Kicad 6 Kicad 7 Download and Tutorial
Kicad 6 Kicad 7 Download and Tutorial
Kicad 6 Kicad 7 Download and Tutorial
suite used for printed circuit board (PCB) design. It features schematic
capture, PCB layout, gerber file generation, and much more. KiCad
o Adding components
FAQs
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to use
KiCad 6 and 7 for all your PCB design needs. Let’s get started!
Over the years, KiCad continued gaining new features like schematic
capture, Gerber file output, and more. Jean-Pierre led the development
until 2013 when the KiCad project entered a long maintenance period.
KiCad continued improving with versions 5.0 and 5.1 released in 2017 and
2019. The latest releases are KiCad 6.0 in 2021 and KiCad 7.0 in 2022 with
huge advancements like push and shove routing, differential pair routing,
and more.
worldwide. It has become one of the most popular EDA tools for hobbyists
Here are some of the standout features that make KiCad a great choice for
PCB design:
more.
Advanced PCB editing – KiCad includes features like push and shove
routing.
GNU GPL v3 license. Users can access the source code to tweak and
components.
CLI tools – Command line tools are included for advanced tasks like
With these features and many more, KiCad provides everything needed
for professional PCB design. It’s no wonder KiCad has become so popular
worldwide.
KiCad is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. Here
Windows Installation
“Software Download”.
2. Run the installer .exe file and follow the installation wizard. This will
3. The default installation options are fine for most users. Make sure
macOS Installation
Download”.
2. Double click the .dmg file to open it, then drag the KiCad app icon
4. Launch KiCad from your Applications folder. It’s now installed and
ready to use!
Linux Installation
like Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, etc. It can be installed via the distribution’s
package manager.
Copy code
On Fedora:
Copy code
That covers the basics of downloading and installing KiCad on the major
operating systems. With KiCad installed, you are ready to start creating
designs.
The first step in any KiCad project is creating the schematic diagram. This
1. Launch KiCad and click File > New Project > New Project to start a
new project.
2. Enter a project name and file location to save the project. The
default design settings. For now we’ll use the defaults. Click OK.
4. The KiCad main window will open with two tabs – Schematic and
5. In the schematic editor toolbar, click the “Add component” icon. This
9. Add power symbols from the component bar and connect them to
pins as needed.
10. Once the schematic is complete, click the PCB Layout tab to
power. With the schematic ready, we can now layout the PCB.
After finishing the schematic, the next step is laying out the board outline,
1. In the PCB editor toolbar, change the layer to “Edge.Cuts” using the
layer dropdown.
3. Switch to the F.Cu layer. This is the top copper layer for PCB traces.
4. Using the Add Footprint tool, select footprints from the library and
6. Begin routing traces between pins by selecting the Route Tracks tool.
8. Use the Push and Shove router for difficult traces by selecting
components.
10. Use the Design Rules Check to validate the PCB design meets
With the board outline defined, footprints placed and traces routed, the
files.
The last step is generating Gerber and drill files needed to manufacture
the designed PCB. Here are the steps to generate outputs with KiCad:
1. With the PCB layout open, click File > Fabrication Outputs > Gerber
Files.
2. Select the layers needed for manufacturing. Most PCB fab houses
5. Next, click File > Fabrication Outputs > Drill Files. Select Excellon
7. The generated Gerber and drill files are now ready to send to
Schematic
Design in KiCAD
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to use KiCad more efficiently:
Use the Library Table Manager to download and manage third party
Modify traces in the PCB with features like Fillet, Chamfer, and
Run Design Rules Check often – this can identify issues early before
Use the 3D viewer to inspect clearance and visualize the PCB as you
route.
Mastering these tips and tricks will help you become a KiCad power user
schematic symbol, assign pins, and save it to your library. You can later
A: Many component libraries are available. The KiCad Library GitHub repo
has 100k+ parts. Octopart and SnapEDA also offer KiCad libraries.
A: KiCad 6.x is the latest version with exciting new features. However, 5.1
is also quite stable. Try KiCad 6.x for a new project. But 5.1 can work fine if
But Push & Shove router can help for difficult traces. Autorouting may be
Conclusion
PCBs
this tutorial under your belt, you have all the knowledge to take advantage
Happy designing with KiCad! Let us know if you have any other questions.
Related Posts:
Design Process
https://www.raypcb.com/kicad-pcb-design-tutorial/