#kicad — Public Fediverse posts

I'll follow the KiCad Library Conventions for my custom symbols in #KiCad. Makes up for an interesting read by te way! https://klc.kicad.org/

Anyone else on Ubuntu 24 having issues with #KiCAD 10.0.5 just "pausing"?

I quite often get "KiCad has stopped responding, force quit or wait?"

usually when switching between shcematic and PCB, or after running polygon pour?

Not bad for a first attempt. #KiCAD to 3D print (via #OpenSCAD).
#3dPrinting

Not bad for a first attempt. #KiCAD to 3D print (via #OpenSCAD).
#3dPrinting

Not bad for a first attempt. #KiCAD to 3D print (via #OpenSCAD).
#3dPrinting

Not bad for a first attempt. #KiCAD to 3D print (via #OpenSCAD).
#3dPrinting

Not bad for a first attempt. #KiCAD to 3D print (via #OpenSCAD).
#3dPrinting

Kolega przyszedł i mówi, że popsuła się grzałka w termocyklerze (dużo trudnych słów i skrótów w stylu DNA) i jakaś tasiemka nie pamiętam do czego. I że tego ustrojstwa nie da się kupić luzem tylko z czymśtam™ i bardzo drogo no i czy chciałbym spróbować.

No jak nie jak tak!
Trochę pomarudziłem, że to poprzednie wymaga godziny żeby sprawdzić czy wyszło, ale przecież nie mogłem odpuścić zabawy. :D

#DIY #KiCad

While I wait for pcbway to start making my version 3.2 boards, I now have to switch gears from #kicad to #freecad and start designing some of the physical parts of #synthseqr. Ok brain, do a kick flip.

Please help me find a good symbol-name for those hex spacers. I am obsessed with not using male/female terminology in #kicad library.

The names should be rather short but also descriptive.

I would like to include at least the two types shown in the picture below. Perhaps also the 3rd type that has a stud with outside threads on both ends.

Related: gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-symbols/-/merge_requests/5594

Earlier today the #kicad library team did merge the 'kicad-library-utils' repository into the 'kicad-footprints-generator' repo. While at it, we also renamed it to 'kicad-library-tools' (KiLT) and changed the default branch to main.

We want a mono-repo for all tooling to simplify maintenance. A few years back we did a similar thing with the 3d-generator.

There still a lot of open tasks. This was just the first step, now the cleanup commences.

KiCad Developers released #KiCad version 10.0.6. https://kicad.org/download/

I wrote (another) post about my multi-PCB workflow in @kicad (using @freecad 's Python interface to do 3D transforms in CLI).
Article here: https://hyperglitch.com/articles/kicad-multiboard
#KiCad #pcb #FreeCAD

#KiCad uses Multi-unit symbols on the schematic to represent multiple parts from a single package. This SOT-363 package contains 2 #BC847B transistors. Cool!

Upright USB-C One ROM Boards Previewed in Four Sizes
#OneROM #PiersRocks #RetroComputing #Commodore1541 #PCBDesign #KiCad #USBC #RetroHardware #OpenSourceHardware
https://theoasisbbs.com/upright-usb-c-one-rom-boards-previewed-in-four-sizes/?fsp_sid=12430

Hmm, #kicad oddness.

I upgraded to 10 series (from latest 9 stable), on the first start it said it can not use OpenGL and it's falling back to software rendering.

Curious, as FreeCAD, Blender etc. run fine on this machine.

I went to the settings and enabled OpenGL again and now it works. Odd. I've had it installed since 7 series on this specific machine, first time it misbehaves.

This is the 10.0.5 official flatpak on Xubuntu 26.04.

I'm using #KiCad to create schematics without the need to use them for e.g. PCB design. I now need a one-off symbol, but I don't want to add it to a library as, well, that'd be pointless. Is there a way to just create it in the schematic? I can see the editor copies the symbol definition into the schematics file anyway.

Does anyone use a SpaceMouse with #KiCAD? Is it good? Does it work on KiCAD under Linux?

It looks like it would be quite handy but it's also quite expensive and I don't know if my temptation is justified.

