[kicad-users] Polymide FPC ribbon cable designing

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi there!


I'm used to using KiCAD for creating PCB's, but now i'm finding myself in a position where I'd like to produce gerber files for a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) ribbon cable (Polymide material variant) so that I can get a quote from China on manufacturing my designed part. Is this something which is possible to do within KiCAD, or am I looking to have to use a different software for this task?


Any help is appreciated. Thanks :-)

[Andrew Chin [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

This is more of a fabrication file thing. You make your pcb as you normally
do, but you need to specify everything in your fabrication notes. What is
different is the layer stack up. You typically use polymide as your
material and the stack up itself is a little different than a normal pcb.
Also, you cannot do planes as they will crack as they flex. There are a
bunch of other restrictions as well...some you learn as you make these and
others are well documented.

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
Hi there!
I'm used to using KiCAD for creating PCB's, but now i'm finding myself in
a position where I'd like to produce gerber files for a Flexible Printed
Circuit (FPC) ribbon cable (Polymide material variant) so that I can get a
quote from China on manufacturing my designed part. Is this something
which is possible to do within KiCAD, or am I looking to have to use a
different software for this task?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks :-)

[Robert [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

One other, severe restriction is that changes in track direction must be
made using smooth curves. I resorted to making lots of footprints that
were copper layer bends of 90 degrees and 45 degrees, each with a pad at
either end of the curve. Each bend required a two pin "component" on
the schematic. All in all a monumental PITA.

Eagle does smoothly curved tracks, but after having one go at doing the
job with Eagle, I just couldn't face doing another one and went back to
Kicad.

- robert

This is more of a fabrication file thing. You make your pcb as you normally do,
but you need to specify everything in your fabrication notes. What is different
is the layer stack up. You typically use polymide as your material and the stack
up itself is a little different than a normal pcb. Also, you cannot do planes as
they will crack as they flex. There are a bunch of other restrictions as
well...some you learn as you make these and others are well documented.
__
Hi there!
I'm used to using KiCAD for creating PCB's, but now i'm finding myself in a
position where I'd like to produce gerber files for a Flexible Printed
Circuit (FPC) ribbon cable (Polymide material variant) so that I can get a
quote from China on manufacturing my designed part. Is this something which
is possible to do within KiCAD, or am I looking to have to use a different
software for this task?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks :-)

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see you have specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

You don't mess about placing pads directly on the pcb. The connector
footprint does this for you.

Ribbon cables (flex or otherwise) connect to the PCB using a connector,
So the first thing to do is decide what connector you want to use, then
sort out the footprint.

If there is not a ready made footprint, then you make one up yourself.
(You can usually find a close match footprint that you can modify, but
even so the footprint is only really placing the pads in the correct
place and size.

Designing and modifying footprints is a basic task of any PCB-CAD that
you need to get used to. To be very blunt about it, it's usually the case
that it takes less time to make the footprint than it does to ask if
anyone has xyz footprint :-)

The footprint editor is simple to use, and no you don't have to edit
every pad.

Place a pad, it will normally be a through hole type,then select
properties. From there you can change the type to SMD, and set it's
sizes etc. There is also a button on the top bar that you can use to
preset the properties. I generally forget to use that and just modify the
first pad I place :-)


Once done you can copy that pad, there are also tools that allow to to
create a grid array of pads.

Take the time to get to know the footprint editor, it's really very easy.




So find the connector you want to use.

if not already in the footprint libs, then get the mechanical drawing
for the connector (The manaf may also have some info for the footprint
requirements. (some do some don't)

Work out the pin spacing and set your grid accordingly

Place a pad, and set the pad properties type, shape , sizes etc (get the
pad on the correct layer as well!)

Duplicate the pad as many times as you need

Place the rest of the pads.

sort out the numbering.

draw the Silkscreen lines, mounting holes if any being careful NOT to draw
over pads.

That's about it really apart from one last very important thing.

before you use ANY footprint, either from some lib or your own make sure
you check and double check that it is exactly what you need. The save it
in your own libs tom protect it against changes.

Andy









On 10 Sep 2018 12:02:45 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.
1. I can see you have specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?
...if not
2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see you can specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector within kicad, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Do you mean a row of contact fingers?

As in conectors>PCI-EXPRESS ?

Andy


On 10 Sep 2018 12:07:54 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.
1. I can see you can specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector within kicad, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?
...if not
2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi all, and thanks.


I'm a little embarrassed, but i have to admit i couldn't figure out how to edit existing templates or create new ones years ago when i last use Kicad.


