KiCAD
Rsadeika
Posts: 3,861
I just replaced my desktop PC with a Raspberry Pi 5 setup. So far I am impressed with the setup. It also has KiCAD preinstalled, which I took a look at, now I need more info.
I am not sure, but I think there are some members here that are using KiCAD. Basically what I have been doing is creating some thoughts and ideas on some scratch paper, and of course that seems to disappear rather quickly.
Now, I am not going jump right into to creating a PCB, I just want to be able to create some scratch ideas on some durable medium. Would KiCAD be something that would work for me?
Thanks
Ray
Comments
I haven't made the switch from Diptrace yet, but that's coming. Lachlan (@Tubular) told me about a good book from a guy called Peter Dalmaris. Peter also has a Udemy course that you can often find on sale, and he seems to keep updated to the current version.
https://www.udemy.com/course/kicad-like-a-pro-3e
KiCAD has enormous support from industry and the maker community, so yes, it would work for you (check YouTube for myriad tutorials). Again, I haven't switched yet because I build boards for work and it's a bit of a muscle memory thing -- I know how to do what I want to do in Diptrace; I need to spend more time in KiCAD to get to that same comfort leve.
@Rsadeika
Depending on your needs:
One can easily become addicted to Sprint Layout
It's not free but it's child's play to create PCBs up to 4-layers.
In my case, I just need to glue-together pre-built modules and this enables me to rattle-off designs in a heartbeat and I just email the files to JLCPCB
I'm wanting to switch to KiCAD at some point. Their Eagle import seems to be improving, so that should help.
On the other hand, don't have any real reason to switch from Eagle, except that it is clunky and not exactly easy to use....
The 3D view generation is maybe the best thing I've seen with it that might make me switch...
This is possible with Eagle and SolidWorks, but not so easy...
KiCad has come a long way, and yes it would be an excellent choice to start kicking some ideas around. Due to long standing habits I'll often start in Autocad/Rhino/Rimu to see if something can mechanically work/make sense, before moving to Kicad for proper layout execution. But this is just due to habit, and KiCad can do it all.
KiCad doesn't make you complete wiring nor routing in order to get to a 3D view of your proposed board, and its easy to go back and forth between the schematic and the pcb editor and add or subtract bits or change circuit routing.
I think @rogloh is comfortable with Kicad now, coming from an Eagle tradition
I've run a few KiCad courses with locals, but happy to have a go at a 'Propellerheads' version online if people are interested, perhaps after a live forum
I barely had to look anything up. KiCAD just fit like a glove for me. I struggled with Diptrace.
Thanks everybody for your input.
I thought that PiCAD would be more like autocad, more drafting and design features. But it seems that PiCAD is straight up PCB design. The design feature, for me, would be something like:
Basically putting on paper some of my very crazy ideas, for later review.
Ray
Sounds more like you're looking for a tool like Fritzing. It costs $12 -- and a lot of people use it to "sketch" ideas. My colleague needed help breadboard circuit so I sketched it for him with Fritzing. It does have tools for schematic capture and PCB creation if you ultimately need to go that way.
This video is a few years old, but will give an idea of what you can do for your $12.
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Give it a go @Rayman , version 9 seems pretty decent. I switched and couldn't believe how fast I could get things done, although my version of Eagle was old. Like 6.5 or something. You only need to learn a few key commands before you can begin to do a lot. Track placement and movement commands. I also like their Schematic Editor too. They seemed to have thought it out pretty well and it all starts to feel natural using it pretty quickly.
The 3d rendering tool built into it is awesome. I use it ALL the time for checking sufficient component spacing and it really helps identify those sorts of problems right away, and with correct silkscreen placement etc. Getting Gerber/drill output and DRC is easy to use too and it includes a nice Gerber viewer. There is also a handy custom PNG image to silkscreen tool which was always a bit tricky with my version of Eagle.]
Here's a board I just designed and about to go out to production using KiCad to render it. You can see that not all parts have 3D step file models, but you could always try to model those yourself if important and you are handy in CAD.
I also use Sprint LAYOUT.
Super easy and very intuitive. You can learn it in Half an Hour, it is that easy. AND it does 4 layers, and all the GERBER file layers. (Copper layers, silk screen, overlay mask, outline, everything )
It has unlimited nodes and any size PCB (36 inch X 36 inch is possible, maybe more )
It is from Germany (yes English ) for 49 Euro, or about 65 $US. Downloadable copy, numerous seats.
Take a look
https://www.electronic-software-shop.com/lng/en/electronic-software/sprint-layout-60.html
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Do you use the plugin for teardrops and curved tracks? No big deal but I like the appearance. Link to SprintFont