Where can I get 4-SOP (2.54SOP-4) package? Do I need any extra libs?

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1

Hi friends!
I just finishing my first schematic in KiCAD and I stuck with picking a package for a CPC1001 optocoupler
Datasheet does not mentioned the package type however Digiky shows that it is 4-SOP.
I deeply explored the libraries delivered with standard package of KiCAD and, strangely, nothing similar :frowning:
Iā€™d skip creating my own footprints for such standard packages.

May be I can load some extra libs from any trusted source (like Element14, adafruit and so on for Eagle) resource?

2

Iā€™d make the footprint. It takes 5 minutes & it will comply with the data sheet.

3

Thank you for your input.
However could you please confirm that:

  • Thereā€™s no worthwhile libraries for KiCAD available for free download
  • 4-SOP is really not available in the standard libs

Thanks!

4

I can confirm that it will:

  • Take longer to find a library with a specific part and
  • there will be less chance for error

if you just go ahead and make your own part. Even if it is available, youā€™ll be cheating yourself out of the learning experience that youā€™ll need when such a part/footprint is not pre-made for you.

I, too, would make the footprint.

5

Hi, Roman. I used my footprint wizard to make this for you. You can find the footprint file at https://gist.github.com/xesscorp/fc7ca4723611e854b835

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6

I donā€™t want to start bitching, but your footprint doesnā€™t seem to match with the recommended landing pattern of the data-sheet. Pin-pitch is correct (2.54mm), but the center-to-center distance should be 5.6mm, not 6.3mm.

7

Actually I think that the footprint that devbisme suggested is even better for manual soldering (my case) than the recommended: it has ā€œmore padā€ on the outside and BTW less pad inside (which leaves more space for traces under the component. So I donā€™t see any reason not to use it.
Please correct me if Iā€™m wrong.

BTW: devbisme, could you explain what is the wizard you pointed in your message above and how it can be used?

Thanks!

8

I got my footprint dimensions from here: http://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/info/lookup.jsp?pid=2.54SOP4&lang=en

9

One more question, guys: how do I manage the footprint to use it in my PCB?
I just opened footprint in Footprint Editor, set the active library (SMD_Packages) and tried to Save footprint in active library. But there was an error (sorry, I can not upload images yet).

Is it because the active library stated as Read only (see the top of the screenshot)? It could be due to the location of the lib (C:/Program Files) which is writable for Administrator user only.

If ā€˜yesā€™: what is the best way to manage the libraries? Store them separately in my project folder? Any better idea?

10

Roman:

Thereā€™s documentation about how to install and use the footprint wizard here: https://github.com/xesscorp/xess_fp_wizard

Sorry about the footprint mismatch. I assumed all 2.54SOP4 footprints would be about the same.

11

The problem is that the default libraries are online libs which are read-only. Check pcbnew Preferences - Footprint Library Manager - Library path column. The KIGITHUB env variable points to htps://github.com/ā€¦
So make a local copy in Footprint Editor: Select active library (open book icon), then File - Save Current Lib asā€¦

12

What I have understand is that I can switch KiCAD to use online Github libraries which sounds really great!
However after I replaced the text of fp-lib-table file with this: https://gist.github.com/xesscorp/c09155aaa954b06b344a I faced with an error while pressing the CvPCB button: screen shot.
Moreover, CvPCB window not showing a single footprint for all the libraries (third mostright part of the window is always empty)
So it looks like my KiCAD did not working with online libraries correctly in my case.

I did something wrong?

Thank you in advance!