I really need a youtube video or something to follow for this. I had an issue once where i had a template for a transistor, which was perfect for what i needed for a project one time, except two of the pins were swapped. I managed to figure out how to swap them to the way i needed, but i couldn't save this as a new template (for whatever reason). This meant I couldn't turn off my laptop until I had completed my entire project and saved the Gerber file i needed to send to China for manufacture! It was a nightmare. I actually had to go through the manufacturing process TWICE, because I didn't realise this the first time and when i was turning off my laptop and then turning it on again, the component footprint was swapping itself back the wrong way when i thought I was saving it ok! The wrong design was sent to China, manufactured and i received it back. It wasn't until i was soldering it up that i realised something wasn't correct!
So every time i open that project now, Kicad complains, telling me that footprints don't match and what do i want to do about it. I had to edit that one component every time I opened up the project. Nightmare! I still never figured out how to fix this situation!


If someone could do a simple to follow video for a novice like me to watch and follow, it would be a lot of help. I've never figured it out yet.


So to clarify. It's a flat Polymide style 30-pin ribbon cable i need to design for manufacture. Like this one here:


https://goo.gl/images/7ffZKz


So basically, an array of 30 flat solder pad type pins on each end of the cable, connected by lengths of printed circuitry on the cable. It's not the connector i need, it's the thing which connects INTO the PCB mounted connector and locks into place at each end. It's for joining circuitry together from a motherboard to a daughterboard. I had an accident with the original, whereby it got snapped in half (they're very fragile!) and you just can't get them for love nor money. So i'm having to make my own to replace the one i broke!

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Ok there are a couple of issues here. You are talking about a ribbon
cable, however what the replies are all about are flexible PCB's which is
what the image you posed is.

Before you go too far along this path. Is this what you are looking for:

https://cpc.farnell.com/molex/15166-0325/jumper-cable-ffc-0-5mm-152mm-30way/dp/CN18209

The interconnect style ribbons are widely available is various sizes and
are quite cheap, the above one is a molex 0.5mm pitch 30 way 0.152m long
2 UKP if this will fit your requirements it will save a lot of
work.

Editing either components or footprints in kicad is slightly different to
some other software, as it involves things stored in multiple libraries

First, be very careful in how you describe and think of things. In kicad
your have components that you place on the circuit diagram using
eeschema, and then you have footprints that you place on the PCB with
Pcbnew. The pin numbering / id's on the two must match for the
connection to be made.

What is happening in your project is that you have edited either the
footprint or the component to fix the issue, but failed to save the
change. A common issue.

Both the schematic library editor, and the footprint editor work in a
similar way. I'll describe the setup for the footprint editor. Note that
I am using kicad 4 at the moment.

Open the footprint editor and look at the top icon bar

The first three icons are key

The first is select active library
This tells the editor where to look for the footprint you want to work
on, and makes that library active.

The second icon is save the footprint in the active library
Does what it says, but you HAVE to select the library with the first icon
first.

The third icon is useful to set up your own libs.
Make a new footprint, it can be a single pad if you wish :-) then click
on the third icon, select the base path give it a name then OK
Job done.

After that you can then use the first icon to select that library when
you want to edit things in it.

When you edit a footprint then save it, if the footprint exists in the
library you will get a warning. Either save and overwrite or not.

If you want to modify a footprint, select the library that the footprint
is in, load it, then make your changes.

Note that during the creation / editing of the footprint, the VALUE field
is used as the name of the footprint. That little oddity confused me at
first :-) Make sure you use a different name if you want/need to keep
the origional


Then select the library you want the module to be saved in (say your own
library) then click the save in active library ALWAYS check the top of
the footprint window title bar, that tells you what the current active
library is.

That's the main "trick" to editing and creating things with kicad, the
other icons are pretty much self explanatory. For editing, the properties
setting is the main thing you will use, as I mentioned the pin number
and pad numbers need to match.


Once you have modified and saved the footprint into a library (usually
your own if you want to avoid things changing)

Open your project, and make sure you have added the library where the new
footprint is saved. then you can edit the component on the circuit
diagram (use properties) and then select the new footprint.

You can also do much the same thing with Pcbnew select the footprint,
then properties then change footprint.

Shout if you get stuck and need a bit of help. We all went through this
at first!

