Library Conventions | KiCad EDA

Version 3.0.45

Library maintainer rules & guidelines

F3.3 Capacitor naming conventions

The following footprint naming conventions should be used as examples for naming capacitor footprints.

If you do not find an appropriate convention that matches a particular footprint type, either contact the KiCad library team or try to match a convention set by existing library components.

In the entries below, variable fields are denoted as follows:

- Fixed fields
- Mandatory fields
- Optional fields

SMD Chip Capacitor

[C/CP]_[Imperial size]_[Metric size]Metric_[Modifiers]_[Options]
  • C/CP - Capacitor style (polarised or non-polarised)
  • Imperial size - Imperial case size (Optional)
  • Metric size - Metric case size (Optional)
  • Modifiers - Footprint modifiers if non standard (Optional)
  • Options - Footprint options (Optional)

Example:

C_0805_2012Metric

Notes:

  1. At least one case size (either imperial or metric) must be specified

  2. Metric case size must have the suffix Metric

SMD Tantalum Capacitor

CP_Tantalum_EIA-[Metric size]_[Size code]_[Modifiers]_[Options]
  • Metric size - EIA metric size code
  • Size code - Letter size code including naming standard ([Standard]-[Letter])
  • Modifiers - Footprint modifiers if non standard (Optional)
  • Options - Footprint options (Optional)

Example:

CP_Tantalum_EIA-3126-18_Kemet-A_Pad1.53x1.40mm_HandSolder
EIA Metric size Body size (XxYxZ) Kemet Code AVX Code

1608-08

1,6 x 0,8 x 0,8 mm

J

1608-10

1,6 x 0,85 x 1,05 mm

L

2012-12

2,05 x 1,35 x 1,2 mm

R

R

2012-15

2,05 x 1,35 x 1,5 mm

P

3216-10

3,2 x 1,6 x 1,0 mm

I

K

3216-12

3,2 x 1,6 x 1,2 mm

S

S

3216-18

3,2 x 1,6 x 1,8 mm

A

A

3528-12

3,5 x 2,8 x 1,2 mm

T

T

3528-15

3,5 x 2,8 x 1,5 mm

H

3528-21

3,5 x 2,8 x 2,1 mm

B

B

6032-15

6,0 x 3,2 x 1,5 mm

U

W

6032-20

6,0 x 3,2 x 2,0 mm

F

6032-28

6,0 x 3,2 x 2,8 mm

C

C

7343-15

7,3 x 4,3 x 1,5 mm

W

X

7343-20

7,3 x 4,3 x 2,0 mm

V

Y

7343-30

7,3 x 4,3 x 3,0 mm

N

7343-31

7,3 x 4,3 x 3,1 mm

D

D

7343-40

7,3 x 4,3 x 4,0 mm

Y

7343-43

7,3 x 4,3 x 4,3 mm

X

E

7360-38

7,3 x 6,0 x 3,8 mm

E

7361-38

7,3 x 6,1 x 3,8 mm

V

7361-438

7,3 x 6,1 x 4,3 mm

U

SMD Electrolytic Capacitor

CP_Elec_[Manufacturer]_[X]x[true]_H[Height]_P[Pitch]_[Modifiers]_[Options]
  • Manufacturer - Manufacturer name (Optional)
  • X - Case size in x dimension
  • true - Case size in y dimension
  • [Height] - Case height (Optional)
  • [Pitch] - Lead spacing (Optional)
  • [Modifiers] - Footprint modifiers if non-standard (Optional)
  • [Options] - Footprint options (Optional)

Example:

CP_Elec_10x10.5mm_H6mm

THT Capacitor

[C/CP]_[Style]_L[Case size]_D[Diameter]_W[Width]_P[Pitch]_[Modifiers]_[Options]
  • C/CP - Capacitor polarisation
  • Style - Capacitor case style (see notes below)
  • Case size - Body length (Optional)
  • Diameter - Case diameter (Optional)
  • Width - Body width (Optional)
  • Pitch - Lead spacing
  • Modifiers - Footprint modifiers if non-standard
  • Options - Footprint options (Optional)

Example:

C_Axial_L67.0mm_D26.0mm_P75.0mm

Notes:

  1. There are different capacitor styles available:

    • Axial: Cylindrical body with axial lead attachment.

    • Radial: Cylindrical body, both leads enter at same end.

    • Disc: Disc shaped body (sometimes enclosed), leads enter tangent to the inner disc

    • Rect: Box shaped body (Bottom face in contact with the board)

  2. Body size:

    • For Axial body styles: L[length]_D[diameter]

    • For Radial body style: D[diameter]{_H[height]}

    • For Disc body style: D[diameter]_W[width]{_H[overall height]}

    • For box shaped body styles: [X]x[Y]{x[Z]}