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neilh
USA
23 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Apr 2017 : 16:08:18
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Hi
I wonder has anybody used
http://www.pcblibraries.com/POD/default.asp
with EasyPC.
I'm looking at a QFN24 component 0.5mm leg spacing, BQ2496 which has tight tolerances and a custom paste mask
thanks for any thoughts,
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1019 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2017 : 19:17:37
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Probably easier and quicker to model it yourself.
Not a difficult package at all !
Iain |
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neilh
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2018 : 19:44:17
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Oops got the part# wrong, its BQ24296MRGER.
Checking on the new facility v22 its available
https://easypc.componentsearchengine.com/part.php?partID=720839
also digikey has versions for other models.
As a design engineering offering a wide range of services for small business, from software design - which takes a lot of time - to hardware design - which involves a fair amount of risk in getting parts and footprint right - I do appreciate having the risk of the footprint mitigated by having standard rules applied of which I don't have to know them all.
I also see - as in the BQ24296MRGER that the solder paste layer is becoming quite detailed and an essential part of the footprint design. I haven't looked at the downloaded parts.
From a design point of view - I also like a workflow of being able to do schematic first - identify the risk of parts availability/build capability (which includes footprint analysis), what I need to prototype and then finally lay it out,
1) for the mechanical layout that can include sharing with a team and,
2) then complete a prototype order PCBs and manually assemble which includes building software drivers
3), before finally committing to a production build. |
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1019 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2018 : 22:08:13
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Although it’s great to have third party libraries, at the end of the day you cannot use these before checking them first. This why creating your own footprints is sometimes just as quick as you need to spend time checking a library version against the manufactures datasheet.
Also as you mention regarding the paste mask .... this tends to simply be an undersized version of the Centre pad whereas most of these are now segmented so you need to produce this yourself with the help of the datasheet.
So in summary, third party libs are great, and may save a bit of time, but be careful, don’t use them without carefully checking pinout and footprint.
Iain |
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neilh
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2018 : 22:12:58
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Ian, thanks for the reminder .... but its actually easier to check something, than to have to plan out a new component.
Ease of use of creating components for EasyPc is fantastic - but my brain is soft on the details every time I come back to it - and I proceed cautiously and plan out the three to four stages in a new component - trying to remember all my the options I have to get right. (Did I tell you its hard to do get the solder paste layer repeatable with the way EasyPc does its PCB symbols)
I just found that an upgraded version of an OptoIsolator I'm using, uses a new package - so it was actually a new schematic symbol to indicate the extra feature+ new updated footprint - plus checking - bang 2hrs gone.
If EasyPC supported a downloadable version, perhaps I could have just done the checking (I live in hope) - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/vishay-semiconductor-opto-division/TCMT4600T0/TCMT4600T0CT-ND/8276331
then i might just have to checked the basics were right ( #2 I live in hope) - and hope all the naming and everything else was good.
Digikey's reputation is good at getting the details right - so if there was problems I could post back to Digikey. But since this is evolving, its not clear how good any of it will be.
So it would be great for future to have standardized footprints - and may be its going to be something like the Kicad model. However the productivity of actually drawing circuits is good in EasyPC, but if I desperately need an extra feature with Kicad- I can consider adding it myself. (eg a component proto build printout that I've asked about for 5yrs)
So just my 2cents :) I do appreciate EasyPc hangs together nicely, and I'm reminded of that whenever I have to touch Eagle or even had to use Altium viewer once (agh!!!)
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1019 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2018 : 09:32:19
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The part you mention can be downloaded from SnapEDA (as per the link on the Digi-Key part page) as an Eagle file which can be imported directly into Easy PC.
Iain |
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edrees
United Kingdom
783 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2018 : 09:52:28
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Interestingly, "SnapEDA" exports to many major CAD products, - including the open sourced Kicad, & even Number One's Pulsonix, but not EasyPC for which we now have "Library Loader" offered from SamacSys in EasyPC V22.
Unfortunately, many of the schematic symbols in LL I've come across so far are rectangular "blocks" and not representative of the electrical component symbols, so further component editing is required to get these components up to my standard. SamacSys will be offering a choice of blocks or electrical symbols in the future (so I'm advised).
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Anybody used pcblibraries with EasyPc