library search - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Greg J
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2022, 10:02:23 pm
content: I'm new to KiCAD, but trying to find LTC3113 and RT6154(A/B) . I searched the internet, can't find either.For a moment snapEDA seemed like it will have the right files, but after downloading them - it's clear it doesn't. Whatever files I can download under these chips from SnapEDA - are not the right items in library.Maybe I should try using something else than KiCAD, library issues seem a massive slowdown for me atm.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2022, 11:22:38 pm
content: Quote from: Greg J on August 14, 2022, 10:02:23 pmSurely you can spend a few minutes and make the symbols you need? It's really not very hard at all.I didn't look to see what footprints those parts use, but it's likely they're already in the KiCad library.

author: abquke
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2022, 11:25:39 pm
content: I find parts on digikey that link to either SnapEDA or UltraLibrarian and add them to my own library. I've long since deleted the default libraries.

author: Greg J
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 01:52:00 pm
content: I have looked in the app itself, and I tried SnapEDA. This isn't my first rodeo.When I found SnapEDA part -https://www.snapeda.com/parts/RT6154AGQW/Richtek+USA+Inc./view-part/- and add it to KiCAD - it does not appear to contain that part. The files you download from that site don't even contain the RT6154 part number.Dear @Bassman59, I don't know what your experience is - but yes, I've spent some time looking at things - hence why I'm asking here, because it didn't work. I'd appreciate you didn't make terrible assumptions about people. Thanks.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 09:01:43 pm
content: The KiCAD libraries are a sad story, No one cares about them, no one moderates them and there's no responsible editor-in-chief. It's just a big tub on GitHub/GitLab or wherever, where manufacturers and others can pour in their symbols and they will then be distributed with the next KiCAD update.If you want to work with KiCAD, it's essential that you build your own libraries. Also for posterity. Who knows what the next update will bring?To the immediate issue: it seems that LT has teamed up with Ultra Librarian:https://www.analog.com/en/design-center/packaging-quality-symbols-footprints/symbols-and-footprints/LTC3113.htmlYou'll need to download the Reader, which will then allow you to unpack the symbol to KiCAD format.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 09:07:13 pm
content: Quote from: Greg J on August 15, 2022, 01:52:00 pmI didn't make any assumptions about you. I just said that you should create the library parts yourself. You need to know how to do that with every PCB design tool you care to use.Making symbols in KiCad is very easy. It should take you maybe five minutes.I checked: In the KiCad footprint library Package_DFN_QFN, we find DFN-16-1EP_4x5mm_P0.5mm_EP2.44x4.34mm.kicad_mod, which is used by the LTC3113EDHD part.My experience?SnapEDA is crap. That's part of my experience.Other than that, long-time KiCad user, since before they started giving KiCad proper major version numbers. Also, long-time Altium user (it's what we have at the day job).

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 11:12:17 pm
content: Quote from: Greg J on August 15, 2022, 01:52:00 pmAll he's saying is that it's easy and a necessary skill to be able to draw your own symbols. I don't know how much time you spent looking online for those parts, but I'll bet lunch money for a week that you could have drawn them yourself in less than half the time..

author: Greg J
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2022, 12:06:02 pm
content: I have reached out to people of SnapEDA and they added it to their library:https://www.snapeda.com/parts/RT6154AGQW/Richtek%20USA%20Inc./view-part/Whilst I understand that it's easy to add symbols etc, it feels like duplicating a lot of effort. Maybe KiCAD should have a colab feature that would allow people to contribute these footprints/etc to some common center repo. And no, I already have enough projects ongoing. Most people want to use tools, and not have to fiddle with things themselves. That's just the way things are in the world. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2022, 12:17:10 pm
content: Quote from: Greg J on August 16, 2022, 12:06:02 pmKiCAD has a series of libraries and if you create a symbol meeting the submission guidelines you can submit it for inclusion. But yes, that means using the tool to create a symbol. That's just the way things are in the world..No EDA in the world has a symbol for every component either supplied or available elsewhere. No EDA in the world has a footprint meeting your assembly requirements for every package variant of every component. Creating these is a normal part of using such software.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2022, 07:28:32 pm
content: KiCad's libraries are already huge but not perfect and they can't contain just every component existing on the planet. No other EDA does that anyway.If you use git repos for the libraries, you'll see they get updated on a very regular basis.And yes, you should learn how to create new parts, as this is pretty straightforward and I've never seen any professional using even very expensive EDA software, who never needed to occasionally create a new part anyway.Digikey also maintains a library of parts for KiCad, you may have a look at that and maybe you"ll find what you need:https://github.com/Digi-Key/digikey-kicad-library