FreeCAD and KiCad: CAD showdown at OSHOP 2026

After the success of the E-sport style FreeCAD and KiCad speed run competitions recently held at EMF camp…...

#FreeCAD #KiCad #Competition #Community #CAD #OSHOP

https://blog.freecad.org/2026/08/21/freecad-and-kicad-cad-showdown-at-oshop-2026/

Why is changing versions of KiCad so painful? What am I doing wrong - I'm sure I mess something up every time and end up with borked libraries...

Now I find I've lost the silkscreens of some custom library footprints and even when going back to v9 they've gone.

Anyone got a good guide for either managing upgrades better or managing custom libraries?

#KiCad

RE: https://chaos.social/@cccpresser/117132501236214891

Everyone get involved in this if you are at #OSHOP it will be great fun. #FreeCAD #KiCad ... love that the base of my #opensource #pcb clamp (as seen on @oshwassociation show and tell) is the example FreeCAD challenge item!

A random pitch to the wilds... I'm up here in N Wales with a load of fun stuff in my workspace and a load of skills. I'm pondering offering one to one tutorials on #opensource #maker tools. Primarily #FreeCAD and #KiCad but anything you may have seen me use or write about. Check out the free #SOURCE magazine issues for the kind of stuff I can offer. If a day or two learning interspersed with walks, or bike rides, or just coffee and chats appeals, do ping me. https://sourcemag.co.uk/

Yes they do! Being able to mock up a board in #Kicad and then export the 3D model is so nice for planning things out. I'm gonna look for an existing 18650 flashlight (or vape?) from which I can steal the battery holder housing.

🔧⚡ We had a fantastic turnout for PCB Design from Scratch at TOG last Friday.

22 people joined us for an evening exploring the PCB design process using KiCad, from creating the initial schematic through to preparing a board for manufacture.

A huge thank you to Roman Khvatov for giving the talk, sharing his experience and answering lots of questions throughout the evening.
Thanks to everyone who came along , it was great to see so much interest in electronics and PCB design!
#KiCad #PCBDesign

Have you heard about the 'CAD Showdown' we did at #emfcamp ?
Where participants compete in #FreeCAD and #KiCad to show of their skills and - more important - have fun together?

It will come back at #OSHOP on 23rd of September in Halle, Germany!
We might even have 'real' prices for the winners. In any case you can gain glory and fame.

OSHOP is running for the 3rd time now. There will be nice workshops and awesome people.

Tickets: https://pretix.eu/oshop/2026/
Schedule: https://www.oshop-network.de/konferenz-2026/

I'm working on converting my books, "Reference Circuits" from Easy EDA to KiCAD. These are books made from circuit boards, with real circuits on each page. I want to have each volume of my books under one roof, so that replenishing my stock is easier in the future. I absolutely regret not going with KiCAD from the start. Importing from EasyEDA into KiCAD works pretty well, but the font, formatting, text size, and a whole bunch of other details get lost along the way. This stuff usually doesn't matter in a circuit board, but in a circuit board book it matters a lot. If you're just getting started in circuit board design, I highly recommend #Kicad over #EasyEDA

I think it is done! Just need to tidy up the confusion on one of the carrier board footprints and I can run the connectivity rules checker. #KiCAD

Behold the insane genius of my SMD layout on strip board to test my design with the SMD components I bought, before I get a custom PCB made. #KiCAD #PCB #electronics

3rd attempt at #ESP32 .
Lessons:
- Pay attention to values
- Don't cross wires
- Use flexible cables or you'll tear off pads
- Verify design rules or you'll forget stuff
- Break out #UART even if you think you won't need it (you will)
- #UVTools has #Gerber rendering issues
- Don't cross wires!
- Oscilloscopes are gold
- 120°C solder paste on a hot plate works great

#USB is simple, yet I had to fix 3 mistakes before it worked.

#electronics #kicad #DIY #microcontrollers #octopus

📻 Aus „fliegend verdrahtet" wird seriös! Unser kleines Relais auf Basis zweier SA818S-Module bekommt endlich eine richtige Platine – plus eine smarte Steuerung mit Mikrocontroller und Display (Touch? Warum nicht!). In den DARC-Labs auf der HAM RADIO 2026 entwerfen wir Layout und Bedienkonzept live. Wer hilft beim Routing?

