For that I want to see the individual op amp or gate logic symbols with pin numbers on the individual symbols. For example an LM324 quad op amp or maybe a multiple-gate logic chip. If the schematic had the IC pins arranged in actual order it would have been much easier.īut I have a counter-argument also. It made my job of checking over the gerber files significantly more difficult. pdf of the schematic, I had to search for IC pin 17, etc. His schematic symbols (for a 32 pin switching voltage regulator IC) had the pins “all over the map” (at least by my logic.) Viewing gerber files and a. (So therefore everyone working on the project can use full functioning software.) However in my most recent consulting job the pcb designer (not me) used DX Designer. You need to see building PCBs process as a whole process with all its phases tightly linked to each other and not as a set of separate theroretically perfect input=>output.īecause KiCad is free, I think your argument is reasonable. When you use oven soldering at home with low cost manufactured PCB, you would ask your manufacturer to narrow a little bit the holes in the stencil and you would narrow a little bit the pins pattern from manufucaturer recommanded pattern, because you know you’ll put a little bit more solder paste than expected and this can lead to short circuits when you do assembly at home. When you create a footprint for hand soldering of QFN for example, you would want to make the pins longer than recommanded pattern (idem for SSOP packages). If I use an STM32F4xx for camera acquisition system, I would prefer to have all pins related to DCMI (camera capture data) grouped, instead of having pins grouped by PORTxx number.įor footprints, the problem is the same. When some users draw all pins as in physical part (I hate that), others will group them by category. The schematic representation is highly dependent on YOUR WAY of drawing schematics. I would expect from them to provide only the 3D model (*.step). I really think that providing parts and footprints is NOT the role of parts manufacturers.

Altium qfn footprint library