Creating footprint for Molex Connector.

[guscrown]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to create a footprint for a Molex connector but I don't think it is possible to do with the wizards inside Altium, so I guess I have to do it by hand, but I am completely lost. Any help, tips, tricks, tutorial, video or whatever would help me out. The component wizard has an "Edge Connector" but I think that is something different.

Here is the connector I want to create the footprint for:

http://www.molex.com/molex/products/datasheet.jsp?part=active/0874370343_PCB_HEADERS.xml&channel=Products&L

It's the 3 pin version.

[Psi]

Creating footprints in Altium is very easy, its just a matter of starting your own footprint library, creating a new entry and drawing the line/holes you need while using the measuring tool to check it matches the datasheet. (in your case the drawing pdf)
Then adding your new library to your project.
A search on youtube should find videos of people making footprints in alitum.

Altium makes it even easier because you can copy/paste any existing footprint into your new footprint library. So you just need to find something that's close and adjust it as needed.

Adding 3D to your models is pretty easy too, just place a 3D body and give it some dimensions.
However molex have 3D models already available, so you can just import those for the 3D part.

[David_AVD]

I've been creating library parts this week and using 3D Content Central for the more complex 3D models.

If you don't need the 3D model standard pads, lines and circles is what most people use.   

[Chris]

Hi,

I have some molex parts listed on my site - http://pcbcomponentlibraries.com/searchresults.php?key=Molex

You might be able to use one of these as a base and mod it to suit if not let me know and I'll create it and list it on the site for you.

Thanks,
Chris.