I’m trying to create a PCB having a CL2N8-G on it. I started by downloading the symbol and footprint from Digikey and it seemed fine. However, when I moved from schematic to PCB I realized that the footprint had pad 2 only on the front and the thermal pad on the back wasn’t connected.
I checked the footprint libraries I have installed and found that SOT-89-3.kicad_mod exists, is referring to a datasheet from the same manufacturer and the sheet mentions the same sizes as for the CL2N8-G. There the thermal pad and pad 2 seemed connected. However, It’s not possible to place a via connection to the thermal pad side of the IC. It’s only possible to place via at the front side like in the first I tried with. It looks like this:
(Only allowed to upload one image per post, lower half is the pad editor for the pin)
I’m really new to KiCad, so I’m hoping I’m missing something very obvious here.
My version:
KiCad version: 8.0.2+dfsg-1 (Debian testing) with package kicad-footprints 8.0.2-1
I noticed that there are two differences between the Debian provided SOT-89-3.kicad_mod and the one in the repo for pad 2: The Debian version has (at -1.8625 0) vs (at -1.5625 0) in the repo and Debian has (thermal_bridge_angle 45) and (fill yes) (and (uuid “f7565102-cb31-4481-a68c-8141056268b7”) which I assume has no effect) while the repo version lacks those three. I know too little (read nothing) about the .kicad_mod files to know if this is at all relevant but figured it’s better to add the info than not.
(pad "2" smd custom
(at -1.8625 0)
(size 1.475 0.9)
(layers "F.Cu" "F.Paste" "F.Mask")
(zone_connect 2)
(thermal_bridge_angle 45)
(options
(clearance outline)
(anchor rect)
)
(primitives
(gr_poly
(pts
(xy 3.8625 0.8665) (xy 0.7375 0.8665) (xy 0.7375 -0.8665) (xy 3.8625 -0.8665)
)
(width 0)
(fill yes)
)
)
(uuid "f7565102-cb31-4481-a68c-8141056268b7")
)
If anyone can point me in the right direction it’d be great, I want to end the route at the thermal pad as it’ll be straight and much shorter. Also, sorry for the long post for a simple question, new and figured too much is better than too little info when I’m being clueless.