Andy











On 11 Sep 2018 08:04:19 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
Hi all, and thanks.
I'm a little embarrassed, but i have to admit i couldn't figure out how to edit existing templates or create new ones years ago when i last use Kicad.
I really need a youtube video or something to follow for this. I had an issue once where i had a template for a transistor, which was perfect for what i needed for a project one time, except two of the pins were swapped. I managed to figure out how to swap them to the way i needed, but i couldn't save this as a new template (for whatever reason). This meant I couldn't turn off my laptop until I had completed my entire project and saved the Gerber file i needed to send to China for manufacture! It was a nightmare. I actually had to go through the manufacturing process TWICE, because I didn't realise this the first time and when i was turning off my laptop and then turning it on again, the component footprint was swapping itself back the wrong way when i thought I was saving it ok! The wrong design was sent to China, manufactured and i received it back. It wasn't until i was soldering it up that i realised something wasn't correct!
So every time i open that project now, Kicad complains, telling me that footprints don't match and what do i want to do about it. I had to edit that one component every time I opened up the project. Nightmare! I still never figured out how to fix this situation!
If someone could do a simple to follow video for a novice like me to watch and follow, it would be a lot of help. I've never figured it out yet.
https://goo.gl/images/7ffZKz
So basically, an array of 30 flat solder pad type pins on each end of the cable, connected by lengths of printed circuitry on the cable. It's not the connector i need, it's the thing which connects INTO the PCB mounted connector and locks into place at each end. It's for joining circuitry together from a motherboard to a daughterboard. I had an accident with the original, whereby it got snapped in half (they're very fragile!) and you just can't get them for love nor money. So i'm having to make my own to replace the one i broke!

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi Andy, et al. and a continued thanks.


I'll need to read your instructions again as I sit at my laptop with Kicad open. I'm not even sure of the state of that particular component now, whether it's still correct or incorrect.


I'll have to scratch my brain to exercise my memory as I've not looked at that project for years. It'd be good to get that component saved!


As for the type of ribbon cable I want to reproduce, I've attached a photo of the actual cable I snapped (you can see the snap on the left hand end of the first photo).


The Farnell link you put, is of an FFC. What I want to make is an FPC (which in my case, is just a material difference really).


This is what I want to design in kicad for reproduction purposes. I hope this helps you understand what I'm trying to do. I also have a scale drawing with all dimensions on it which I drew in mspaint last week.

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

The third image shows the basic requirements.

You create a board outline using the dimensions of the cable, treat it
exactly as you would for a normal PCB outline.

For the edge connectors, load up the BUSPCI footprint and have a close
look at that. To me the form of the "fingers" look very close to what
that cable photo has.

You then need to find out the dimensions of the fingers for that cable
and their spacing (1mm I think), then you can modify the first pad
on the BUSPCI footprint. This has been created with TWO pads, with the
same number joined one making the main body and the other the small spike
at the end. using two pads like this is a work-around for creating pads
with more complex shapes.

(Do be careful with metric and imperial settings)

Adjust both to the required dimensions, and the other side pair of course.
Then you can delete all the other pads, and use the array function to
duplicate 30 pads quickly. numerate the pads. Check and then save as your
own footprint.

You can then place that at each end of the outline you create.

Tracks and so on are done exactly as normal.

I'll have to leave it to others to explain the production process, as
it's a matter of getting the layers in the correect order...

Andy








On 12 Sep 2018 08:08:35 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
Hi Andy, et al. and a continued thanks.
I'll need to read your instructions again as I sit at my laptop with Kicad open. I'm not even sure of the state of that particular component now, whether it's still correct or incorrect.
I'll have to scratch my brain to exercise my memory as I've not looked at that project for years. It'd be good to get that component saved!
As for the type of ribbon cable I want to reproduce, I've attached a photo of the actual cable I snapped (you can see the snap on the left hand end of the first photo).
The Farnell link you put, is of an FFC. What I want to make is an FPC (which in my case, is just a material difference really).
This is what I want to design in kicad for reproduction purposes. I hope this helps you understand what I'm trying to do. I also have a scale drawing with all dimensions on it which I drew in mspaint last week.

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Ok thanks Andy.

I'll not admit i know all of which you speak right now, but hopefully with some time spent at the program....?


Is the "BUSPCI footprint" held within Kicad already then? Where do i find that?

[pierreraymondrondelle [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

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<p>


<p>for your information, on page 26 of Electronics for You, Sept.
2018 there is a brief information concerning the general rules.</p>
<p>regards<br>
</p>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 13.09.18 09:39,
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:***@yahoo.com">***@yahoo.com</a> [kicad-users] wrote:<br>
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<div id="ygrp-text">
<p>Ok thanks Andy.</p>
<div><br>
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<div>I'll not admit i know all of which you speak right now,
but hopefully with some time spent at the program....?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Is the "<span style="color:rgb(63, 63,
63);word-spacing:normal;">BUSPCI footprint" held within
Kicad already then?  Where do i find that?</span></div>
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[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

yes it's a lot easier with the program in front of you :-)

BUSPCI is a footprint in the connect library which should be one to the
standard libs.

there re a couple of ways to open the footprint browser
open pcbnew and then click on the third icon on the top bar, a 6 pin dil
with a mg. glass

or when you use place a footprint there is an option to browse at the
bottom of the selection window pop up.

