Getting started with the world’s best open-source PCB tool

The latest iteration of KiCad, the world’s best free-to-use Printed Circuit Board tool, is packed with features usually found only in expensive commercial CAD tools. This modern, cross-platform application suite built around schematic and design editors, with auxiliary applications is a stable and mature PCB tool. KiCad 8 is a perfect fit for electronic engineers and makers.

Here are the most significant improvements and features in KiCad 8, both over and under the hood:

• Modern user interface, completely redesigned from earlier versions
• Improved and customizable electrical and design rule checkers
• Theme editor allowing you to customize KiCad on your screen
• Ability to import projects from Eagle, CADSTART, and more
• Python scripting API
• Improved integrated SPICE circuit simulator
• Multi-sheet schematics
• Filters define selectable elements
• Enhanced interactive router helps you draw single tracks and differential pairs with precision
• New or enhanced tools to draw tracks, measure distances, tune track lengths, etc.
• Advanced interactive router
• Built-in bill of materials generator
• Realistic ray-tracing capable 3D viewer
• Customizable teardrops
• Plug-in manager for quick installation of themes, libraries and functionalities such as autorouters and BOM generators

This book will teach you to use KiCad through a practical approach. It will help you become productive quickly and start designing your own boards. Example projects illustrate the basic features of KiCad, even if you have no prior knowledge of PCB design.

The author describes the entire workflow from schematic entry to the intricacies of finalizing the files for PCB production and offers sound guidance on the process. Further full-fledged projects, of incremental difficulty, will be presented in a second book, together with a variety of advanced recipes.