author: Zoli
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 04:42:34 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on August 16, 2022, 07:28:32 pmWas maintaining:Quote from: DigikeyLast commit 2 years ago.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 10:49:44 am
content: Quote from: Zoli on August 17, 2022, 04:42:34 am"Digikey aren't paying us to do it any more because they hired some new 20 year olds to break the website every other week"

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 05:44:12 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on August 17, 2022, 10:49:44 amDigiKey or whomever they hired to create their library came to the same conclusion as everyone else who maintains libraries: it's really difficult. It's even more difficult when you are dealing with passive devices like simple resistors. How does their library manage them? One symbol per manufacturer part number? That means a giant library.There are several solutions to the problem, and every user will have a different opinion and a different set of requirements.And of course a DigiKey library doesn't help when you need a part that DigiKey doesn't carry.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 06:14:09 pm
content: Quote from: Zoli on August 17, 2022, 04:42:34 amIf that is an exact quote, then I sincerely hope that whoever wrotethatmess of a paragraph has never been, and never will be, in charge of maintaining the library.

author: Zoli
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 06:20:43 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on August 17, 2022, 06:14:09 pmFirst paragraph of README.md

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 06:23:24 pm
content: Ah yeah. That sucks.And yes, maintaining such huge libraries is a gigantic endeavour.Anyway, creating your own parts is easy and during the time wasted for looking up existing parts online, you probably would have been able to create at least a dozen parts or more.In particular if the footprint already exists and all you need is to create a symbol. That's a very simple job. Footprints (especially if they are a bit exotic) require a bit more care and attention.

author: woofy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2022, 08:00:52 pm
content: Folks have already said most of what I want to say, but I'll chip in anyway.Through out my years in this game, I must have wasted thousands of pounds on PCB re-spins caused by library components that are wrong. From incorrect connections (like a base/collector swap on a transistor footprint) to pad/paste/resist clearances on IC's that prevent paste release or correct soldering in production. It really seems that the libraries are an inconvenience given to interns.I do use simple components, resistors capacitors and the like, but almost all significant parts are created by myself.As others have said, regardless of the CAD package used if you are going to design PCB's learning to create your own symbols and footprints is a must.

author: Greg J
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2022, 12:19:20 pm
content: Quote from: woofy on August 17, 2022, 08:00:52 pmThis is why - on the flip side - I'm worried that I will cock this up and end up with something I created myself that is just wrong. Unlike software and 3D printing - it's not easy to spin a board with a tiny pitch. I'm trying to create a board with a booster converter and some other components that only come in tiny pitch - for whatever reason. So hand soldering is almost out of the questionThanks!Now I need to find some good tutorials on how to create these library components myself.

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2022, 01:43:29 pm
content: Quote from: Greg J on August 19, 2022, 12:19:20 pmWhich is exactly why you should not be trusting library components from a public repository..If you're using PCB footprints from the KiCad libraries, then you only need to draw a schematic symbol with the right pin assignments. That's not too hard. Double check after you're done. Maybe have someone else double check it for you; it will only take a few minutes for them to make sure the pin numbers are correct.Then, in the schematic, assign the right footprint. Care is required here as there are often a number of footprints that are similar, so you need to make sure to pick the right one by comparing the package drawing in the IC datasheet with the actual dimensions of the footprint in the footprint editor. Again, it's OK to have a second set of eyes verify your choices if you're worried.