In the browser left hand pane selects the library, select connect.
The middle pane shows the contents, and the right hand pane shows the
footprint.

Andy







On 13 Sep 2018 00:39:20 -0700

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
Ok thanks Andy.
I'll not admit i know all of which you speak right now, but hopefully with some time spent at the program....?
Is the "BUSPCI footprint" held within Kicad already then? Where do i find that?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I also found a few FFC types under "Connectors_Molex". I wonder if they're closer to what i'm after? Or are they the actual connectors which the ribbon push into? Actually i think it is. Forget that.

See, i can locate "BUSPCI" under connect, but only to view from the library browser!? Whenever i try to find it elsewhere, i can only find a hideously complicated "BUSPCI-5V".


I'm struggling here. This is all massively complicated! It makes me wonder how on earth i fudged my way through it all 2 years ago!?


Any step by step youtube videos anyone is willing to make for me to show me?

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Weird, the footprint browser and the place dialogue should be looking in
exactly the same locations.

The sequence should go something like:

Open pcbnew
select add footprints (right hand toolbar 4th icon down from top)
click on board

in pop up enter:
ConnectBUSPCI

in the name box

then click OK

OR

select add footprints (right hand toolbar 4th icon down from top)
click on board
Click select by browser
(at bottom of pop up)
click Connect in the left hand pane
click BUSPCI in the middle pane
check that it the correct footprint in the right hand pane then inser
into board by clicking on the last icon on the top menu bar.

If you sill cannot get the correct footprint email me directly and I'll
export it and you can try importing it into your setup.


Andy








On 13 Sep 2018 18:19:52 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
I also found a few FFC types under "Connectors_Molex". I wonder if they're closer to what i'm after? Or are they the actual connectors which the ribbon push into? Actually i think it is. Forget that.
See, i can locate "BUSPCI" under connect, but only to view from the library browser!? Whenever i try to find it elsewhere, i can only find a hideously complicated "BUSPCI-5V".
I'm struggling here. This is all massively complicated! It makes me wonder how on earth i fudged my way through it all 2 years ago!?
Any step by step youtube videos anyone is willing to make for me to show me?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Okay,


So. I finally got to a position of peace and quiet so that i could look at Kicad again tonight.


First off, to remind you of my two issues, and my findings for each there after.


1. My old project complaining about a component used not matching the entity on the database (or some other similarly worded message from 2016). I opened up this project again. I looked at the schematic editor and the PCB editor. Neither made any complaints about any components this time!? weird. I tried a few things (not wishing to muck it up of course), like testing the schematic for errors and looking at the component in question, but nothing seemed wrong with it. I then noticed that within the project folder where i stored everything, i have two library files. One is called a "cache" lib and the other is called a "rescue" lib. Both are named with the project name then "-". So example would be "project_name-cache.lib" and "project_name-rescue.lib". Both files are dated last edited in 2016. Around the time i completed that project. So i wonder if kicad is using these libraries, meaning no more error message!? - i'm guessing this isn't the best solution.


I think i really need a step by step on libraries. It seems i'm still confused with those. How to set one up. How to populate it. How to copy existing components into it. How to then edit components within it, and save it back there for future use. OMG i realise how hard work i am!


2. I looked for the suggested "BUSPCI" component. I can find it under Run CvPcb, under connect. But i think i need to edit this existing one first so that it simply has 30 pins and no edge cuts, which make it a PCB in its own right (is that correct?). Otherwise i cannot assign it as the preferred footprint for an array of 30 terminals (I was looking at using "CONN_01X30" at the schematic stage - is this correct? - i DID try to use this, but i wasn't winning last weekend, so i bailed, and put in 30 individual connectors for each end of my cable schematic - so "CONN_01X01" instead)


So with all this in mind, how do i access "BUSPCI" outside of Kicad? I can locate the apparent "conn" entity (C:Program Files\Kicad\share\kicad\library\conn.lib (and .dcm), but it doesn't give you each component separately. So how do I set up my own personal library and copy this into it so that i can start editing it? Perhaps once i have my own library, i can populate it with what's in the "cache" and "rescue" libraries for other projects!? (It's made a "cache" lib within the directory of this new ribbon cable project location already!)


I realise things may have advanced since 2016, so i thought i'd better advise of what version of Kicad i'm looking at on my laptop. It may be old and superceded now. I'm worried though, that if it is, and i'm advised to update it, that it messes with my other older projects and their use, since one in particular, i'm not finished with. Life got in the way and i had to put it on a back burner so to speak. I'd hate to disturb them or have to correct them in some way!


