Working on first PCB with KiCad - placing axial component vertically - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 07:07:12 pm
content: This is my first PCB after watching dozens of videos. My previous experience with PCB is from the 80s so CAD wasn't involved.I have a situation where I am going to be placing an axial component (glass encapsulated capacitor) vertically. That would mean I will be bending one lead to make it radial, sort of. How do I properly deal with this in component selection? In defined symbols, I see axial and radial, but not above scenario. Do I need to make one myself? Seems common enough situation that something per-defined should exist.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 08:26:17 pm
content: When I first tried KiCad the first component I needed didn't have a footprint... be brave.,.. just make a footprint!In Footprint editor.... File... New Library... then Copy a CP_Radial_.... and move the padsObv... if you want a 3D model... that's more work.PSI did look briefly and didn't find an Axial with the top lead bent over and back down to the PCB... it must have been done... but I couldn't find it.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 08:28:27 pm
content: Roger that.Thank you for sharing how to do that quickly, too. Much appreciated.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 08:46:10 pm
content: Also... don't be afraid to ask inhttps://forum.kicad.info/

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 09:06:36 pm
content: tkamiya:Aside from drawing the footprint yourself, you may use one from libraries intended for other components. For example there are footprints for axial resistors with legs bent that way. If the size matches, that element may be used.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 09:52:03 pm
content: I would make a new footprint myself. This is something you will have to do often enough with any tool that it's best to just bite the bullet early on and learn how to do it, you will save much time in the long run.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 10:17:52 pm
content: Quote from: golden_labels on September 22, 2020, 09:06:36 pmR_Axial_DIN0922_L20.0mm_D9.0mm_P7.62mm_VerticalI wasn't actually aware of those.https://kicad-pcb.org/libraries/klc/#_footprint_guidelines

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 10:39:19 pm
content: Thanks everybody. I'll see if I can modify existing one for this particular size.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 11:04:06 pm
content: By the way....I found a series of excellent video tutorial by Digi-key. I'm finding it very helpful.I'm quite a slow learner. The video is divided nicely into digestible chunks. With it, I managed to draw a circuit diagram last night.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 03:58:11 pm
content: https://contextualelectronics.com/courses/getting-to-blinky-5-0/deserves a mention if you are new to PCBs.^ IMHO Chris (from AmpHour fame) has a very friendly/approachable presentation style.PSThat's for "Kai-CAD"... probably similar to "Key-CAD"

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 11:54:05 pm
content: I'm just going to tack this question on here, since it makes no sense to create a new thread....I've just made a board with all the air-lines and made a definition of board by edge-cuts. How do I remove this? I ended up with wrong size and wrong lines. I can't seem to remove it. Google search didn't turn up anything useful.Can someone give me a quick hand?

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 12:05:00 am
content: Found it!

author: greenpossum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 12:09:35 am
content: The "air lines" are called ratsnest if you ever pose questions on the KiCad forum.You select edge cut lines just like any other line. Only problem is they might be hard to select due to their thinness. For this you might find the select rectangle sweeping from bottom right to top left useful for selecting anything falling partly within the rectangle useful.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 12:27:07 am
content: I've been learning this from Digikey's excellent tutorials. They use both terms. But I'll keep that in mind. This is harder than I thought.