Best way to organize component libraries?

[Pack34]

What is everyone's preferred way to organize components?

Back in Eagle I used to separate everything out. RCL in one library, processors in another, opamps in a third, etc etc.

However, this got a little messy when components shared footprints. I could end up with a couple different SOIC8 packages for example. It might be best to group everything into a single master library.

But in Altium you have the ability to make components specific to a part from a distributor so this MASTER library could become very unweildy.

Is there a "best practice" considered for this?

[tszaboo]

I have a resistor library for 0603 Vishay CRCW resistors, with some 500 type in it. Separate for 0805. Separate for thin film. 100 different type of fuse, from one brand one family. Other 4 type of fuse library. A dozen capacitor library, all with 100+ components.
6 library for different size TVS diode, uni and bidirectional.
So... You get the idea. It takes time.

[jpanhalt]

What is everyone's preferred way to organize components?

Back in Eagle I used to separate everything out. RCL in one library, processors in another, opamps in a third, etc etc.

However, this got a little messy when components shared footprints. I could end up with a couple different SOIC8 packages for example. It might be best to group everything into a single master library.

But in Altium you have the ability to make components specific to a part from a distributor so this MASTER library could become very unweildy.

Is there a "best practice" considered for this?

While each manufacturer may have had its own footprints and for good reason (there ARE differences), in general one footprint will fit several symbols.

Why can't you do the same?   That is, have a package file and link its entries to as many symbols as needed?

As for the Altium approach as you describe it, that fits what Eagle did.  Remember, SOIC-8 is not a single, recommended footprint across all manufacturers.  While most are compatible, if not identical, I can remember at least one instance when two, SOIC-8 footprints were almost incompatible.

[Pack34]

In regards to isolating the library down to the manufacturer, how would you handle multiple sourcing?

In PADs and Eagle, I would attribute components with up to three sources for that component

DESC_1, DIST_1, DIST_PN_1, MFG_1, MFG_PN_1
DESC_2, DIST_2, DIST_PN_2, MFG_2, MFG_PN_2
DESC_3, DIST_3, DIST_PN_3, MFG_3, MFG_PN_3

This made maintaining designs so much easier. Since I wouldn't have to release a Change Notice every time a Panasonic resistor was out of stock on Digikey. Alternates were baked into the BOM so the only time I would need to revise a design would be when it actually required it and not just a temporary fix to resolve a sourcing issue that month.

[tszaboo]

You have the ActiveBOM for that. It even gives you alternatives for simple components.

[Pack34]

@NANDBlog

Is that part of the Vault?

[Pack34]

I found some documentation on it and I'll look into it.


With that many libraries, how do you manage your Design Workspace? Is there some way to hide or group libraries?

[tszaboo]

No, it is not part of the vault. But it uses online sources, like Farnell, Digikey and Mouser stock information. It works without active subscription.

You can turn off and on Libraries as you like on the tab.
You can kinda group them, like using the same excel file for different parts. IE all the Vishay resistors are in one file, so I can turn them on and off at once.

[T3sl4co1l]

I don't bother with libraries that detailed.  For example, I have a generic Resistor component and I add the supplier link on the schematic.  Specific parts (an op-amp, say) have SPICE (if available) and supplier link in the library, but I can always change it in the schematic if I need to (which is nice when I'm using a similar but different part, reusing the symbol).

I don't have libraries big enough to bother separating out, so I use one large collection.  Names are constructed like "Ind Dual 2.2A 4.7uH OMG4540BBQ" (that'd be a made-up part number at the end there) so parts are easy to find.

Tim