POWER-UP PCBA #17: Access SnapEDA CAD Models from Seeed Fusion’s Open Parts Libraries Now
Seeed Fusion are delighted to announce a new partnership with computer-aided design (CAD) model providers SnapEDA, to provide instant access to thousands of CAD modules directly from the Open Parts Libraries (OPL). With SnapEDA approved models, utilizing the Open Parts libraries in your design has never been easier.
As the internet’s first free library for electronics components, SnapEDA has over a million users each year, and supports over 15 of the most popular PCB design software, including Eagle, KiCad, Altium, Cadence OrCad/Allegro, Mentor PADS and more. SnapEDA’s in-house engineers create and verify footprints according to their own patented verification technology, so you can rest assured that your parts fit just as the manufacturer intended.
With a brand new simple and clean integration, you can now download SnapEDA approved symbol, footprint and 3D models straight from the OPL, directly into your PCB CAD software of choice. All you need is a SnapEDA account and you can start downloading footprints with just a few clicks.
Get started
1. Navigate to the PCBA Open Parts Libraries and choose your parts.
2. If SnapEDA approved CAD data is available, a “Symbol, Footprint, 3D Model” link will be available under the Downloads column.
3. The viewer will then appear, showing all the available data.
4. Select a download and login or register a SnapEDA account (not Seeed account). Then choose from one of 16 different CAD options or download them all.
5. Congrats, you’ve downloaded your first part! Detailed instructions are available on how to import them into your chosen design software.
Notice a part on SnapEDA but not available on the OPL? Only SnapEDA approved parts with the same part number and manufacturer will appear on the OPL. You are welcome to use footprints made by the community but at your own risk.
The OPL and Seeed Fusion PCB Assembly service go hand in hand. The main goal of the Open Parts Libraries was to tackle the long lead times associated with importing parts for turnkey PCB assembly, while at the same time making cheaper local alternatives available to users worldwide. Long lead times have always been the biggest downside to contracting PCB assembly abroad and since it only takes one delayed part to push back a deadline, a library with a wide range of parts that is easy to utilise is key.
As part of our commitment to users, making the Open Part Libraries more accessible and user-friendly is an ongoing goal for Seeed Fusion, but this comes with it’s own unique challenges.
When the Open Parts Libraries jumped from 800 to 150,000 parts, it quickly became clear that we could not reliably supply all the CAD models ourselves, even with the support of the community. So we were delighted when SnapEDA approached us with the new integration and were ready to say yes from day one. Unlike integrations we had seen before, the viewer checked all the boxes for Seeed Fusion users and the ever-expanding coverage in terms of parts and software means the experience will only get better.
As such, we are immensely proud to announce the new collaboration with SnapEDA and hope this new integration is one meaningful step towards a more user-friendly experience, but we are not done yet. Stay tuned for more improvements and upgrades to the OPL and the Seeed Fusion service.
Check out the new integration now. See any issues or just want to tell us what you think? Let us know in the comments or send us an e-mail, we’re all ears.
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