So here's what i'm running:


Version 4.0.1-stable, release build
wxWidgets 3.0.2 Unicode and Boost 1.57.0
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit.
(I must add that the laptop WAS Windows 8 in 2016, but it has since been upgraded to Windows 10)




I must thank you whole heartedly for your continued patience with me! My name is Chris by the way. :-)

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

In earlier releases of Kicad, it was a bit of a pain to work with other
people on the same project, and also archive projects. Missing libs and
so on were quite common.

All the data for the components and the footprints were inside the
project, but it's not easy to deal with if you are a new the kicad.

Kicad stores all of it's data as simple text files, the cache is what
footprints you used. The components are stored directly within the .sch
files.

So if you needed to you could take the cache file, save it elsewhere, and
import that as a library.

Over the years a lot of work has been done to make the handling of libs
a lot easier. The first stage was to work on the footprints. if you
see .pretty as a file extension, then that's the new format.

The next version of kicad I think has similar improvements for the
components, or if not, are planned for. I'm using the same version as
yourself, but on linux.

Kicad libs are all text file, each file containing a number of
components or footprints.

So the Connector library will hold the 1 pin, 2 pin d-type and so
on. Open a copy in notepad or a programmers editor and have a look


The key to dealing with libs is to remember that kicad will not do this
automatically. You have to tell kicad what to do and where things are.

Set up a folder somewhere in your home directory. I call mine "PCB".
In that make a directory called my-libs. In that make two directorys
called my-footprints, and my-components (or whatever you want to call
them.

To set up your first lib for footprints, open up the kicad manager,
then open pcbnew form there open up the footprint editor.

make a new footprint 6th icon on top row toolbar
give it a name say "test" then OK

Put a single pad on it somewhere. 2nd icon down on the right hand toolbar

That will do for a start.

Now select the create new library and save current footprint top toolbar
3rd icon Navigate to where you created your own directories. For a
footprint, select myFootprints and click open.

Decide what you are going to call this lib if it is a custom
set of connectors, then myConnectors will do. To the end of the library
folder path add /MyConnectors then click OK
If you look in the MyFootprints directory, you should now see another
directory called MyConnectors.pretty

That's it, the basic library is created.

close the footprint editor.

Now you just need to tell kicad to look in it.

From pcbnew, select the library management
menu > Preferences > Footprint Libraries Manager
select append library
At the bottom of the list add the library
\path-to-library\MyFootprints\MyConnectors.pretty
Add a suitable name, in the nickname field "MyConnectors"

That should now appear in the footprint browser.
Don't worry about any error message if you see one, as the footprint with
a single pad was not complete. But do chack that the path is correct.

If you already have a number of libs from previous work, you can use
the append lib wizard to grab them all at once.

Now you can switch between your library and any other.

So open footprint editor again
select active library (top toolbar first icon)
Select Connector
Click Load footprint from library (top toolbar 8th icon)
click list all in pop up
click on BUSPCI
click OK
You should see the BUSPCI footprint displayed

Give it a slightly different name. Make sure the pointer icon top icon
right hand toolbar is active

Doubleclick on the Yellow BUSPCI text inthe footprint. a popup will
appear. Change the name to myBUSPCI click OK

Now change to your library.
Click first icon select active library (top toolbar first icon)
select myConnectors , click Ok
In the top window bar of the footprint manager you should see that your
library is now active.

Click on the save footprint in active library, top toolbar 2nd icon
Give it a name myBUSPCI if asked for.

close the footprint manager.

Now in pcbnew, select the add footprint function, click on select by
browser, select your own lib MyConnectors and you will see myBUSPCI as
an available footprint.

That's how you move footprints from one lib to another
It's much quicker to actually do than describe, and in truth you don't do
it that often Most of the time you will be working in one lib.

(Kicad now has the facilities for project specific libs as well)

Now you have the BUSPCI stored in your own lib under a different name you
can edit it to your requirements using the footprint editor

Remove the silkscreen, and chop off the pins 31 + That will be a good
start IF THE dimensions and spacings of the pins are what you need.

IF not chop out all the pins apart from pin 1 then modify the
settings via preferences Then use the array wizard to generate the other
29

Note that there are TWO pads per pin. This is in order to get the shape
needed. Any pin with the same number will join itself to others of the
same number.