#HamRadio #Amateurfunk #Repeater #SA818 #KiCad

Oh noes. My #jlcpcb order arrived. But they forgot to drill all the holes for vias and THT parts. Their webview shows them fine. And it's the usual #kicad export script I've always used. Support case opened :(

Ach ich freu mich so 😍. Unsere SampleCards sind endlich hier ❤️😘🥳. Für #pcbdesign perfekt geeignet mit allen Farben und Formen von #jlcpcb (andere Hersteller folgen noch). #lötenVerbindet #pcb #kicad #lotenistliebe

https://shop.blinkyparts.com/de/SampleCard-PCB-Musterkarten-Set/blink23203

I think I've finally finished the boards for the keytar. Unfortunately, I don't know of a convenient PCB manufacturer in the US that offers assembly. I can solder most of them myself, but the board containing 576 LEDs might be a job for a pick-n-place machine. 😅

I'm considering going through @aislerhq to have them made. Has anyone in the states tried them before? Guess I'm worried what the customs situation might look like. 😬 :boost_request:

More keytar updates soon!

#aisler #kicad #pcb #diy #midi #keytar

I designed another PCB... Small preview without revealing what it will be. It'll arrive mid January, though.
They will be manufactured by @aislerhq again, using the 20% December discount for using their #KiCad plugin.
It'll have the option to use an AVR DA compatible #microcontroller or a #tinyAVR one - I added options for both that I have in stock (AVR32DA32 and ATtiny814). Since it won't use many pins, I could have used smaller variants, too.
#AVR #AVRDA #ATtiny #pcbdesign #kicad #aisler #pcbdesign

In case you are experiencing the same issues.

#KiCad #JLCPCB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml03PUSPxDk

I wanted to try out a few new things. So, I designed a development board for the AVR DA #microcontroller, the 32 pin #TQFP looked like something I'd be able to hand solder. I really like #UPDI from the ATtiny814. This is the result, my first four layer boards, first time with logos and an image. The image of #Frieren was a bit too small, though. Manufactured by @aislerhq again.
#AVRDA #AVR #devboard #pcbdesign #soldering #KiCad #Aisler #diyelectronics #developmentboard

Since the #powersupply for my #IBM #ThinkPad 755C doesn't work reliably and uses a very strange connector, I unsoldered the socket from the internal board. It came on a handy mini #PCB, which I reengineered in @kicad for a barrel jack. It also has connections for a 20V USB-C PD trigger board that I had lying around.
The boards were manufactured by @aislerhq and fit perfectly. Only the barrel jack was a bit tight since I had to smallen the holes a bit to place it on the board.
Now I just have to decide which to solder back into the #laptop. Will have to try which fits better inside the hole.
#KiCad #Aisler #diyelectronics #hardwaremodding #hardwarehacking #ThinkPad755C #retrocomputing #usbcpd #righttorepair

KiCAD #8 - PCB Order from Production Files In this video we will order the new STM32 ST-Link described in previous video. #STM32 #GettingStarted #Tutorial #STM32CubeIDE #STM32CubeMX #STM32World #KiCAD #PCB #JLCPCB #Electronics www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64c...

KiCAD #8 - PCB Order from Prod...

I designed a #SMD adapter board using @kicad and let @aislerhq manufacture them. They are for #SOT23 on one side and #SOT363 on the other side. They bridge the gap of a #solderless #breadboard, so they are perfect for #prototyping circuits or trying out new components - or as replacement for through-hole parts. I soldered a dual diode #BAV70 on one and a dual NPN/PNP transistor #BC847BPN on a second one to try them out. I'm satisfied how they look, although the white area for labeling is a bit small - I need a thinner pen for that.
You can find the shared project here: https://aisler.net/p/UTAGNLYX (trying out this feature, please give feedback if you use it).
#diyelectronics #soldering #kicad #aisler

Retro Tech Insanity Designs First PCB: Internal Pi1541 Interface for Commodore 128
#Commodore128 #RetroTechInsanity #KiCad #C128 #Pi1541 #RetroComputing #PCBDesign #ElectronicsProjects
https://theoasisbbs.com/retro-tech-insanity-designs-first-pcb-internal-pi1541-interface-for-commodore-128/?feed_id=2543&_unique_id=67ebe53993768

Hauerha, ich designe gerade zum ersten mal eine SMD-Platine und bereite sie auch für pick-and-place vor, so dass die Platine auch gleich ab Werk bestückt wird. Das ist ein lustiges Durcheinander von verschiedenen Größen und Typen, da muss man erstmal den Baum vor lauter Wald finden..

