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KiCAD

in 1-hour

This presentation is open-source share-alike by attribution, unless otherwise stated

Product created as a collaboration between:

Andreas Sjöstedt

&

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About this Lesson

Preparations

  • Part of OSE STEAM Camp
  • For updates contact:
  • The rest of the course content is found here:
  • Make sure you have KiCad installed or install it
    • https://kicad-pcb.org/

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Extreme manufacturing factors and toolpaths

Electronic circuit and PCB designs

EDA using KiCad*

*electronic design automation

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CAD and EDA

EDA

Electronic design � automation

Design of schematics for electronic circuits

conversion to PCB* designs

image source: wikipedia

*printed circuit board

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CAD and EDA

Design of schematics for electronic circuits

conversion to PCB* designs

image source: wikipedia

*printed circuit board

done in Eeschema

in KiCad

done in pcbnew

in KiCad

EDA

Electronic design � automation

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KiCAD

project view

Schematic capture editor

Eeschema

  • design the schematic
  • verify connections
  • produce bill of materials (BOM)

PCB Layout design

Pcbnew -(2D + 3D view)*

  • draw tracks
  • adjust track length
  • edit footprints

GerbView

  • produce a gerber file used to manufacture the PCB

Bitmap2Components

Image -> PCB

Photoplotter: Gerber file generation/Visualization

EDA Process

*VRML & IDF feautures

Corresponding

KiCad function

Project management

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File to cutting

  1. Create g-code with flatcam
    1. online tool for gerber -> g-code https://reprap.org/wiki/PCB_Milling#rapid-pcb.com
  2. Send it to Marlin for cutting

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What we will use it for

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  • start a project. You start by editing a diagram, not the physical layout reality. That is called a schematic. the schematic is later converted into a physical layout.
  • Drag and drop components into the design
  • You must then connect them, and verify the design for connection errors.
  • Once you have the schematic, you can add physical reality to it. This consists of moving components around and rotating them in order to make the easiest connections. adding footprints for components and wire thicknesses. The footprints concept is that any component can come in various packages (or size/shape). We must specify exactly which package we are using.
  • Once we add packages and wires, we save the layout ,
  • ���
  • Check out this resource for a good introduction to

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Topic 2

  • blopp
    • sublevel 1
    • sublevel 2
    • sublevel 3���
  • Check out this resource for a good introduction to

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Topic 2

  • blopp
    • sublevel 1
    • sublevel 2
    • sublevel 3���
  • Check out this resource for a good introduction to

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Summary

  1. ​

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Learning Exercise

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Exercise introduction

  1. start a project. You start by editing a diagram, not the physical layout reality. That is called a schematic. the schematic is later converted into a physical layout.
  2. Drag and drop components into the design
  3. You must then connect them, and verify the design for connection errors.
  4. Once you have the schematic, you can add physical reality to it. This consists of moving components around and rotating them in order to make the easiest connections. adding footprints for components and wire thicknesses. The footprints concept is that any component can come in various packages (or size/shape). We must specify exactly which package we are using.
  5. Once we add packages and wires, we save the layout

​

source, KiCad 101 OSE wiki

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Exercise 1 - Arduino Mini

  • Arduino mini is made directly on the chip, so no PCB board
  • Preparation
    • Video 1
    • Video 2
  • Exercise
    • add components
    • wire components
    • add wholes
    • export as a file for cutting
      • g-code with flatcam -> Marlin

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Exercise 2 - Arduino on a board

  • Arduino on a PCB board
  • Preparation
    • Video 1
    • Video 2
  • Exercise
    • design schematics
    • design PCB
    • g-code through flatcam -> drill

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More resources

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Electronic design automation - EDA

  • Schematic editor, pcb layout and CAD programs are closely related
  • Gerber file is an intermediary file which contains all the information needed for a PCB manufacturer to produce the board
  • KiCAD is a program which includes tools to manage the project, the schematics, the PCB layout (VRMK +IDF), and generate a Gerberfile if needed.�

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PCB Manufacturing process

  • By

schematics

board design

print board

mount components

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Resources - Links

  • External tools
    • including KiCadstepupmod which allows collaboration between FreeCAD and KiCAD
    • including KiCost which not only generates BOM but also search suppliers for prices and creates a cost estimate for your project
  • KiCAD to FreeCAD - OSE resource

​

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KiCAD for EDA

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A More Detailed Overview

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KiCad Overview

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A More Detailed OVerview

Internal

External

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs

Reinforcement Theory

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Content

  • Stuff

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Discussion

optional

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Discussion points

  • Read this lesson’s wiki-page, watch the video and choose an aspect of it which interests you and start/join a discussion about it. Also find another resource which supplements your understanding.�
  • Draw from your own experiences when possible, using concrete examples or imagined scenarios.

​