Making Parts for PCB Libraries

This article describes how to create a new part in SSI's Altium PCB component libraries. SSI maintains a collection of Altium component libraries, many of them generously donated by the Stanford Solar Car Project.

Introduction

The "Projects" pane, after opening SSI.libpkg

Prior to creating a part, you should have installed and configured Altium and TortoiseSVN. In Altium, open the SSI Library project - SSI.libpkg, in SSI_SVN/libraries/intlib - with File → Open Project  f → j. Your "Projects" pane should now have a large number of .PcbLib and .SchLib files open (see right; open the projects pane with View → Workspace Panels → System → Projects  v → w → s → p if the "Projects" pane is not visible).

Altium has several different noteworthy types of libraries.

• Schematic libraries (.SchLib files) store schematic symbols and the components they correspond with. Schematic libraries contain schematic editor symbols, links to footprints (from PCB libraries; see below), mapping between the pins in the schematic symbol and pads on the footprint, and links to the part supplier (most often, DigiKey)
• PCB libraries (.PcbLib files) contain the actual PCB layouts for library components. PCB libraries include landing patterns (the actual pad shapes that will appear on the PCB) and 3D models of the associated packages.
• Integrated libraries (.LibPkg files) are Altium projects that combine Schematic and PCB libraries.
• Compiled libraries (.IntLib files) are installable files that allow you to use library parts in schematics and PCBs. Every time a part is added to a library, the Integrated library will need to be recompiled before the part can be added to a PCB project.

Creating a New Package

The component created above may already have a footprint in a PCB library; if so, skip this step and proceed to "Finishing a Component".

Recompiling and SVN Management

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