October 31, 2017
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One of the critical and foundational elements of the PCB layout process is using the correct PCB footprints that represent the correct pattern of the component. Any error caused at this initial stage of the design can be very costly and stressful. The quality of any PCB layout design starts during the part creation stage. Building the PCB footprint is actually the first stage of the foundation of the PCB design followed by the placement of the PCB design.

Creating library parts used to consume much of the designer’s time. Designers used to spend quite a lot of their design time on creating and checking part types following the manufacturer’s or IPC standard land pattern. Library part creation wizard came in handy at a later time for any of the tools that did include it as a package. Nowadays part creation should not be time-consuming as majority of the parts including the part symbol along with solid model 3D information (in a .step format) are readily available by the part manufacturers or third-party providers. If not the part manufacturers, suppliers such as DigyKey Electronics, Mouser, Arrow Electronics, Inc., Avnet Inc…. provides the part footprint including the symbol and at times the STEP models. As a result, library part creation should no longer be a time-consuming task.

Nowadays part creation should not be time-consuming as majority of the parts including the part symbol along with solid model 3D information (in a .step format) are readily available by the part manufacturers or third-party providers.

Gobena Merga

What is even interesting these days when it comes to library parts (symbol, footprint, and 3D STEP models) creation is that even Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software companies are making sure that their tool contains thousands of readily available parts. leading EDA software company such as Altium is one excellent example. Using Manufacturer Part Search in Altium will allow the designer to place symbols right on the schematic that contains the footprint as well as the STEP model of the component. By far Altium has one of the best library data sources when using the Manufacture Part Search panel.

PCB layout designers these days do have quite a number of options to find the component (library part) they are looking for without even spending time to create the part from scratch. That is exactly why this blog is titled ” Finding Library Parts” and not creating library parts. Using third-party library part providers it is possible for the designer to find library parts. Just to mention a few of them-

These are just some of them as there are other ones that can be used as a resource. Component Search Engine (SamacSys) is one of the best as it comes in handy and provides schematic symbols along with the land pattern and 3D STEP models for more than 20 EDA tools at once. What is even interesting with SamacSys is the fact that if the part is not available, it is possible to request the part to be made and within 24 hours it will be emailed to the user who requested the part. What more can any PCB layout designer ask for? It is more like having one person working as a librarian.

 

PCB Layout Design