I use these libraries in my personal projects. Use at your own risk.
CUI Inc. PJ-037A barrel jack, vias and slots
Recom Power R-78E5.0-0.5 5V fixed buck converter
C&K Components JS202011CQN slide switch
TE Connectivity FSM4JSMA 6mm tactile switch
Amphenol Commercial Products 12401548E4#2A USB-C receptacle, TH/SMT, RA
4-pad solder jumper
SIP-3, numbered: for use with LM7805 in TO-220 form factor
Header Bus: all pins connected together
- 2x4
- 2x6
- 2x7
- 2x8
Header Strip: signals are independent with multiple pins bussed together
- 15x4 (15 individual signals, 4 pins each)
- Goat (copper, mask)
- Nyan Pusheen tri-color! (silk, copper, mask)
Reminders to myself when designing PCBs with KiCad
Vias should be at least 0.9 mm in diameter if you expect to fit a header pin into them. Vias with diameter 0.762 mm printed at Dirty PCBs could take a header if you really forced it—make them bigger.
KiCad projects default to adding clearance to the solder mask. This makes your pads look shitty. Change this inside pcbnew: Dimensions –> Pads Mask Clearance –> Solder Paste Clearance: change from -0.003 to 0.
Don't squish fonts. Set the width and height equal to each other.
Font thicknesses are based on the font size. If your height/width are 0.04", the thickest KiCad will allow is 0.01" (25%). Here are some guidelines for font thickness:
- 10%: Thin
- 15%: Normal
- 20%: Bold
- 25%: Black
Extend the sides of your fill polygons a few clicks past the edge cuts. Otherwise your fill stops early at the sides and leaves pointy fill corners in your rounded corners. It looks weird.
On rounded corners:
- 0.05" radius still feels pretty pointy.
- Bean+ uses a corner radius of 10mm.
Routing works differently in OpenGL canvas mode than Default. I think?
Dirty PCBs is pretty dirty. Their silk aligning is all over the place. Don't use them for awesome custom art.
Pad size: 0.0125" annular ring pads are fine (0.025" difference between inner and outer diameter). 0.0155" pads are nice and fat and friendly.