Eagle CAD Connector Library

Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
Hi Guys

I'm looking for an Eagle library that might contain the footprint of an Amphenol T821 series connector, specifically an 8-Way header. Does anyone know where I can find one? I've Googled until I'm blue in the face, but no luck yet!

Failing that, any T821 header footprint would do as I have just enough skill to modify one but not to create one from scratch yet!

Thanks
Bernie
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
I would imagine you have now spent far more time searching for some obscure footprint then it would take you to create one from scratch.
 

Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
Thanks Guys

@t06afre - that search brought up all the same leads I've already followed to exhaustion I'm afraid, none seem to have the particular form I'm looking for.

@ErnieM - you may be right. Even though I have to start from near scratch, including getting my head around the parts editor, I don't seem to have any choice. The nearest part I've found is a Molex 10-way which, apart from the obvious difference seems somewhat similar.

Bernie
 

Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
Thanks for the link Kermit2, but its not there either. I can find plenty of connectors with offset parallel rows of pins, but not a 2 row inline, 8 pin device. I think I'm going to have to, as suggested, learn the parts editor and create my own.

Bernie
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
I modified an existing 10 pin connector to 8 pins for you. The datasheet included has the dims etc. A sample skiz and board are included to give you an idea of what they look like.

Be sure an check the dims, hole sizes etc.

(Turns out I'm going to need one too)
Have fun.
 

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Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
JohnInTx - man, you are my hero!

I spent most of yesterday wrestling with Eagle's parts editor trying to create this footprint, both from scratch and by modifying a 3m 10 pin header - all to no avail. I'm definitely missing something (brain parts probably!), but I just can't get it to work.

I can create the outline, create the pads, connect the pads but getting the whole shebang to work together - nope!

Thanks again JohnInTx, you've saved my sanity!!

Bernie
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Happy to help. Don't feel bad. Eagle sometimes can be 'challenging'. When you want to give the editor a try again feel free to ask for help here. Quite a few members use Eagle.

Be sure to check it to make sure it fits your needs. It will be awhile before I actually need it.

Have fun.
 

Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
Certainly seems perfectly ok to me JohnInTx. I've used it successfully on two layouts now.

I don't know what I did wrong with my attempts because I tried modifying an existing 3M 10 pin header that had a similar layout. But when I loaded my part from the library into the schematic, instead of all eight pins in a row represented on the schematic, like the original part had, I got just a single pin. I pasted it and found that in the board layout, the connector profile was there, but only pin 1 had an airwire. Went back to the schematic and posted the same pin down another 7 times and lo and behold, on the board layout the profile was there with all 8 pins connected :confused:.

Tried again a whole load of times and was just about to take it all apart again when you threw me a life line! Thanks again!

Bernie
 

Thread Starter

Sloucher

Joined Feb 7, 2012
23
Ashamed to admit that I'd never heard of Diptrace before mcgyver. I hadn't thought about changing before as I've got a commercial licence for Eagle, but I'll download the freebie Lite version of Diptrace to give it a go.

Does it have a wide database of parts with it? Or do you have to design yout own?

Bernie
 

t06afre

Joined May 11, 2009
5,934
JohnInTx - man, you are my hero!

I spent most of yesterday wrestling with Eagle's parts editor trying to create this footprint, both from scratch and by modifying a 3m 10 pin header - all to no avail. I'm definitely missing something (brain parts probably!), but I just can't get it to work.

I can create the outline, create the pads, connect the pads but getting the whole shebang to work together - nope!

Thanks again JohnInTx, you've saved my sanity!!

Bernie
It is a lot of Eagle instructions on youtube. Some are good some not so good. But it could be worth your time, to do a youtube search next time you are stuck :)
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Certainly seems perfectly ok to me JohnInTx. I've used it successfully on two layouts now.

I don't know what I did wrong with my attempts because I tried modifying an existing 3M 10 pin header that had a similar layout. But when I loaded my part from the library into the schematic, instead of all eight pins in a row represented on the schematic, like the original part had, I got just a single pin. I pasted it and found that in the board layout, the connector profile was there, but only pin 1 had an airwire. Went back to the schematic and posted the same pin down another 7 times and lo and behold, on the board layout the profile was there with all 8 pins connected :confused:.

Tried again a whole load of times and was just about to take it all apart again when you threw me a life line! Thanks again!

Bernie
Ahh... most (all?) of Eagle's connectors use individual PIN symbols with the Addlevel set to add them to the schematic individually so it sounds like that's what was happening with your modified component. My first edition of the 8 pin mod started with a 10 pin that did that. The reason to do it that way is that you can scatter your connector pins around the schematic. I don't like it.

Personally, I depict connectors as one-piece schematic objects and connect them with labels. I think its easier to understand the schematic-board relationship that way. Just my .02

I haven't used DipTrace or some of the others mentioned so I can't comment on ease of use, libraries etc. The primary reason I use Eagle is that I own it and am reasonably proficient with it.

If you don't have a Gerber viewer to see how the PCB actually will plot out, try the free version of GC Prevue.
 
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