KiCad
Figure: KiCad logo
KiCad is an open source software suite, written in C++, for drawing schematics and PCBs (printed circuit board).
KiCad was created by Jean-Pierre Charras in 1992. KiCad has several interesting features like an autorouter, DRC check, maximum of 32 layers and new parts are easy to add.
In 2013 CERN started making large contributions which helped KiCad become comparable with other electronic design programs.
KiCad consists of four main components which are listed in the table below.
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| KiCad | Main Project manager |
| Eeschema | Schematic capture editor |
| Pcbnew | PCB layout editor |
| GerbView | Gerber(Generated PCB files) viewer |
Authors
CSE, Embedded Systems student. Interested in industrial automation and old Volvos
Pim Jansen
First year ES student. Interested in sensor networks and robotics
Willem de Laat
First year ES student. Interested in Home automation and vinyl records.
KiCad - A Technical and Sociological comparison
Welcome back to yet another blogpost that’s all about the KiCad EDA. Unfortunately this will be the last blog from this series and if you have not yet read our previous blogs, you should! In this week’s blog we are going to take a look at Conway’s law and socio-technical congruence. The KiCad program gives you the opportunity to design schematics and printed circuit boards and generate the files to have them fabricated.
KiCad
March 29, 2021
KiCad - The quality beneath KiCad’s surface
Hi all, once again we are back to deliver you a blog post of our favorite electronic design automation (EDA) program, KiCad! In an EDA program, it is possible to design schematics and printed circuit boards and export files to have them fabricated. This is already the third blog post of the series. Previous blog posts gave a high-level description of KiCad high-level description of KiCad, blog post 1, and analyzed its architecture, blog post 2.
KiCad
March 22, 2021
KiCad - The glue that makes KiCad stick
Long ago in the primeval times sea animals made the transfer from water to land. Ever since these needed legs to stand on and so does KiCad1. The legs of KiCad consist of three applications, which together make KiCad, KiCad (project manager), Eeschema (schematic editor) and Pcbnew (PCB designer). These applications are standalone, the sole dependency between them is communication.
Let’s explore some of the main advantages of this approach. To commence each of the applications can be easily maintained, updated and deployed.
KiCad
March 15, 2021
KiCad - Product Vision
KiCad is an amazing suite of multiple software components which allow users to draw electrical schematics and design corresponding printed circuit boards (PCBs) that can be manufactured and used. KiCad has a library of components that are modeled after real-world components which allow users to easily add those parts to their design. Kicad has support for electronic simulations, 3D views, scripting and many more functionalities, while keeping all of the software open-source!
KiCad
March 8, 2021