Kicad is an open source (GPL) software for the creation of
electronic
schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork.
Designed and written by Jean-Pierre Charras, a researcher at LIS
(Laboratoire des Images et des Signaux) and a teacher in IUT
de Saint Martin d'Hères.(France), in the field of
electrical engineering and
image processing.
Kicad is a set of four softwares and a project manager:
- Eeschema :Schematic entry.
- Pcbnew :Board editor.
- Gerbview :GERBER viewer (photoplotter documents).
- Cvpcb :footprint selector for components used in the
circuit design.
- Kicad: project manager.
With the project manager, Kicad, you can choose or create a
project and launch Eeschema, Pcbnew, ....
This electronic workbench is free of charges and is open source
(GPL). It is useful for everybody working in electronic design
(schematic diagrams and Printed Board
up to 16 layers).
This software (using WXWIDGETS) is MULTI-PLATFORM. It
is running under LINUX
and Windows (XP or 2000), for which updates are regularly
provided.
Currently, the precompiled version of Linux has been tested using
Mandrake 9.2 or 10.0 (works with 10.1).
Sometime the softwares are also been tested under other O.S.,
especially FreeBSD and Solaris.
kicad (project manager)
With the schematic entry, you can:
- Create simple or hierarchical sheets.
- Test it with the Electrical Rules Check tool (ERC),
- Create netlists for Pcbnew, or for Spice.
Eeschema manages a fast and direct access to component documentation.
Eeschema: schematic editor
Schematic component editor
The board editor Pcbnew works with 1 to 16 copper layers plus 12
technical layers (silk screen, solder mask ...) and creates all the
necessary files for building printed boards (
GERBER files for photoplotters, drilling files and component location
files).
You can plot board layers on PostScript laser printers (for
prototypes).
Pcbnew can show a 3-D view of the printed board with its
components (it uses OpenGL for this).
Pcbnew: board editor
Module (footprint) editor
Pcbnew: 3D viewer
Gerbview: GERBER viewer
Libraries:
Both Eeschema and Pcbnew have a library manager and editor for
components and footprints.
You can create, edit, delete or exchange easily library items.
Documentation files can be associated to components and footprints, and
key words, allowing a fast search by function.
Very large Libraries (created over many years) are available, for
schematic components and
footprints (usual and smd).
Most of printed board modules (footprint) are created with their 3D
shapes.
Other softwares used with kicad:
There are free and open source softwares under GNU license:
Documentation:
On line Help (HTML format), and documentation source (more than
200 pages written with Open Office) are contained in the
package.
Design quality:
Professional quality.
Why I have written this:
Few years ago, I was learning C++ language. At this time, for me,
writing a simple CAO software seamed a good programming exercise. (Now,
I know C++ language...). The software growed over the years, for
becoming a CAD package, complete and with a professional standard.
Due to source availability, it is both a technological tool for CAD and
a research tool for designing algorithms for automatic place and
route.
Programming and compilation tools:
All are GLP'ed.
Documentation: OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org).
2005-05-29