Aber #KiCAD und #Aisler s Integration hilft da sehr, seit ich KiCAD zum letzten mal vor 5 Jahren benutzt habe hat sich die Software immens weiter entwickelt!

#elektronik #kicad

More info: There is a short lightning talk introduction (1) and our website has a non-exhaustive plugin list (2). InvenTree can do much more, like integration with #kicad in the form of HTTP libraries (3).

#inventree #inventreedb #inventory

1: https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-lightningtalks-58014-inventree-oss-inventory-and-plm
2: https://inventree.org/plugins
3:https://inventree.org/blog/2023/09/26/kicad

I made a small voltage rail splitter using an #LM358 #OpAmp that I salvaged from an old motion detector.
I want to play around with #OpAmps and thought it would be nice to have a #circuit for creating a virtual ground reference with positive and negative voltages.
The boost converter is only for testing, I'll connect a 24V supply later.
Only thing I have to adjust is the inrush current.
I'll convert it to a soldered perfboard, too.
#electronics #diy #dualrail #powersupply #breadboard #KiCad

Preparando a nova versión do siguelineas Raptor (unha creación de @felixstdp )

#BricoLabs #KiCAD #Robot #lineFollower

Hackaday Prize 2023: Circuit Scout Lends a Hand (Or Two) for Troubleshooting - Troubleshooting a circuit is easy, right? All you need is a couple of hands to hol... - https://hackaday.com/2023/08/11/hackaday-prize-2023-circuit-scout-lends-a-hand-or-two-for-troubleshooting/ #2023hackadayprize #thehackadayprize #troubleshooting #pickandplace #toolhacks #testing #gantry #kicad #probe #cnc #pcb #pnp

About 10 or so years ago I created a PIC32 based Nixie Tube clock that consisted of a CPU board, ps/driver and IN-18 break out. Recently I converted from Eagle over to #Kicad 6 and now 7 and considering trying to move it to an ESP32 which is so much more flexible these days. It used to work once upon a time 😊 The code was in MikroeBasic as well... It used HV display drivers from a rear projection TV if I recall correctly.

(I also LOVE Nixie tubes ❤️)

#pcbs #NixieTubes

After removing the adhesive side of the LED strips the other day, I put some solder on the pads. All in all I repeated this step for 270 pads.

#3dprint #3dprinting #rgbled #ws2812 #linux #diy #maker #programming #foss #floss #rustlang #rustprogramming #coding #raspberrypi2 #raspberrypi3 #raspberrypi #arduino #arduinouno #arduinonano #electronics #opensource #creativecommons #kicad #diyelectronics #electronicsprojects #electronicsproject

For the big LED panel project I finally found the time to cut the strip into 45 parts. Each 5 LEDs long. Also removed the adhesive pads of them, because it does not stick to 3D printed parts well. Going to use hot glue for this.

#3dprint #3dprinting #rgbled #ws2812 #linux #diy #maker #programming #coding #raspberrypi2 #raspberrypi3 #raspberrypi #arduino #arduinouno #arduinonano #electronics #opensource #creativecommons #kicad #diyelectronics #electronicsprojects #electronicsproject

Soldered the LED panel circuit now. And it works like a charm! Next up on my list is working on the 30-40 LED panel version and finishing the "firmware".

#3dprint #3dprinting #rgbled #ws2812 #linux #diy #maker #programming #foss #floss #rustlang #rustprogramming #coding #raspberrypi2 #raspberrypi3 #raspberrypi #arduino #arduinouno #arduinonano #electronics #opensource #creativecommons #kicad #diyelectronics #electronicsprojects #electronicsproject