KiCad How to: Turning your PCB into Reality

KiCad is a beginner-friendly user interface that allows makers and commercial users to design and develop cutting-edge printed circuit boards, or PCBs. The image you see above is my custom PCB for Sonic Sensitivity, a device that allows audio-impaired individuals to converse as if they had fully-functioning hearing. The device will be published soon, and it utilizes a TOLED display and a voice recognition module to function.

Step One: Schematic Editor

The schematic editor is the umbrella software for the PCB editor, symbol editor, footprint editor, and Gerber viewer. The circuit schematic maps onto the PCB editor, making the design of PCBs simple, done almost fully from the schematic editor. Any type of components can be found by clicking on the op-amp-looking button on the right tool bar. Components loaded from the tool bar will already have footprints (the file used for the details of the component needed for the PCB editor). Once you have all of your components loaded into the schematic editor, you may wish to select the GND symbol on the right tool bar to add power symbols, i.e. VCC and GND symbols. After these steps, select the add-wire button from the right tool bar to make all of the necessary connections for your PCB. Now, your schematic is complete!

Components Not Found?

The symbol above is the symbol I created for a battery power source. If you are unable to find the component that is just right for your PCB, open the symbol editor, and create a new library and a new file. Next, click add a pin: add as many pins as you need for your desired component. However, you're not done yet. Now open the footprint editor:

The footprint above corresponds to the battery power source symbol mentioned previously. For every symbol, there must be a corresponding footprint (the details regarding the physical features, dimensions, and types of materials for the symbol). The pin numbers on the footprint correspond to the pin numbers on the symbol - make sure they match. Click the orange button at the top on the right tool bar to add a pin. You can edit the properties of the symbol pins and footprint pins by double clicking or by clicking "e" while hovering over the desired pin or component. Once you have a valid footprint and symbol, add the symbol to your circuit schematic, and edit the properties of the symbol and select the corresponding footprint. Additionally, you must create a library to house your footprints, as well.

Step Two: PCB Editor

Once you have opened the PCB editor, click "tools" then "update from schematic, " ensuring your PCB matches your schematic. Now, put the footprints in regions that correspond to your desired features and designs. After that step, there should already be connections from the wires on the schematic. These paths should be tracked by selecting the "route tracks (x)" button on the right tool bar. Connect the through holes and pads and other components. Using two layers is not necessary with a small number of connections, but with many connections, you can create vias by clicking "v" and clicking regularly. Vias connect two layers of connections (blue and red tracks in the example above). Now, create a rectangle, using the right tool bar, and edit its properties, so its layer is of type "Edge.Cuts." This outline will be the outside edge of your PCB.

Step Three: Gerber File

The Gerber file is widely used in the electrical engineering industry and is the standard when it comes to designing and manufacturing PCBs. In order to get your PCB file made into a real PCB via a third party, you will need the Gerber file. Within the PCB editor, select file then fabrication outputs. Select plot then click generate drill files. Now, close KiCad, and find your files where they are saved. Select all of the.gbr and.drl files, and compress them into a zip file. Save the zip file onto your desktop or any other location where it can be found easily.

Step Four: JLCPCB

Now that you have your Gerber zip file, you can select a third party to manufacture and ship your custom PCB. For my project, I used JLCPCB. They have competitive pricing for their quality of product: this example PCB cost me a minimal $2.00. Simply upload your zip file, and they will do the rest.

Step Five: Going Further

Check out my other projects and articles on my dashboard, and stay tuned for Sonic Sensitivity, which will implement this PCB!