# PCB Footprint Guide

## Using PCB Footprints

## Creating PCB Footprints

This page is redundant!!! see pcb_tips. Furthermore, there is no better way to understand the inner workings of footprints than the pdf Footprint Creation for the Open-Source Layout Program “PCB”http://brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20070818.pdf

### Footprint basics

- There are two types of footprints: M4 and NEWLIB.
- The best tools for creating footprints are PCB (wysiwyg), TEXT EDITOR (fast, accurate), SCRIPTING (powerful).
- For drawing footprints in PCB, refer to:
- For writing footprints in text, refer to: " Footprint Creation for the Open-Source Layout Program “PCB” written and maintained by Stuart Brorson
- For Scripting footprints:
- Other things you may find helpful: calculator, paper+pencil, datasheets, calipers, spreadsheet.

### PCB Footprint FAQ

#### What is the Footprint naming Convention ?

#### Can I have two pads/pins with the same pin-number?

“Yes, totally. This is how you create oval shaped copper around pins, or funny shaped pads (e.g. square at one end and round at the other) by overlapping two or more pads."

#### How do I make an oval shaped pad around a footprint pin?

Simply add a pad on top of your pin and give them the same pin-number. If the soldermask is kept off both pins, and they overlap, they should appear as one pin on your board.

#### How do I make a 2-sided pad?

“Odd as it sounds, this can be necessary for some edge connectors. … but how do you do it???"

#### Edge Connectors

#### What are some references for making surface mount pads and footprints?

- http://www.nxp.com/package
- http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/packaging.jsp
- http://www.maxim-ic.com/design/packaging/
- http://www.national.com/packaging/folders/pkg_index.html
- http://www.irf.com/package/
- http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/supportTechDoc.do?id=1165
- http://www.analog.com/Analog_Root/Packages/Packages_Home/
- http://www.linear.com/designtools/PkgInfo.jsp

pcb_tips covers a lot of Footprint material. This page and that page need to be reconciled!

## Sharing PCB Footprints

##### Popular Sources of Footprints

* The place to share symbols and footprints is gedasymbols.org

* You can find many PCB footprints at John Luciani's footprint page

* You can share gEDA footprints at Open Circuits.