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LESSONPCB Design with KiCad · Part 6EP.196 · 24 s

PCB Design with KiCad Part 6: symbol vs footprint — one part, two drawings

Cover of the lesson: PCB Design with KiCad Part 6: symbol vs footprint — one part, two drawingsComing to YouTube soon
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// WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

The symbol is how it looks in the schematic; the footprint is the copper pads it needs on the board (through-hole or SMD like 0805).

// LESSON NOTES

One resistor — so why does KiCad draw it TWICE? 🤔🟩

✏️ The SYMBOL lives in your schematic: it shows WHAT the part does and how it connects.
🟨 The FOOTPRINT lives on the board: the real copper pads (or holes) the part gets soldered to — WHERE it sits.
🔁 One symbol, many footprints:
• Through-hole: two holes 10.16 mm (0.4 in) apart → Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0207…P10.16mm
• SMD 0805: a tiny 2.0 × 1.25 mm part on two flat pads → Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric
❌ Pick the wrong footprint and the real part won't fit your board!
✅ In KiCad: open the symbol's Footprint field, or Tools → Assign Footprints.

Read the voiceover (transcript)
  1. One resistor. Why does KiCad draw it twice?
  2. The symbol shows what it does, in your schematic.
  3. The footprint shows where it sits: copper pads on the board.
  4. Same symbol, many footprints: big holes, or tiny pads!
  5. This one is tiny. Which footprint?
  6. Tiny pads: oh eight oh five!
  7. Wrong footprint? It won't fit!
  8. Next: from schematic to board. Follow for Part 7!

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