schematic on Bald Engineer

Eight KiCad 8 features I like

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:23:38 +0000

KiCad 8 just dropped. Here’s an AddOhms video covering 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? In the video, I cover: Property Manager Panel (is now everywhere) A fix for Symbol pin or wire end off connection grid! Easily access alternate pin functions (on symbols with them) Pin Helpers save time Edit Power Symbols (instead of creating new library parts) Net Navigator and Search panels help with large schematics Improved custom polygon tools in PCB (Combined) Teardrop support and Length-Tuning improvements This AddOhms post covers my top 8 in more detail. Or, you could just watch the video!

Watch this video on YouTube

Connect pins with KiCad Bus, Labels, and Global Labels

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 14:18:20 +0000

2020-04-04: This tutorial is based on KiCad 5. With KiCad 6, the bus feature works a little different (so I’m told.) When your schematic has a large number of related signals, it is helpful to group them. In its schematic editor, KiCad has a few tools to help. Your end-goal helps determine which tools to use. For example, do you need a KiCad bus or a label? In this post, I explore how you can define signals, group them, and reference them across schematic sheets.

DIY Arduino Schematic board and Checklist

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 14:00:18 +0000

One of the last significant steps in a project is designing the custom PCB. This stage means creating a DIY Arduino board that is custom to the application. Two examples of my past projects are BinBoo, a Binary Clock, and Open Vapors, my reflow oven controller. While working on a project for a friend, I got to thinking; it would be nice to have a checklist for circuit elements to include on a DIY Arduino board. In the early days, I forgot to add a filter cap to AREF, for example.

TLC5940 Painter PCB

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:11:09 +0000

TLC5940NT Painter Board This screen shot is an all-layer view of my TLC5940 painter board. The 1st draft featured two TLC5940s, but I decided it made the board too large. Instead, I wanted the ability to mount the painter boards around the LED’s shadow box. This should make routing all the wires much easier. The board is approximately 1.25in x 3.5in. All signals have been routed on the top or bottom layers. Most of the components will mount on (or through) the top layer. Some coupling caps have been put on the bottom. Initially the board had a 7805 built in, to provide +5V to the painter boards and the arduino. Instead, I ripped that out and plan to use the regulator on the arduino instead. There are 6 data and power ports. SER-IN will either come from the host arduino, or from another painter board. SER-OUT contains 2 less pins than SER-IN. I included two surface mount buttons in the layout, so I could get some inputs back to the Arduino, these are entirely option and will only work on a single board.

Getting gEDA running on OS X

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:38:43 +0000

Quick schematic in gschem running on OS X. In an attempt to find a free set of schematic and PCB tools for hobby work, I looked back at gEDA. The last time I used it was when the project first started, years and years ago. I was happy to see that OS X had a set of fink packages for the gEDA suite. After figuring out how to get X11 in Leopard (since I didn’t include it when I installed 10.5) and install fink, getting gEDA going was a snap. The user jluciani in the Arduino forums has provided some free pcb footprints he has used from previous projects.