Andy





































On 13 Sep 2018 18:05:32 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
Okay,
So. I finally got to a position of peace and quiet so that i could look at Kicad again tonight.
First off, to remind you of my two issues, and my findings for each there after.
1. My old project complaining about a component used not matching the entity on the database (or some other similarly worded message from 2016). I opened up this project again. I looked at the schematic editor and the PCB editor. Neither made any complaints about any components this time!? weird. I tried a few things (not wishing to muck it up of course), like testing the schematic for errors and looking at the component in question, but nothing seemed wrong with it. I then noticed that within the project folder where i stored everything, i have two library files. One is called a "cache" lib and the other is called a "rescue" lib. Both are named with the project name then "-". So example would be "project_name-cache.lib" and "project_name-rescue.lib". Both files are dated last edited in 2016. Around the time i completed that project. So i wonder if kicad is using these libraries, meaning no more error message!? - i'm guessing this isn't the best solution.
I think i really need a step by step on libraries. It seems i'm still confused with those. How to set one up. How to populate it. How to copy existing components into it. How to then edit components within it, and save it back there for future use. OMG i realise how hard work i am!
2. I looked for the suggested "BUSPCI" component. I can find it under Run CvPcb, under connect. But i think i need to edit this existing one first so that it simply has 30 pins and no edge cuts, which make it a PCB in its own right (is that correct?). Otherwise i cannot assign it as the preferred footprint for an array of 30 terminals (I was looking at using "CONN_01X30" at the schematic stage - is this correct? - i DID try to use this, but i wasn't winning last weekend, so i bailed, and put in 30 individual connectors for each end of my cable schematic - so "CONN_01X01" instead)
So with all this in mind, how do i access "BUSPCI" outside of Kicad? I can locate the apparent "conn" entity (C:Program Files\Kicad\share\kicad\library\conn.lib (and .dcm), but it doesn't give you each component separately. So how do I set up my own personal library and copy this into it so that i can start editing it? Perhaps once i have my own library, i can populate it with what's in the "cache" and "rescue" libraries for other projects!? (It's made a "cache" lib within the directory of this new ribbon cable project location already!)
I realise things may have advanced since 2016, so i thought i'd better advise of what version of Kicad i'm looking at on my laptop. It may be old and superceded now. I'm worried though, that if it is, and i'm advised to update it, that it messes with my other older projects and their use, since one in particular, i'm not finished with. Life got in the way and i had to put it on a back burner so to speak. I'd hate to disturb them or have to correct them in some way!
Version 4.0.1-stable, release build
wxWidgets 3.0.2 Unicode and Boost 1.57.0
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit.
(I must add that the laptop WAS Windows 8 in 2016, but it has since been upgraded to Windows 10)
I must thank you whole heartedly for your continued patience with me! My name is Chris by the way. :-)

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Update. Last for tonight. I managed to open BUSPCI and start editing it, but then when it came to saving it, i couldn't!? I couldn't set the active library because it doesn't give me the option to browse to my project folder where i managed to set up a library (i think).

when i chose "save footprint in new library", i navigated to my new project library folder and selected it. It asked me if i was sure i wanted to overwrite this existing library. i said yes. Then i went to close the file and it then asked me what i wanted to do. save and exit (why!?) exit without save (no!) cancel. (no again!)


So i chose save and exit. then i just complains that the library is not set and the footprint could not be saved.


I'm hating this stupid program. it's not intuitive at all!


If i choose footprint libraries manager under preferences, it comes up with a hideously complicated box of complication which i don't understand at all!?


i'm getting frustrated now. I'm having to close down my progress so far and lose it because i cant figure out how to create a library. open an existing footprint. edit it. then save it in my new library. Why is this so hard! it's needlessly complicated!

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
I'm hating this stupid program. it's not intuitive at all!
If i choose footprint libraries manager under preferences, it comes up with a hideously complicated box of complication which i don't understand at all!?

Yes, that's a comment a lot of beginners make.

It is intuitive, but like many complex tools it does take getting used to.
You are also at a slight disadvantage as a windows user. Kicad started
life as a set of Linux tools so it tends to do things the Linux way
rather than the windows way.

Kicad is not a beginners tool, and you cannot just dive into it and get
results first time, especially when doing what you want to do, which is
not a beginners project.

Take the time to work with it, and it will click quite quickly.

The footprint libraries manager is a key part to get to know.
It's not complex it just looks as if it is. It's just two fields a
library nickname and the path to that library.

It has a couple of tools available to append a library or a wizard to
append many.

In a big project you may have many different and specialised libraries so
knowing how to add them is pretty vital. That said it's been several
years since I've needed to add a new lib, I have about 4 additional
libs as well as a copy of the kicad libs set up and that it. Setting up
the MyConnectors library as per the previous reply was the first new lib
in several years!.

Try not to get too frustrated and shout when you get stuck. As I said
before, we have pretty much all been where you are now !

