▲ 74 r/KiCad
I made a plugin that lets you import images straight into KiCad without having to prepare them first.
u/TheMobas — 14 hours ago
r/KiCad
Is this a valid voltage divider connection?
This is a simple voltage divider network taking 5V from a microUSB and feeding 3.56V to the GPIO pin...is this configuration fine or do i need to take out a trace from the middle of both of these resistors??
Sorry if this question seems dumb but I'm a beginner so any advice would really be appreciated.
u/Dependent_Growth_580 — 16 hours ago
▲ 0 r/KiCad
looking for pcb expert / freelance to review my project
not sure if this is the right place but im looking for a freelance who can review my project before i send it to production. im sure its not perfect and requires some changes. and if this is not to place, happy to get the right directions.
u/Much_Intention5053 — 1 day ago
Why is the Esp32 Devkit schematic different?
I just downloaded KiCad today since im trying to learn how to make PCB's for projects and I am trying to get this esp32 devkit model that was in the libraries that came installed and I want the lower schematic but it puts the top one in for some reason. What is happening?
u/Mission_Oil1420 — 2 days ago
▲ 3 r/KiCad
Gray Shape Blocking Trace Routing
Does anyone know what this is? Any time I try to route these pads that gray shape blocks me. The top gives me an error that says "the routing start point violates DRC". I've run DRC and excluded any errors relating to this component (which is a mid-mount USB connector). I have no idea why, but A5 and B5 worked okay. I've tried different width traces as well and that didn't help.
u/space_wiener — 2 days ago
First PCB design. How bad is it?
I designed this PCB for a project I'm working on. I tried copying schematics of modules and putting them together, but I'm unsure if I did it correctly. Any help is appreciated!
u/Creative_Ad_1868 — 3 days ago
Can You Build Custom PCBs by Copy-Pasting Open-Source Designs into KiCad?
Adafruit, Sparkfun, and others publish their PCB designs for anyone to download and import into KiCad.
If I wanted to make a PCB with an ESP32, MAX temperature sensor, INA current sensor, or any other module,
could I simply copy and paste the premade PCB designs from Adafruit into KiCad, connect the I2C lines to the ESP32 like I would connect them by hand, take care of standard design rules, and that's it?
Any tutorial that shows how to do this?
(for personal use only)
u/Spiritual_Belt_4763 — 2 days ago
▲ 1 r/KiCad
Bus break out wire label is driving me crazy...
I'm breaking out the wires on a bus and connecting them to a processor port using Unfold from Bus. It worked great for the right side of the processor but on the left side of the processor KiCAD puts the bus wire label (PG0, for example) right over the process pin number.
After doing the connection I have to select the wire label, which is nearly impossible, and move away from the processor pin number. What a PITA. It worked great on the right side but not on the left side.
This wouldn't really be a problem except that selecting the wire label is incredibly hard. I can't select it by clicking on it and when use area select it selects the processor pin. Is there a better way to select the wire label ?
Am I missing something ?
Update
See u/blueduck577's reply below for how I solved this.
Next question...
What is the easiest way to trim the end of a bus wire that is too long ?
u/yycTechGuy — 2 days ago
PCB FOR MY ARDUINO TENSORFLOW PROJECT
Look at my PCB. Designed for my IoT project, based on the vocal control of a DC motor using Arduino and a TensorFlow CNN model. The project can be divided into three parts: the CNN model, Arduino and the command circuit, the DC motor...
Your feedback will be amazing!!!
u/robohie — 2 days ago
Help with pcb
I am trying to power this atmega328p with a cr2450 battery but it’s not turning on , whenever I power it with a higher voltage battery it starts working, any tips on how I can get it to work with the coin cell ?
u/AnyAd2341 — 4 days ago
First GPS module test coupon - request to review my pcb layout
u/Connect_Bad8987 — 4 days ago
H₂H³ // Smart Twin USB Host Switch & Triple USB Hub & STM32 fourth USB peripheral
Hey everyone, I was tired of flaky commercial KVM switches, so I built a robust alternative for my desk. It toggles 3 USB 2.0 peripherals between 2 hosts.
The Tech: Driven by an STM32 managing the switching logic and driving an I2C OLED for real-time VBUS/current monitoring. The PCB is a 4-layer controlled-impedance board laid out in KiCad 9.0.
The Fun Part: Instead of just managing the hardware, the STM32 is wired natively into the USB hub as a 4th peripheral. This allows the host to talk directly to the MCU, opening up custom HID macro injections or automated switching scripts.
The KVM C++ firmware is about 95% finalized, and everything is 100% open-source (KiCad, FreeCAD 1.0 snap-fit case, and firmware). I'd love to hear your thoughts on the host-to-MCU link applications!
