KiCad Resources for Pro Engineers and Makers
October 25, 2021
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Elektor engineers love open-source tools. A great example is KiCad, which the Elektor Lab team uses to design schematics and PCBs. Free to use, open-source, and available on all three major operating systems, KiCad enables us to share our work with others so that they can adapt or modify things as needed. Interested in learning more about KiCad? Let's take a closer look.
Elektor engineer Clemens Valens recently extolled the benefits of the program. “My first experiences date back 15 years ago, but today it has become very mature,” he noted in an ElektorTV video on the subject. “So mature, that I’ve decided from now on I will do all my electronic designs in KiCad.”
Is KiCad the right solution for you? Elektor designers like Clemens are not the only engineers who are KiCad supporter. Many of you are familiar with AISLER and its handy electronics manufacturing services. In August 2021, CEO Felix Plitzko announced that Aisler — which works with KiCad and various solutions such as Altium Designer and EAGLE — had become KiCad’s first Platinum Sponsor.
“AISLER has a long tradition of supporting KiCad dating back to the times when it was still a flagship project of CERN,” he noted. “We believe KiCad is the most advanced open-source PCB Design Tool out there and we are happy that this global team really helps many of our customers build the amazing designs we see on our service every day. This was also why we very early on decided to support the KiCad project financially and to help it advance its toolchain and organization.”
If you use Aisler.net services, uploading your KiCad file is straightforward. Simply drag and drop!
KiCad is also sponsored by other notable companies such Digi-Key and KiCad Services Corp.
And here are a few helpful videos.
Getting Started with KiCad EDA - Pcbnew PCB Design
Getting Started with KiCad EDA - Eeschema Schematic Capture
Is KiCad for You?
KiCad EDA is a free, open-source schematics capture and printed circuit board (PCB) design program. Initially released in 1992, the software is now used by pro engineers and makers alike who need a budget-friendly, easy-to-use electronic design automation (EDA) solution.Elektor engineer Clemens Valens recently extolled the benefits of the program. “My first experiences date back 15 years ago, but today it has become very mature,” he noted in an ElektorTV video on the subject. “So mature, that I’ve decided from now on I will do all my electronic designs in KiCad.”
Is KiCad the right solution for you? Elektor designers like Clemens are not the only engineers who are KiCad supporter. Many of you are familiar with AISLER and its handy electronics manufacturing services. In August 2021, CEO Felix Plitzko announced that Aisler — which works with KiCad and various solutions such as Altium Designer and EAGLE — had become KiCad’s first Platinum Sponsor.
“AISLER has a long tradition of supporting KiCad dating back to the times when it was still a flagship project of CERN,” he noted. “We believe KiCad is the most advanced open-source PCB Design Tool out there and we are happy that this global team really helps many of our customers build the amazing designs we see on our service every day. This was also why we very early on decided to support the KiCad project financially and to help it advance its toolchain and organization.”
If you use Aisler.net services, uploading your KiCad file is straightforward. Simply drag and drop!
KiCad is also sponsored by other notable companies such Digi-Key and KiCad Services Corp.
Learn More About the Program
Ready to get started with KiCad? Elektor has you covered. Check out the following resources.- Elektor Team, “KiCad Plugins and Add-ons,” November 19, 2020.
- C. Valens, “More 3D Libraries for KiCad EDA,” October 7, 20219.
- J. Buiting, "Book review: KiCad Like a Pro," March 13, 2019.
- A. Perier-Muzet, “KiCad: Community-Powered PCB Design,” Elektor, March/April 2018.
And here are a few helpful videos.
Getting Started with KiCad EDA - Pcbnew PCB Design
Getting Started with KiCad EDA - Eeschema Schematic Capture
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