kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Alex G <mr.nuke.me@xxxxxxxxx>]

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>> There are named "land patterns" on maxim's website:
>> http://www.maxim-ic.com/design/packaging/index.mvp?a=2&f=
> 
> Yes, there are both land patterns and package outlines,
> but there's an awful lot of them to go through ...
> 
I know what you mean. I have a hard time navigating that maze. Still,
for TDFN, there aren't that many. I'd be glad to harvest some information.

>>>> There's one thing that puzzles me - the Maxim datasheet lists two
>>>> versions of the package for N=8 and three each for N=10 and 14,
>>>> but unless I'm blind, all variants have identical dimensions ?
>>>
>> There are a few duplicates, but there are some 3x3mm TDFN packages and
>> some 2x2mm packages.
> 
> I've looked at some of the datasheets above, and I think the datasheet
> http://pdfserv.maxim-ic.com/package_dwgs/21-0137.PDF is wrong
> - the difference between the variants seems to be the size of
> the exposed pad (D2,E2), but 21-0137.PDF lists them as identical.
> 
I'm not sure what you mean.
http://pdfserv.maxim-ic.com/package_dwgs/21-0137.PDF lists the size of
the exposed pad as identical for variations of the same N. For N=14 D2
is 1.7mm instead of 1.5mm.


>> I think there are also larger packages as well;
> 
> Yes, much larger - up to 56 "pins" :-)
> 
AFAIK, TDFN only goes to 14 pins. TQFN on the other hand, does go to 56.
I think you're referring to TQFN. I'll look over the .dim and see if I
can get some dimensions in (If I can't then I should probably try to fly
to save the world from an idiot mind :p ).

>> What do you want to do about the molex connectors? If I had the
>> generator script, I could play around with it and see if I can get some
>> work done on the connectors. It could also be of great help if we could
>> convert IGES to VRML automatically. Worst case, I'd have to manually do
>> it for 100+ connectors
> 
> I've taken a quick look at the IGES file format, and
> it's fortunately not binary, but (sort of) human readable
> ASCII (in good ol' punched-card 80-colums fixed format :-)
> 
> There's a Wiki page on IGES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGES,
> but it doesn't go into enough detail to be _really_
> useful (some of the info is there, but not all).
> 
There are a few PDF files listed under "References" on the wikipedia
page, which seem to deal with the standard. But at multi-hundred pages
long, they shouldn't be read by anyone. I'll keep an eye out for a
*readable* spec.

> I haven't understood what all the numbers and fields means yet, but
> as freecad can read IGES (*), the freecad source should also contain
> some useful info for writing a script to convert IGES to VRML.
> 
> (*): Well, sort of - freecad is definitely alpha code:
> I've tried feeding the simple example on the Wiki to freecad,
> and it gets the coloring wrong - the points, arcs and lines
> should be yellow, red and green, but they're all shown in black.
> Also, Wiki Ref 6: http://www.wiz-worx.com/iges5x/wysiwyg/f214x.shtml
> is totally wrong (most of it is missing).
> Fortunately, the missing stuff is 2D graphics, and the Molex
> connectors shows up just fine (except for the coloring).
>
Hmm, I just noticed that IGES contains color information. If it's any
consolation, not even Inventor can get the color right (well, except for
the yellow lines).

> As KiCad only understands VRML IndexedFaceSet and materials,
> any 1D and 2D info (points, lines, arcs, etc.) in an IGES
> file will get lost - only the 3D faces can be converted.
> However, that should be enough for kicad, I think.
>
Yes, the 3D faces are all that's needed in kicad. I'm not sure how the
pieces are supposed to be colored; Inventor displays the body and pins
as one piece, in one color.

Worst case scenario, there's also the possibility of converting PRO/E or
STEP files, as molex provides all three variations (though I think STEP
is binary).

Alex

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