Altium Designer Tutorial 2 - Footprint Library

In the previous tutorial, we have created schematic component symbol. Now in this tutorial I will share how to make footprint for that component symbols.

First, go to the PCB library project. In this tutorial, I will make component footprint with wizard tools, but it is also possible to create component footprint without wizard. The advantage of wizard tools is you can make the component footprint more easy and fast. There are two type of component wizards, first is "IPC Compliant Footprint Wizard" and second is "Component Wizard". Both of them can be access from menu Tools.

For example, I will make SMD capacitor footprint using tool Component Wizard. This is the steps to do that:

• First, select the component that you want to make, in this case is capacitor.

• Next, select the component type surface mount or through hole. I will choose surface mount for this tutorial.

 

• Next, set the capacitor pad dimension and the position between these pads. This value can be obtained from the datasheet of the component.

• Finally, select if this capacitor is polar or non-polar. I will choose polar capacitor for this tutorial.

The final footprint for capacitor is looks like this (you can resize the component dimension (yellow line) if the shape is too large):

 

To draw the resistor footprint can be done by using Component Wizard and select resistor footprint. This is the example of resistor footprint:

To draw the LED footprint can be done by using Component Wizard and select resistor footprint, but add one more vertical line near anode pin to distinguish between anode and cathode of LED. This is the example of LED footprint:

For making LM1117 footprint, can be done by using IPC Compliant Footprint Wizard tool. In the component type, you can select the package of the LM1117 IC, for example SOT223.

Set the SOT223 dimension to match with the dimension of LM1117 in the datasheet. The final footprint for SOT223 is like this:

After all component footprint done, you can go back to Schematic Library file to add this footprint to the corresponding component symbol. Select Component Properties and in the Model section click Add button to add footprint, then PCB Model dialog will be shown.

In the PCB Model wizard, click Browse button and then select the right footprint from the PCB library file that has been created before. Select the correct footprint for the corresponding component symbol.

Until this step, the process of making Altium Library is finished. The next step is make the circuit schematic and PCB layout.