Please Read! PCB Standards Library Documentation

[Tom]

These are the instructions on how to get the best use of the Library Documentation Search Engine on pcbstandards.com or the CD-ROM.

In the directory folder: Metric Environment / Library Documentation > there is a file called Library Index.doc. That is the main root Index that leads to seven other sub-index files -

Connectors
Miscellaneous
Surface Mount
Least Use Environment
Nominal Use Environment
Maximum Use Environment
SMD Library (Manufacturing Specific)
Through Hole

When you select Connectors it opens up the Word document - Con_Index.doc and it has 10 choices:

AMP
Berg
CON_Misc (miscellaneous connector manufacturers)
CUI-Stack
Hirose
JST
Kycon
Molex
Samtec
SwitchCraft

When you select Molex it opens the M/S Excel spread sheet - Molex.xls. The Molex.xls spread sheet contains 526 line items that each represents a different Molex Connector Series. When you select a line item, it will open the official Molex documentation PDF file for that specific family. So there are 526 Molex PDF files in the Molex folder. Once you open your first PDF file, never close it. Leaving Adobe Acrobat Reader open will allow you to open other PDF files instantly. If you close the PDF file the next one you open will take time for Adobe Acrobat to reload.

Now you can go back to the Master Library Index.doc by selecting it on your Windows Task Bar on the bottom of your screen. Then you can select the Nominal Use Environment and it will open the file - SMTN_Index.doc. This Index contains all the Industry Standard Land Patterns and has the following choices:

Capacitors
Diodes
Inductors
Resistors
SOT's
TO's
IC's Gullwing 2 Sides
IC's J-Lead 2 Sides
IC's Gullwing 4 Sides
IC's J-Lead 4 Sides
BGA's
QFN's

These items are all linked the PDF file library documentation that contains the Component and Land Pattern dimensions.

The entire directory tree contains 1,437 files in 75 different folders. Every file must be in the correct folder for a documentation search engine to work properly. Here is the library documentation directory structure:

Library Documentation – Library Index.doc

Connectors - All the connector Index.xls files
AMP - All the AMP PDF library documentation files
Berg - All the BERG PDF library documentation files
CON_Misc - All the Miscellaneous PDF library documentation files
CUI-Stack - All the CUI-Stack PDF library documentation files
Hirose - All the Hirose PDF library documentation files
JST - All the JST PDF library documentation files
Kycon - All the Kycon PDF library documentation files
Molex - All the Molex PDF library documentation files
Samtec - All the Samtec PDF library documentation files
SwitchCraft - All the SwitchCraft PDF library documentation files

Miscellaneous - Misc_Index.doc
SM_Diode
SM_IC’s
SM_Transistors
TH_ Diode
TH_IC’s
TH_ Transistors

Surface Mount
Least Material Condition - SMTL_Index.doc
Maximum Material Condition - SMTN_Index.doc
Nominal Material Condition - SMTM_Index.doc

SM_Mfg (Manufacturer specific SMT files) - SM_Index.doc
Amplifiers
Batteries
Capacitors
Connectors
Crystals
Diodes
Dip Switches
Filters
Fuses
Inductor Networks
Inductors
LED’s
MISC
Oscillators
Relays
Resistor Networks
Resistors
Speakers
Switches
Transducers
Transformers
Transistors
Trimmers
VCO’s

Through-Hole - TH_Index.doc
Batteries
Capacitors
Crystals
Diodes
Dip IC’s
Dip Switches
FBeads
Filters
Fuses
Inductors
LED’s
Miscellaneous
Oscillators
Relays
Resistor Networks
Resistors
Speakers
Switches
Transducers
Transformers
Transistors
Trimmers
Tuners

Once you learn how to use the Search Engine Library Documentation you can jump from connectors to SMT to Through Hole parts really fast. Here is a tip when searching for IC's. All IC's are broken down by family, pin pitch and shape (Square or Rectangle). Once you find those three things the only other item you need to make a match is the Lead Span dimension. Try this and let me know if you have any questions regarding searching and browsing through all the library documentation.

Our next generation search engine will be a web based browse tool that will be much easier to use and will not require M/S Office to use. Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome and appreciated.

Note: There is a PowerPCB library decal for every PDF documentation file. There are currently over 8,000 library land patterns in the pcbstandards PowerPCB libraries.