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KiCad EDA has become an essential tool for a wide range of users, from novice designers to professionals, due to its ability to solve …
Overview
What is KiCad EDA?
KiCad EDA is an open-source electronics design automation suite specifically designed for creating electronic schematics and printed circuit board (PCB) layouts. According to the vendor, KiCad EDA caters to a wide range of professionals and industries, including electrical engineers, electronics designers,...
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What is KiCad EDA?
KiCad EDA is a Cross Platform and Open Source Electronics Design Automation Suite. KiCad's PCB Editor is built to be approachable enough to make the first PCB design easy, and powerful enough for complex modern designs. Its interactive router and improved visualization and selection tools make…
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- Tech Details
What is KiCad EDA?
KiCad EDA is an open-source electronics design automation suite specifically designed for creating electronic schematics and printed circuit board (PCB) layouts. According to the vendor, KiCad EDA caters to a wide range of professionals and industries, including electrical engineers, electronics designers, PCB designers, hobbyists and makers, as well as academic institutions.
Key Features
Schematic Capture: According to the vendor, KiCad's Schematic Editor supports a variety of designs, from basic to complex hierarchical ones. Users have the flexibility to create custom symbols or utilize the extensive library of available symbols. The integrated SPICE simulator and electrical rules checker are said to ensure design verification.
PCB Layout: KiCad's PCB Editor is suitable for both simple and complex PCB designs, as claimed by the vendor. It features a powerful interactive router and improved visualization and selection tools, making layout tasks easier. The integration with the Schematic Editor allows for seamless cross-probing and updates.
3D Viewer: The vendor states that KiCad's 3D Viewer allows users to inspect PCB designs for mechanical fit and provides a preview of the finished product. The software includes a built-in raytracer with customizable lighting, enabling the creation of realistic images. Additionally, KiCad supports a large library of 3D models for accurate visualization.
Gerber Viewer: According to the vendor, KiCad's Gerber Viewer enables users to inspect Gerber files before manufacturing or for general review purposes. Users can load multiple gerber layers, view and compare layer elements, and even convert gerbers to a KiCad PCB project for editing.
SPICE Simulation: KiCad integrates the open-source spice simulator ngspice for graphical SPICE simulation, as claimed by the vendor. Users can design and simulate circuits directly in the Schematic Editor, with options for AC sweep, DC transfer, operating point, and transient simulations. The software supports various spice models from SPICE, LTspice, PSpice, and HSpice.
Package Repository: KiCad offers a package repository that provides easy access to additional symbols, footprints, and 3D models, according to the vendor. The community-maintained libraries ensure continuous improvement and availability of new components. Users can also import or migrate designs from other CAD tools like EAGLE, Altium Circuit Maker, and more.
Cross-Platform: The vendor states that KiCad is a cross-platform software available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It aims to provide consistent functionality and user experience across different operating systems, allowing collaboration and seamless sharing of project files between users on different platforms.
Open Source: KiCad is an open-source software, providing free access to its source code, according to the vendor. This allows users to modify and customize the software according to their specific requirements. Supported by a dedicated community of developers and users, KiCad ensures continuous improvement and offers transparency and flexibility.
KiCad EDA Video
KiCad EDA Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
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Community Insights
TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
KiCad EDA has become an essential tool for a wide range of users, from novice designers to professionals, due to its ability to solve various business problems in the field of PCB design. Users have found that KiCad simplifies and accelerates their development and prototyping processes, offering a comprehensive solution for schematic design, layout, and 3D visualization with no limitations on design board specifications. This has been particularly beneficial for small startups and individuals who find the subscription fees of paid EDA software too high. By being free and open-source, KiCad has reduced development costs for vendors and allowed them to experiment with designs.
Furthermore, KiCad's ease of use, eye-catching user interface, and complete design capabilities have saved users time in the design process and generated high-quality PCB prints. The direct loading of footprints through the Library Loader has been especially valuable for users in their PCB design work. Additionally, KiCad's lightweight nature and easy accessibility on Linux-based systems have made it convenient for users in the schematic layout editor. These features have enabled users to quickly turn around PCB designs and start testing instead of relying on traditional breadboards. Overall, KiCad's versatility, efficiency, affordability, and cross-platform compatibility have made it a go-to tool for both work and personal projects in various industries.
Clean and intuitive user interface: Many users have praised KiCad EDA for its simple, clean, and easy-to-understand user interface. It has been mentioned by numerous reviewers that the software's UI is well-designed and provides a seamless experience.
Wide range of features and toolkits: Several reviewers have highlighted the extensive set of features and toolkits available in KiCad EDA. Users appreciate the ability to design and develop hardware projects efficiently due to the diverse range of functionalities provided by the software.
Excellent project manager with Git integration: The project manager in KiCad EDA has received positive feedback from users. It has been commended for its excellent integration with Git, enabling seamless collaboration and version control during PCB design projects.
Outdated and limited component library: Several users have expressed dissatisfaction with the component library in KiCad, stating that it is outdated and limited. This can pose challenges when working with newer or less common parts, as they may not be readily available in the library.
Lack of effective team collaboration options: Some reviewers have mentioned that KiCad lacks effective options for team collaboration, such as a library of parts that can be managed by multiple engineers. This can make it difficult to work collaboratively on projects and share resources efficiently.
Difficulty in finding specific footprints for rare components: Finding specific footprints for rare components has been a challenge reported by some users. They have faced difficulties in locating pre-built components for KiCad, especially for newer or less common parts. This often requires them to convert or create their own components, which can be time-consuming.
Users highly recommend KiCad for several reasons, making it an excellent choice for beginners. One major advantage is its provision of numerous shortcuts, simplifying the process of creating accurate schematics and PCBs. Another reason to consider KiCad is if you are already familiar with other PCB tools, as it is easier to learn and use compared to Eagle. Additionally, if you are on a budget, KiCad is a cost-effective option since it is free, lightweight, and user-friendly for developing electronics projects.