Needing to make 20 lights/smoke power distribution boards for a run of O gauge pacifics forced me into doing something other than chopping up and hacking/soldering a lot of Vero board. As a result I've ended up going up a rather steep learning curve finding out how to Use Kicad for board design and pcbway for board printing. Is anyone else doing that? Hopefully I'll have something to show in a few days.
pcb design and build using Kicad
- Thread starter Fitzroy
- Start date
I have used KiCAD quite a bit from v5.1 upto the current v8 - for example for this project:--
www.rmweb.co.uk
which included getting PCBs populated with SMT components which was a first for this mechanical engineer. There are about 15 separate PCB designs in there, 12 of which we had populated by JCLPCB. Scroll up that page for this first project we completed.
I agree about the steep learning curve - if you had not already gone through that, I would have suggested using Fritzing which is a lot less powerful but a lot easier for the simple stuff!
Hope that helps,
Howard
Leeds City, the Midland Side, in 4mm.
www.rmweb.co.uk
I agree about the steep learning curve - if you had not already gone through that, I would have suggested using Fritzing which is a lot less powerful but a lot easier for the simple stuff!
Hope that helps,
Howard
Softvark
Active Member
I’ve also used Kicad a lot. I’ve previously used several other schematic and pcb packages, such as Eagle, and Kicad is very good. It does have some different ways of working but they are easy to get used to.
I’ve used JLCPCB and ALLPCB with absolutely no problems.
This is a 32 channel accessory decoder with feedback designed in Kicad.
Julian
I’ve used JLCPCB and ALLPCB with absolutely no problems.
This is a 32 channel accessory decoder with feedback designed in Kicad.
Julian
Wow! You both put my little junction board to shame! For freeware Kicad 8 seems incredibly good- there has been a burst of activity at work and all the young kids are using it to produce SMD test boards- they use Altium (which is expensive) for serious multilayer board work. So now at least I have people to ask when I need help. Also Pcbway are extremely good and quick in building boards.
Generally I find it a very good package- once I understand what is going on- except for the often lame or non-existent documentation. And youtube videos are mainly for earlier versions- not so useful when they say "just do this"when they don't explain why. I suspect the designers like electronic designers everywhere like revving it and generating groovy new features but not so happy about explaining them- and they are doing it for free. However the lack of lucid explanation about creating and linking component schematic directories and footprint directories is very annoying.
Finally, despite having to learn Unigraphics and Catia etc I am still very comfortable with old school Autocad for creating 2D layouts and artwork. It is way better than the vestigial graphics facility in KiCad, so I tend to do things in Autocad then drop them into KiCad. Particularly if I want to tightly specify a board outer mould line and mechanical interfaces. Ideally I would do less of that if I could find out more about the KiCad features.
One thing that I would really like to figure out is if I have two lines that cross each other on the pcb footprint, how do I just trim them to each other? There must be a way!
Can anyone help with that one?
Simon, it is definitely worth playing with but the lack of lucid documentation is definitely a barrier to entry. You need to set aside a good week to learn it and have a really good motivation, and friendly people to answer questions.
Cheers
Pieter
Generally I find it a very good package- once I understand what is going on- except for the often lame or non-existent documentation. And youtube videos are mainly for earlier versions- not so useful when they say "just do this"when they don't explain why. I suspect the designers like electronic designers everywhere like revving it and generating groovy new features but not so happy about explaining them- and they are doing it for free. However the lack of lucid explanation about creating and linking component schematic directories and footprint directories is very annoying.
Finally, despite having to learn Unigraphics and Catia etc I am still very comfortable with old school Autocad for creating 2D layouts and artwork. It is way better than the vestigial graphics facility in KiCad, so I tend to do things in Autocad then drop them into KiCad. Particularly if I want to tightly specify a board outer mould line and mechanical interfaces. Ideally I would do less of that if I could find out more about the KiCad features.
One thing that I would really like to figure out is if I have two lines that cross each other on the pcb footprint, how do I just trim them to each other? There must be a way!
Can anyone help with that one?
Simon, it is definitely worth playing with but the lack of lucid documentation is definitely a barrier to entry. You need to set aside a good week to learn it and have a really good motivation, and friendly people to answer questions.
Cheers
Pieter
simond
Western Thunderer
We use Proteus at work, but an older version. Altium would be nice as it integrates well with Solidworks, but for various reasons, including investment cost, we’re sticking with what we have.
KiCAD offers a simple route to convert Proteus ( indeed, any) gerbers to 3D which can then be imported to SW.
KiCAD offers a simple route to convert Proteus ( indeed, any) gerbers to 3D which can then be imported to SW.
Hi Pieter
You really should tell us about the Pacifics the electronics are intended for.
Your work is very impressive and different to what others are doing.
Martin
A few shots (I assume they have automatically resized- otherwise ....embarrassment....) showing the boards and their ultimate destination. Designed last week, ordered Wednesday night, shipped Saturday and arrived today (Tuesday). I'm definitely impressed. The intent is for a junction board to sit between the frames and neaten things up for all the connections for Headlamp, sidelamps, running gear lamps and smoke. All old school DC, O gauge course scale, pressed tinplate body, all incandescent bulbs.