Schematic on AddOhms by Bald Engineer

KiCad 8 - Bald Engineer's Top 8 Features

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 14:12:00 +0000

KiCad 8 just dropped, and here are Bald Engineer’s eight must-try features! The February 2024 release brings a whole host of new stuff to the Schematic editor. However, the PCB editor, CLI, and Simulation tools also received attention. (There are something like 900 closed issues for the 8.0.0 Milestone!) Which of these is your favorite?

Copy/Paste KiCad 6 Text Hack | KiCad 6 Quick Tip #3

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:15:00 +0000

In mid-2021, I saw a demonstration of features for the upcoming KiCad 6. A statement caught me off guard: “the new copy/paste feature uses the system’s clipboard.” Then I watched as one of the developers copied from one KiCad instance into another. Immediately, that capability hit me as a game-changer.

Not because the world’s oldest shortcut keys now work as we all expect, but because of the flexibility the method introduces! Actual text gets copied to the clipboard. For example, you can paste that into a text editor, make some changes, and then paste the new version of “code” back into KiCad.

INSert key saves time on wires and labels | KiCad 6 Quick Tip #2

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:15:00 +0000

KiCad repeats the last command when you press the INSert key ( Fn-Enter on Mac). This excellent shortcut creates incrementing labels and makes wires the same size. Both save time when you need to label the pins of an IC in the schematic.

To try out the trick, open up a schematic. Click the Add Net Label command and then type a net label that ends in a number, like, A0.

Schematic to PCB KiCad 6 | Quick Tip #1

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:51:28 +0000

In KiCad 6 (and 5), the F8 key runs a special command. It automates annotating a schematic, generating a netlist, and loading it into PCBnew.

Also the “Edit Symbol Fields” is a better tool for updating footprints than the actual “Assign Footprints” dialog!

This video is the first one of a series of quick tips.

DIY Arduino Schematic in KiCad | #23

Thu, 03 May 2018 08:51:00 +0000

This video is part of a 3 part series, with the other two parts coming in the future. When it’s time to design a custom PCB for your project, you might be wondering how to design in an Arduino. This video shows the pieces that go into the schematic. The next video will show how to layout the PCB. And after the boards come back, I will show how to turn it on.

Common Circuits in a Schematic | #3

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:51:28 +0000

Part 3: Common Circuit Schematics

The third part in a three part series on reading Electronic Schematics.

Using the Arduino Uno reference design as an example, we look at common circuits we might find when reading a schematic.

Part 1: Passive Components
Part 2: Active Components

Active Component Symbols | #2

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 08:51:28 +0000

Part 2: Active Component Symbols

Schematics are the language used to describe electrical and electronic circuits. To understand how to read them, you need to know how each of the basic symbols look.

Part 2 of this 3 part tutorial describes the symbols used for active components like diodes, transistors (BJTs and MOSFETs).

Passive Component Symbols | #1

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 09:51:28 +0000

Schematics Part 1: Passive Component Symbols

Schematics are the language used to describe electrical and electronic circuits. To understand how to read them, you need to know how each of the basic symbols looks. Part 1 of this 3 part tutorial describes passive components like resistors, capacitors, and wires.