Mastering KiCad: Design & Build Your Custom Stereo Amplifier Board!

PCBWay provide sponsorship for the channel that helps pay for components and software.

There's a couple of things I need to fix from my first design. I made the boards far too small (got carried away in the PCB layout stage and thought I was being clever). So I'm going to fix that in this version.

I always want to learn to use KiCad, so this feels like a good opportunity to do that.

0:00 Intro - what are we trying to do?
0:38 Why KiCad - what's so special about KiCad?
1:10 Geting KiCad setup for PCBWay
1:46 Adding a new symbol to KiCad for the MAX98357
2:38 Designing the schematic for our board
4:33 Assigning footprints to the symbols
5:18 Converting the schematic to a PCB
5:34 Using a DXF file to make a custom board outline
6:08 Laying out the PCB
6:52 Ground planes/Copper pours
7:13 3D Viewer and adding missing 3D models
7:41 3D Export for Fusion 360
8:07 Adding the mounting holes
8:48 Labelling the pins
9:03 Gerber Export
9:50 Creating the BOM file
10:40 Component positions
10:57 Order submission to PCBWay for manufacture and SMT assembly
11:20 Final costs and sanity check
11:43 What do I think of KiCad? Would I use it again?

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[vevasam]

DId anyone say that this is one of the best best KiCad intros. It covers everything a beginner like me would need. Thanks a lot.

[muflah]

Been using KiCad for 6/7 years now. It's my favourite PCB design tool!

[iNimbleSloth]

Extremely informative, many thanks. I keep toying with moving from EasyEDA to KiCAD for the same reasons as you did, but each time I've had a quick look, I've always gone back to EasyEDA. After watching your video, I'm inspired to give it another go.

[JonathanKayne]

Things to note:
1. You can create the identifiers using the annotate schematic option.
2. I'm pretty sure you do not need to generate a netlist in kicad. I remember reading that kicad does this automatically since version 4.
3. Something you might want to look into is the "edit symbol fields" feature in eschema. It's great for aiding in BOM generation as you can insert custom fields for later. It can save a lot of effort compared to doing it in excel.

Just my tips after using kicad for a few years.

[DaveHines]

Short and sweet 😃 Having designed 20 or so boards in Eagle, I had to modify a KiCad board, and then designed a couple of boards from scratch I’m beginning to like it now. I originally followed a 30 min tutorial, took me about 3 hours to design the board and add a few of my own things to it . The second board was somewhat easier, and simpler. I’ve picked up a few extra points from your video, so Many Thanks

[andymouse]

It's Keycad, the guy who started the project named it after a family friend who died, gentleman's name was Ki and its pronounced ' KEY ' but I guess it dosent matter! this was a great tutorial and I will disable the "generous" courtyards as well, something I have never found but now I know it's there !....cheers.

[atanisoftware]

For the symbol IDs (question marks), you can use the Tools - Annotate option to set them for you.

Also there are two types of labels available in KiCad, global (what you used) and sheet specific. This is mostly applicable in complex designs with multiple sheets.

[retrotechjournal]

Thanks for making this video. I've decided to make the leap from my crusty old Eagle CAD, so you showing the setup for PCBWay (which I also use) was extra helpful. I found your channel because you commented on one of my videos, and now you're helping me out with one of your videos! Go go gadget Maker Community! Woot. I think your accent makes for great voice over.

[DavidTLutz]

When adding pins to the connector, create first one and use the INSERT key to create each of the others needed. KiCad 6 has many improvements and, shall I say, differences. No more Netlist button - File/Export/Netlist.. now. Better to change sooner than later before you get attached to KiCad 5 ways of doing things. Great video. I just subscribed and will be looking around for other gems.

[TheXBiTeX]

It's 2023 outside the window, and the best thing for a beginner and beyond is to use EasyEDA. Because it is a free online tool - component databases are available to you immediately. You, in most cases, will not have to draw your own components. There is also a 3D render of the PCB with components. And you can immediately order the manufacture of the board and even assembly with components.

[timhull]

As a guy just starting, this was a bit ‘fast’ for me, and took in some operations I cant see myself using, having said that, its always good to know about something..

[yomboprime]

Drawing the outline with rounded edges is easy with the draw arc tool if you have selected a proper edit grid size.

[TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

I use KitKat when it won't draw a new line I just bite a bit off and carry on ;-)

[jensschroder]

I made it with Eagle PCB. A good program and for a long time you could use it for private use, small board size and only 2 layers for free. The purchase version is too expensive for infrequent use. Then I tried easyEDA.
A cramp with a trakpad. Good if I want to throw one IC, two capacitors and three headers together ... But Eagle is much better. But my Eagle version is just a trail and restricted.
But I think I'll give KiCAD a try.

[slashxred]

Yeah but I do like easyeda's really good connection with LCSC and JLCPCB, if KiCad has also really good connection and a better ui now maybe I'll give it a go, but I dont need to since i probably wont make many pcbs

[jlegen]

If i‘d to start with KiCad today, i‘d probably jump directly onto version 6 (nightly build) - release expected ‚really soon now‘… :-)

[adrianpurser]

'KeyCad' is CAD program by Softkey for Dos and windows so it is possibly pronounced the other way. I actually found a boxed copy of KeyCad (not KiCad) at a car boot sale a couple of years ago.

[buranowu]

You may consider trying EagleCAD built in Fusion 360. You can do the same without exporting 3d view, just insert it in your enclosure

[DzpcbElectronicWorld]

Using fusion 360 is not necessary, you can do the same outline within Kicad.

[meatmanek]

I also started on EasyEDA and then switched to KiCad for later projects, and now that I'm used to KiCad I can't stand the way zooming works in EasyEDA. I also use the same trick to scroll and pinch to zoom with my trackpad, and it's so much more intuitive.