KiCad 6 | Hacker News Reader

KiCad 6

revk.uk

68 pointsducktective12 comments

If anyone is expecting something along the lines of "new version of KiCad" release notes or news because that's exactly how the author and submitter formatted the title to appear...what you'll actually get is blogspam ramblings about the author's NFC/RFID reader project and some minor changes he had to make for KiCad 6.

Actual KiCad release notes: https://www.kicad.org/blog/2021/12/KiCad-6.0.0-Release/

https://www.kicad.org/blog/2021/12/KiCad-6.0.0-Release/ seem like a better link for this post.

Why is KiCad such a massive software package? I wanted to use it but ~1.4 GiB is pretty large in contrast with EasyEDA (156 MB). On my Macbook Air, a gigabyte isn't that trivial, especially if you want to use things like Parallels.

It's the 3d models. The package is called `kicad-packages3d` on Ubuntu distros.

Not just the models, Kicad uses Open Cascade for dealing with STEP files and probably some other things.

If you want a simple CAD tool for designing 3D part packages, I can recommend Solvespace. A lot of people find it easier than FreeCAD for smaller designs - like electronic components:

https://solvespace.com/index.pl

It can create step files for KiCAD, but can not read them. Some day I'd like to bring the step reader from gcad3d (or other) onboard so we can at least link them into assemblies. That'd be a huge integration project, but it's way smaller than OCCT.

The last time I looked, Solvespace has a rather simplistic way of generating STEP files, I don't think it would be easy to add reading them as well.

>> The last time I looked, Solvespace has a rather simplistic way of generating STEP files, I don't think it would be easy to add reading them as well.

My short list (of big items) includes fixing the STEP output so they are recognized as closed shells when read by more tools. Someone has already proved the concept.

Reading step is hard, but the reader in gcad3d is plain C and does a decent job. It's also the same license. The real issue is that step is huge and includes things that cannot be represented in the Solvespace NURBS kernel. We will need to skip those elements. The even bigger job is implementing proper hierarchical models, and that should be done IMHO with an eye on supporting some more step features.

But it works for making KiCAD parts today. We also support linking IDF boards (.emn) into assemblies now, sans parts.

The Solvespace project might like to look at joining CAX-IF [1], there are recommended practice documents and testcases that may make interoperability easier.

[1] https://www.cax-if.org/index.php

The complete library is included. Especially the last one of these repos is huge:

https://gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-symbols

https://gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-footprints

https://gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-packages3D

Nice board he designed. I always am in awe of people that can make very small consolations in best possible design (like say moving the clock and bypass caps further away than required) to make nicely layed out boards. I make smaller things and rarely have the room.

> RF is still voodoo...

I could not agree more.

What do you mean. You just need to draw the right magic shapes in copper so the poisoned sand can talk telepathically.

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