We are excited to announce that we have collaborated with RECOM Power to launch their entire product catalog of over 20,000 parts on SnapEDA. You can now access a large selection of DC/DC converters and AC/DC power supplies, LED drivers, and switching regulators from RECOM Power, which come complete with symbols, footprints and 3D models.…
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Why open hardware needs open software – and more from Wayne Stambaugh of KiCad
As KiCad’s lead developer, Wayne, and his team have a big vision – to build a best-in-breed PCB design tool. It’s an ambitious goal for an open-source project whose commercial counterparts have seen millions in investment. But KiCad is well on that path. An ever-increasing number of designers now use the PCB design tool. With…
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The Top 10 Operational Amplifiers on SnapEDA
The operational amplifier – or “op amp” for short – is a common building block in analog electronics. Whether you’re a professional electronics designer or just getting started, it is likely you’ve used an op amp in your designs. Invented in 1941 by Karl D. Swartzel Jr. of Bell Labs, the op amp was originally…
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How to define cutouts and slotted holes in Eagle (for OshPark users)
Although it’s one of the most popular PCB design tools, Eagle doesn’t have a native way of defining plated slots. Luckily, there are methods of getting fully supported slots in Eagle! SnapEDA follows Eagle’s official method when defining slotted holes. This method is ideal for 2 layer boards. Please note though that if your board has…
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How Bluetooth got its name, an interview with Jim Kardach
Today, Bluetooth is the primary driver of wireless connectivity between electronic devices. But like most new technologies, there were plenty of challenges throughout its development and commercialization. We spoke to Jim Kardach, the founding chairman of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which created the technology, to understand why it succeeded where so many similar…
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How to customize your schematic symbols for KiCad
The SnapEDA team is thrilled to announce a new way for KiCad users to customize their schematic symbols! Traditionally, SnapEDA offered one style of schematic symbols for KiCad which overlapped functionally identical symbols pins, despite them having different footprint pins. We initially chose this approach due to early feedback from KiCad users who said it made…
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New Osram Optoelectronics on SnapEDA! ????
Today we’re excited to announce that we’ve collaborated with Osram to release new optoelectronics products on SnapEDA! These new products include photodiodes, phototransistors, LEDs, laser diodes and infrared emitters, which now come complete with symbols & footprints for instant design-in. Whether you’re designing automotive lighting, industrial, mobile, or general lighting electronics, Osram’s products are recognized…
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How does SnapEDA handle slotted holes?
One of the most common questions we are asked is how we handle slotted holes in various PCB design tools. Because each tool handles slotted holes differently, we’ve created guides for each format so you can learn how to properly import the slotted holes, how they’re represented, and how to properly communicate the presence of…
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How SnapEDA creates slotted holes in Eagle
Q: How does SnapEDA generate slotted holes in Eagle? A: Although there is no tool to directly create slotted holes in Eagle, there is an official method to recommended by Eagle. In 2018, SnapEDA adopted this method of creating slotted holes. As described in the article, SnapEDA parts have slots represented on Layer 46 (Milling…
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FAQ: How does SnapEDA create slotted holes in Orcad & Allegro
Q: The footprint I downloaded should have slotted holes in Allegro – why aren’t they appearing? A: SnapEDA defines slotted holes for Allegro footprints using the layer Board Geometry > Ncroute-Path. Q: How can I ensure that my PCB fabricator accurately makes the slots? A: When sending your design to manufacturing, provide the NC Route…