Code & CAD files are here: TwinUSB on Github ask me questions. What are you interested in?
Enthusiastic about open source: TwinUSB on Hackaday.io
u/Bright_Remote5154 — 5 days ago
▲ 24 r/KiCad
I built a browser-based viewer for KiCad projects on GitHub — feedback welcome
Hey,
I spent the last year on a side project I think this community might find useful: cadpreview.com, a browser-based viewer for KiCad projects hosted on GitHub.
The idea came from a gap I kept running into: KiCad is genuinely capable, but it's a desktop tool, so anyone who isn't running it (firmware engineers checking a pinout, supply chain cross-referencing a BOM, a client wanting to see progress) is locked out unless someone exports a PDF. Connect a repo once and they get a live view of the schematic, PCB layout, BOM, and revision history instead.
What it does:
- Schematic and PCB viewer, pan/zoom, no KiCad install needed
- Live BOM with datasheet links, generated from the actual schematic
- Full revision history and branch browsing (open any tag or branch, not just main)
- Annotation tools for design reviews
- Shareable project links, no account needed for viewers
- Works with public and private repos
Also handy for your own projects: opening a browser tab is a lot faster than launching KiCad if you just want to check what value you used for something six months ago.
KiCad's come a long way, and I think it holds up well against tools costing thousands per seat for most real-world hardware work. Would genuinely value this community's take, including the critical kind.
u/ee_pat — 5 days ago
▲ 13 r/KiCad
Please help with filling multiple concentric areas
Hi.
I have been banging my head against the table for last hour.
I need to fill each of the rings while the space between them stays empty.
This is all on Cu layer.
Can someone please with more knowledge tell me how to do it?
Thanks😁
Update: There was a 0.5mm clearance from the board edge which didn't allow me to fill it properly. Problem is fixed. Thanks
u/HOXIT4444 — 5 days ago
▲ 1 r/KiCad
Footprint failing in PCB DRC
I'm building a footprint with dozens of through hole pads and copper lines (all with no net), and when I import the footprint into a PCB every connection between a line and a through hole pad fails due to clearance violations from the lines overlapping the through hole pads. Is there anything I can do about this?
u/tauofthemachine — 5 days ago
▲ 32 r/KiCad
Miss 3D file when share the kicad project.
Hi everyone, I received a project shared by a colleague today, but the 3D file was missing. Does anyone know why this happens and how to share a project without losing the 3D file?
u/Leo_inO-World — 6 days ago
▲ 12 r/KiCad
I built a free tool that converts CAD boardview files into KiCad symbols and footprints
Hey,
After I saw the Ryzen SBC made with KiCad and JLCPCB, I decided to make a program that would make it possible to create footprints and symbols of BGA chips without spending weeks or months of manual work.
This is a functional tool can generate KiCad symbol and/or footprint files from .cad BoardView files, mainly with BGA chips in mind, but you can use it with QFP/QFN chips or even a 2 pin passive component too.
You could use it to make schematics, PCBs, stencils, or anything else that pops in your mind.
I know this is a very niche thing and I think only very advanced/hardcore people can value it, but I still decided to share it with the world.
You can either use the program (made in VS for Windows), or just use the idea to make your own if you feel like it.
It's totally free.
If you are interested: https://github.com/tocsics16-alt/cadharsis
u/dominik0801 — 5 days ago
▲ 0 r/KiCad
looking for help with the touch pads so its bare copper
i wanna build a digital connect four game with touch sensors and rgb led(also other games planned). I alredy finished the lyout but im not quite sure if the pads ar realy just bare copper can anyone help. For sensing th touch im ussing the CY8C20437-24LQXIT.
u/AttitudePrudent5448 — 6 days ago
I'm making a SaaS (Covering all the pain points that were being faced by the kicad/cadlab users). Desperate view request.
What more can I add in this replication of the cadlab/kicad. And how can i make the UI/UX more better
u/lavenderghini — 6 days ago
▲ 17 r/KiCad
Is there a way to define the exact length of a line segment of a polygon?
I need to make a specific shaped pad and want a simple way to control the line segment lengths. Is that possible? I tried to change my grid spacing to a custom one (1.933mm), but that didn't work. Maybe it's too precise. Even if it did work, that is incredibly tedious because I would have to make custom grids for each segment anytime I want to make precise shaped pads.
I know I can use a different program like Fusion360 to make an SVG, but that seems really dumb. Like the solution for the program is to use a different program...
It would be great if I could click on a line segment and in properties it would tell me the start and end coordinates as well as the angle and length, all editable.
u/Octrockville — 8 days ago