Capacitor & Inductor Series

[dmwood]

Hi

I've recently completed a design where I encountered an issue with handling capacitors and inductors reliably and efficiently. In my case I only discovered a problem when a couple of the footprints turned out to be wrong (i.e. 0302 wanted, but got an 0201 footprint), so I'm only asking now as part of the post project

The design called for several different series of components to be used; Coilcraft 0201, 0302 & 0402 wirewound inductors, Johansson & ATC precision capacitors, as well as general purpose capacitors, roughly 300 discrete 0201/0302/0402 components were used.

Using the traditional capacitor and inductor symbols they require defining the value, order code & footprint by hand (opportunity for mistakes), or I have to delete the whole component and replace which is undesirable as often the PCB footprint is already placed.

ideally I'd like to input each component series, the values and stock codes for that series and then a footprint for the series all as some kind of a file or table, then select which value I want from a drop down list in the symbol on the schematic thus maintaining connectivity while changing value with the stock code being picked up automatically and always getting the correct footprint, even if I decide I want the same value but in a different series.

What's the closest way of achieving this right now?

[Iain]

Generics do, as you say, require individual configuration after placement. I would first check whether the physical caps / inductors already in the libraries will help:

caps.png (50.09 KiB) Viewed 4807 times

If you do need to create your own set ASCII Data Import is one way you could do this. Basically this provides a way to apply a set of property definitions to parts.

This could include PACKAGE, STOCKCODE, SUPPLIER, RoHS, MoQ and anything else you like. The basic process is :
1) Write the ADI file in a text editor (syntax is in help document).
2) Get the parts organised on the schematic.
3) Apply the ADI file from the Tools menu.
4) Compile to Library command to put all the modified parts back.

If you'd like some help with the ADI file then please get in touch directly to support @ labcenter.com with a list of props you want to add and we can set up a skeleton ADI file for you.

[dmwood]

Thanks, I'll look into this as I do my 7.9->8.4 transition eval.

[LuminousJon]

Hi

I'm waking up an old conversation because I'm getting back into Proteus and this seems to be the same question - I've searched this forum and the help files, but I can't find the answer and it feels like I'm missing something really simple!

If I place a fairly generic part in my schematic, a resistor for example, I expect to be able to change the value of that component via some kind of drop-down in its properties or something similar. Having changed its value, I expect that to in turn change its stock code in the BOM. Ultimately I suppose there could be a table that I populate with in-house stock codes for 1206 resistors of various values.

The only solution I have come across so far is to have all the different component values in the Device Selector - which clearly doesn't make sense. For one the names get confusing (I've got a capacitor called 1206CG180J9B200...), I get warned if I put decimals in the name, and I end up with far too many devices in the list where I really didn't need them all.

Could someone let me know what I should be doing, please?

Thank you!

[David]

Hi,

It would be impossible for us to change the stock code on a generic device by changing the value. If you pick 'RES' from the library and change the value from 10k to 32.4k, what do we change the stock code to? Which Manufacturer? Which Supplier? How do we know which one of these it is you need?

resistors.png (26.19 KiB) Viewed 4157 times

You should search for the stockcode of the part you want if you need specific parts for the BOM. If it is not in our libraries or in Samacsys's then you can create it yourself in to your own 'My_Resistors' Library.

Regards,
Dave.

[LuminousJon]

Thank you for the quick reply David!

I was anticipating that I would be the one to populate that table, whether it was a generic device or one I made myself - so that when I changed the component from 10K to 32.4K it selected the stock code I wanted to use for 32.4K 1206 resistors. Of course stock codes for components like that are only suggestions really anyway -they often get substituted at the purchasing stage (unless I've noted they shouldn't be).

Anyway, I can see I'm the only person having this problem so it must be me not you! Just wanted to check I wasn't missing something obvious.

Thanks again.