Footprint

How it is used

Used in PCB libraries and manufacturing. Engineers create, check, assign or fix a footprint, and a wrong footprint is a common reason for a board respin. Footprints usually follow the land pattern the manufacturer recommends in the datasheet.

Example sentences

1. The regulator's footprint is mirrored, so the part can't be soldered.

2. Double-check every new footprint against the datasheet before you order the boards.

Common collocations

• component footprint
• footprint library
• wrong footprint
• land pattern

Related terms

• PCBShort for printed circuit board: a flat board of insulating material with copper tracks that hold electronic components and connect them to each other.
• datasheetA document from the manufacturer that gives a component's specifications: ratings, electrical characteristics, pin descriptions, package drawings and typical application circuits.
• SMDShort for surface-mount device: a component soldered directly onto pads on the surface of a PCB, without leads going through holes. The technology is called SMT.
• solderTo join metal parts, such as a component lead and a copper pad, by melting a low-temperature metal alloy between them. The alloy itself is also called solder.
• BOMShort for bill of materials: the full list of parts needed to build a product, with part numbers, quantities, reference designators and approved suppliers.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• footprint · Architecture

More terms: PCB Design and Manufacturing

• trace
• via
• Gerber files
• ground plane