Andy

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Thanks Andy,

Thank you very much for your in-depth instructions there. I'll try to follow them this week when i get a chance. I'm sorry for my frustration. It's just that I HAVE used this program before, and completed three quite complicated projects in the past with it, and had total success, but other than that one transistor i had to manually modify by simply swapping two pins over, everything else has just used standard library components. So i've never been faced with this need to go so in depth with creating or modifying a component to this degree before. I guess it's just the frustration of wanting to "get on", but this is holding me back. I'm going to have to spend time learning before i can get to the "heart" of the project i guess. Hopefully i'll get there.


I'll let you know how i get on. If i'm still struggling, i may take you up on your offer to trade emails or something so that i can maybe tap into your knowledge in a bit more of an immediate real-time affair rather than through this clunky and slow group medium...

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I may be weird, but I think it's a challenge and fun to create new library components. :-) jb

[Andy Eskelson [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Nothing weird about that at all.

It's a function that you need to know how to do. Different manaf.
processes may need slightly different footprints etc.

Once you create / modify a few footprints you wonder what all the fuss
was about :-)

Andy


On 17 Sep 2018 17:51:39 +0000

Post by ***@yahoo.com [kicad-users]
I may be weird, but I think it's a challenge and fun to create new library components. :-) jb

['Colin' [e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi Paradox,

When I read your email it brought back very familiar feelings; been there,
done that.

KiCad is an excellent program but it's not intuitive.

Cheers,
Colin

_____

From: kicad-***@yahoogroups.com [mailto:kicad-***@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: 11 September 2018 09:04
To: kicad-***@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [kicad-users] Re: Polymide FPC ribbon cable designing





Hi all, and thanks.

I'm a little embarrassed, but i have to admit i couldn't figure out how to
edit existing templates or create new ones years ago when i last use Kicad.

I really need a youtube video or something to follow for this. I had an
issue once where i had a template for a transistor, which was perfect for
what i needed for a project one time, except two of the pins were swapped.
I managed to figure out how to swap them to the way i needed, but i couldn't
save this as a new template (for whatever reason). This meant I couldn't
turn off my laptop until I had completed my entire project and saved the
Gerber file i needed to send to China for manufacture! It was a nightmare.
I actually had to go through the manufacturing process TWICE, because I
didn't realise this the first time and when i was turning off my laptop and
then turning it on again, the component footprint was swapping itself back
the wrong way when i thought I was saving it ok! The wrong design was sent
to China, manufactured and i received it back. It wasn't until i was
soldering it up that i realised something wasn't correct!
So every time i open that project now, Kicad complains, telling me that
footprints don't match and what do i want to do about it. I had to edit
that one component every time I opened up the project. Nightmare! I still
never figured out how to fix this situation!

If someone could do a simple to follow video for a novice like me to watch
and follow, it would be a lot of help. I've never figured it out yet.

So to clarify. It's a flat Polymide style 30-pin ribbon cable i need to
design for manufacture. Like this one here:

https://goo.gl/images/7ffZKz

So basically, an array of 30 flat solder pad type pins on each end of the
cable, connected by lengths of printed circuitry on the cable. It's not the
connector i need, it's the thing which connects INTO the PCB mounted
connector and locks into place at each end. It's for joining circuitry
together from a motherboard to a daughterboard. I had an accident with the
original, whereby it got snapped in half (they're very fragile!) and you
just can't get them for love nor money. So i'm having to make my own to
replace the one i broke!

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi all, and thanks.


I'm a little embarassed, but i have to admit i couldn't figure out how to edit


existing templates or how to create new ones years ago when i last used Kicad.


I really need a youtube video or something to follow for this. I had an issue once


where i had a template for a transistor, which was perfect for what i needed for a


project one time, except two of the pins were swapped. I managed to figure out how


to swap them to the way i needed, but i couldn't save this as a new template (for


whatever reason). This meant I couldn't turn off my laptop until I had completed my


entire project and saved the Gerber file i needed to send to China for manufacture!


It was a nightmare. I actually had to go through the manufacturing process TWICE,


because I didn't realise that the component footprint had swapped back the wrong way


the first time when i didn't appreciate i couldn't switch off my laptop if i wanted


to keep that component the way i needed it. The wrong design was sent to China,


manufactured and i received it back. It wasn't until i was soldering it up that i


realised something wasn't correct!
So every time i open that project now, Kicad complains, telling me that footprints


don't match and what do i want to do about it. I had to edit that one component


every time I opened up the project. Nightmare!


If someone could do a simple to follow video for a novice like me to watch and


follow, it would be a lot of help. I've never figured it out yet.


