📄️ Introduction to KiCad PCB Design
KiCad, initially released in 1992, has grown from a clunky and niche software to a professional-grade, reliable PCB CAD application. With the advent of its latest version (KiCad 8), it has not only become a serious alternative to commercial products but is often the preferred choice for many engineers, hobbyists, and educators. With powerful features and an ever-growing community of users and contributors, KiCad stands out for its ease of use, flexibility, and open-source nature.
📄️ Design Guide
This guide is designed for anyone interested in learning how to use KiCad to design printed circuit boards (PCBs), regardless of prior experience. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience with PCB design, this guide will guide you through the essential skills needed to master KiCad and create your own PCBs.
📄️ Study Guide
In this lecture, we will cover the structure of the KiCad PCB Design course to help you understand the organization of the content and how to approach it. The course is designed to be flexible, catering to both beginners and experienced PCB designers. Depending on your familiarity with PCB design and KiCad, you can follow different pathways to maximize your learning.
📄️ Components and Terminology
In this part of the course, I want to share how my curiosity for electronics led to a deep fascination with the components and technology behind printed circuit boards (PCBs). In this lecture, we'll take a closer look at a few examples of PCBs to understand their features and the terminology used to describe them. This foundational understanding is crucial as we move forward in the course to explore the more technical aspects of PCB design and manufacturing.
📄️ PCB Design Process
In this lecture, we will walk through the PCB design process from a high-level perspective, focusing on the major steps involved in turning an electronic concept into a functional printed circuit board (PCB). This process involves both technical and aesthetic considerations. While designing a PCB is fundamentally an engineering discipline, it also incorporates aspects of artistry, as each design reflects the personal style and preferences of the designer. Over time, your PCB designs will start to look uniquely yours.
📄️ Manufacturing Options and Gerber Files
Now that you've completed laying out your board in KiCad and are ready to bring your design to life, the next step is to manufacture the physical PCB. This lecture covers the most common options available for PCB manufacturing, as well as the process of preparing your design for production by exporting the necessary files. You'll learn about chemical etching (for DIY boards) and using professional PCB manufacturers, which is the recommended approach for most projects.
📄️ Schematic and PCB Editors
In this lecture, we’ll dive into the practical use of KiCad by exploring its core applications—the Schematic Editor (Eeschema) and the PCB Editor (PCBnew). These tools are the heart of KiCad’s design workflow, where you’ll build your circuit and lay out your printed circuit board (PCB).
📄️ Lessons Learned
This chapter summarizes the key concepts, definitions, and lessons learned throughout our exploration of PCB design using KiCad, along with important terminology and best practices.