PCB Design – Designing PCB with Variable-Sized Component Alternatives

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I'd like to get a little PCB manufactured with a basic circuit that I can populate with components of various sizes. E.g. have a place where any of a range of possible capacitor sizes could go. So I would have a chain of leads, like this, for example, where depending on size, I would use a closer or further-apart lead for the component in question:

---O-O-O O---

I'm finding it difficult to convince KiCad or Fritzing to let me do that. They seem to think that any component has exacly one size, and I can't find an "empty lead" part to add either.

Any advice how to best go about this?

Best Answer

I make double and triple footprints in KiCAD quite regularly and it works out quite well. You need to be careful about production constraints (avoid holes in SMD pads, etc), but KiCAD does allow you to do what you want.

There are several ways to go about it:

  • Superpose all the footprints one on top of the other. You need to ignore the specific DRC errors about overlapping courtyards, and sometimes place holes very precisely in the same location.
  • Create a specific footprint. In your example, you would give the same PAD index number for a group of PADs. Once you do your PCB layout, the router will request you to add the traces between the PADs that have the same indexes. So you still have some freedom on how you want to route this.

Here is an example where I superpose two different rectifying bridges. The center is slightly different so that the PADs do not superpose:

Two superposed diode bridges

The 3D view, with only one bridge shown, you can see two PADS of the other bridge under it

Here is an example where I can put one out of two fuse holders using a single footprint:

Footprint for two fuse holders

And another case where I superposed two RJ45 connectors - one SMD and one THT - the "holes" are superposed:

Superposed MAGJACK footprints

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