So to clarify. It's a flat Polymide style 30-pin ribbon cable i need to design for


manufacture. Like this one here:


https://goo.gl/images/7ffZKz


So bascially, an array of 30 flat solder pad type pins on each end of the cable,


connected by lengths of printed circuitry on the cable. It's not the connector i


need, it's the thing which connects INTO the PCB mounted connector and locks into


place at each end. It's for joining circuitry together from a motherboard to a


daughterboard. I had an accident with the original, whereby it got sanpped in half


(they're very fragile!) and you just can't get them for love nor money. So i'm


having to make my own to replace the one i broke!

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

Hi all, and thanks.


I'm a little embarassed, but i have to admit i couldn't figure out how to edit


existing templates or how to create new ones years ago when i last used Kicad.


I really need a youtube video or something to follow for this. I had an issue once


where i had a template for a transistor, which was perfect for what i needed for a


project one time, except two of the pins were swapped. I managed to figure out how


to swap them to the way i needed, but i couldn't save this as a new template (for


whatever reason). This meant I couldn't turn off my laptop until I had completed my


entire project and saved the Gerber file i needed to send to China for manufacture!


It was a nightmare. I actually had to go through the manufacturing process TWICE,


because I didn't realise that the component footprint had swapped back the wrong way


the first time when i didn't appreciate i couldn't switch off my laptop if i wanted


to keep that component the way i needed it. The wrong design was sent to China,


manufactured and i received it back. It wasn't until i was soldering it up that i


realised something wasn't correct!
So every time i open that project now, Kicad complains, telling me that footprints


don't match and what do i want to do about it. I had to edit that one component


every time I opened up the project. Nightmare!


If someone could do a simple to follow video for a novice like me to watch and


follow, it would be a lot of help. I've never figured it out yet.


So to clarify. It's a flat Polymide style 30-pin ribbon cable i need to design for


manufacture. Like this one here:


https://goo.gl/images/7ffZKz


So bascially, an array of 30 flat solder pad type pins on each end of the cable,


connected by lengths of printed circuitry on the cable. It's not the connector i


need, it's the thing which connects INTO the PCB mounted connector and locks into


place at each end. It's for joining circuitry together from a motherboard to a


daughterboard. I had an accident with the original, whereby it got sanpped in half


(they're very fragile!) and you just can't get them for love nor money. So i'm


having to make my own to replace the one i broke!

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see you can specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector within kicad, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?


---In kicad-***@yahoogroups.com, <***@...> wrote :

One other, severe restriction is that changes in track direction must be
made using smooth curves. I resorted to making lots of footprints that
were copper layer bends of 90 degrees and 45 degrees, each with a pad at
either end of the curve. Each bend required a two pin "component" on
the schematic. All in all a monumental PITA.

Eagle does smoothly curved tracks, but after having one go at doing the
job with Eagle, I just couldn't face doing another one and went back to
Kicad.

- robert

This is more of a fabrication file thing. You make your pcb as you normally do,
but you need to specify everything in your fabrication notes. What is different
is the layer stack up. You typically use polymide as your material and the stack
up itself is a little different than a normal pcb. Also, you cannot do planes as
they will crack as they flex. There are a bunch of other restrictions as
well...some you learn as you make these and others are well documented.
__
Hi there!
I'm used to using KiCAD for creating PCB's, but now i'm finding myself in a
position where I'd like to produce gerber files for a Flexible Printed
Circuit (FPC) ribbon cable (Polymide material variant) so that I can get a
quote from China on manufacturing my designed part. Is this something which
is possible to do within KiCAD, or am I looking to have to use a different
software for this task?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks :-)

--
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---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see there is a specific 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector available, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see you can specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector within kicad, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?

[[e-mail] [kicad-users]]

I started trying to make my ribbon cable in Kicad at the weekend. I didn't get far i'll be honest. I'm willing to keep at it, but 2 questions have been raised as a result of looking at it over the weekend.

1. I can see you can specific a 30-pin MOLEX ribbon cable connector within kicad, but is there a 30-pin ribbon connector "array" for showing a row of connections like one would expect to find at the end of a ribbon cable?


...if not


2. I have right now specified 30 individual solder pads as my ribbon cable "pins". Right now, these are massive compared to what i actually want. i think, from memory, 5mmx10mm or something. Considering what i want is a 1mm pitch row of 30 terminals, which once considered with their spacing, come to an arrangement which is 31mm is width for my ribbon, is there any template of anything i can use for this already, or am i facing going the way i am, but then resizing each pad to be the sizes i need them to fit a typical standard molex connector type? (Not actually knowing HOW i'm going to edit the templates if i have to go this route!?