
To ensure accurate placement of the pads, consider setting up a grid specifically for the task.Some care should be exercised when designating pads since it is this property that Altium Designer uses when mapping from pin numbers on the schematic symbol. For a thru-hole pad, set the Layer to Multi-Layer. For a surface mount pad, set the Layer to Top Layer. The Designator automatically increments for subsequent pad placements. After running the place Pad command but prior to placing the first pad, press the Tab key to open the Properties panel to define all the pad properties, including the pad Designator, Size and Shape, Layer, and Hole Size (for a thru-hole pad). Place the pads ( Place » Pad) according to the component requirements.If you have forgotten to move to the reference point before beginning to build your footprint, you can bring the reference pad to your footprint using the Edit » Set Reference sub-menu commands. Use the J, R shortcut keys to jump directly to the reference point. Footprints should be built around the workspace reference point at the center of the PCBLIB editor.The typical sequence for manually creating a component footprint is: The pads and component overlay can be seen below the STEP model. The 3D image shows the imported STEP model for the component. Manually Creating a FootprintĢD and 3D views of a footprint for a joystick component. Releasing Completed PCB Footprints to a Serverįor further information, see Understanding Models, Components and Libraries.Pulling Footprint Updates from the PCB Editor.

Pushing Footprint Updates from the PCB Library.Validating PCB Libraries within an Integrated Library.Handling Special Layer-specific Requirements.

Additional Designator and Comment Strings.Handling Special Solder Mask Requirements.Footprints with Multiple Pads Connected to the Same Pin.Managing Components with Routing Primitives.

