors?

2

Not sure if understand well your questions.

Probably mainly because of 3D model.

LED-THT - LED3.0mm, LED5.0mm

3

The horizontal version of the footprint is for pin headers that have their pins on an angle. Like these:
img

Horizontal in the context of the kicad library refers to the connection direction. See https://www.kicad.org/libraries/klc/F3.6/

They use a different amount of board space compared to the straight ones. Which means the courtyard layer differs. In addition, of course the silk and fab layers are quite different as well as they show the details of such a part to make assembly easier.

Just look at both connectors in the preview or place them on a test board and you will see that they are very different.

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I’m wondering why does one part have multiple footprints? Is it possible to select a horizontal version of a pin connector and rotate to be vertical before and/ or during the layout process?

I found generic footprint for the LED. All set there.

5

got it! I was thinking board placement not pin angle!!!

Thanks!

6

From LM358 datasheet. And the same for thousands of parts.

lm358
lm358370×548 8.71 KB

1 Like
7

File>New>project from template
Define where you want it to live because you don’t want to try and over write the original. If properly installed that may fail anyhow. :wink:

image
image822×622 82.8 KB

8

Thanks for pointing in the right direction

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New Question… I’ve already started the project, drew schematics, associated footprints, net list,etc… and then learned I should have used the Arduino Uno Template. Is there a way to back this into the project?

Is it as simple as starting a new project and then copying the schematic over to the new project directory?

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The files are text based so in theory you could merge ‘the right parts’. Always make a backup of the directories before starting. Someone more knowledgeable will have to answer this one though.

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So I did copy and past into the original project overwriting the pcb. Seems to work.

Thanks

1 Like
12

A better way to import a template into an existing project is to use the “standalone mode” of Pcbnew:

  1. Start a dummy project from the template you want.
  2. Close KiCad completely, especially the KiCad project manager.
  3. Open Pcbnew directly from your Operating system.
  4. Open the PCB of your project.
  5. Pcbnew / File / Append Board, then “append” the PCB from the dummy project you made in step 1.
  6. Save the project, and Exit Pcbnew.
  7. Open the KiCad Project Manager, and verify the PCB from the Dummy project is in the KiCad_pcb.
  8. If there are connectors or other components on the board you have to synchronise them with Eeschema.
  9. To do that: Pcbnew / File / Export / Footprit association (.cmp) file.
  10. In Eeschema put a compatible connector (Number of pins) on the schematic.
  11. Eeschema / File / Import / Footprint association File…

These are the steps in short, for a more elaborate explanation, read the manuals.

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