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Hardware Design

For some years we are using the Open-Source-Tool Kicad. This CAD-system for circuit board entry and layout design can be seen as mature since 2012. It is quite remarkable that the development of this tool has had a push forward due to official support from CERN, Geneva. Further, other firms are active, too. More information here.

Kicad is very effective at circuit entry. Layout work is a bit less effective, but okay.

For those who are familiar with CAD tools: a handling detail where Kicad distinguishes while doing normal routine work is the concept of mouse hovering and then selecting desired action by simple key press, e.g. ’m’ vor move, ‘c’ for copy, ‘v’ for value entry (resistors etc.) and ‘w’ for wire start. Further, the hierarchy-concept works well and the simultanous display of both layout and circuit plan works as one expects it.

The Kicad-team see the future of Kicad there where today gcc (see Software) stands, according to the web site.

Note: we can be proud about it, that man is still better than every autorouter out there. In accordance with this, our layouts are created with love.