Quick, but comprehensive, summary of everything that needs to be checked for a component to be approved for use in a design!

CONTENTS

State

• Component should be in the “🟧 Pending Review” state

We don’t want to waste time thoroughly reviewing components people don’t actually need or aren’t fully ready yet. Also we want to get everyone in the habit of updating states on their own.

A reminder on states can be found in the https://nerdocs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NER/pages/153026566/Intro+to+Altium#Component-Workflow section.

Component Header Section

• Name is set to the MPN

• Description exists/is accurate

• Advanced Settings

  • Type is correct

  • Folder is correct

  • Template is assigned, correct, and (typically) matches type

Parameters

Selecting a component template will automatically add parameter fields & requirments

• Required parameters are completed

• As many template parameters as possible are filled in, if data is provided

• All parameters agree with the datasheet

Part Choices

• SPN has been selected

• If part is showing not in stock, verify the part is truly out of stock

  • If an exact alternative exists, it can be assigned to the same component as another SPN

It happens sometimes that there are multiple SPNs registered in Octopart for the same MPN

Schematic Symbol

• If a generic/common symbol is available, it is used

  • Resistor, fuse, capacitor, etc

• Symbol matches datasheet

  • Pin numbers

  • Pin names

• All pins are passive

• Designator is set in properties with wildcard

  • K?, R?, L?, C?, etc

• Confirm symbol name makes sense and is stored in the right folder (no randomly generated names!)

Footprint

• If an existing/shared footprint exists, it is used

  • If a common footprint is used, verify fitment against the datasheet (basically confirm the package fits the footprint we have, rather than the datasheet footprint exactly matching our footprint)

• Footprint matches datasheet

  • Verify pin mapping

  • Verify dimensions

  • Verify units

  • Verify hole size

• Layers are setup correctly: https://nerdocs.atlassian.net/l/cp/khnHr5Zw

• Confirm footprint name makes sense and is stored in the right folder (no randomly generated names!)

Common Errors

• Rotated/flipped MOSFETs and diodes

• Footprint in datasheet is looking from the bottom and we enter it as looking from the top (causing flipped footprint)

• Traced 3D model without checking if it aligns correctly

• {to be continued as we make more errors }