Place components in a kicad file programmatically.
Project description
kicad-parts-placer
https://maskset.net/kicad-parts-placer.html
- Exact batch placement of components in a layout
- Groups the components allowing them to be moved and positioned as a group, easily ensuring exact alignment
- Useful for:
- Creating bed of nails tester
- Positioning mechanically important parts
- Maintaining a form factor across different designs
Example Use: Pogo pin & test pad placement
The project at https://github.com/snhobbs/kicad-parts-placer/tree/master/example/example-placement shows an example use. This takes a centroid file from an existing design which is edited for input.
A schematic is drawn up with matching reference designators:
The schematic is exported to a PCB which will look like this:
Running the script on this board with this command exports the following board with the components exactly aligned ready for layout. The group can be treated as a footprint, placed where ever is useful. During layout you only have to deal with a single coordinate as the position within the group is locked.
kicad-parts-placer --pcb example-placement.kicad_pcb --config centroid-all-pos.csv --out example-placement_placed.kicad_pcb -x 117.5 -y 53
Procedure: Existing board needs a tester
- Export test pad locations & type to a spreadsheet
- Plugin exports pad type, position, ref des, & value from DUT
- Extend the exported data, choosing the pogo pin footprint, mounting holes, connectors, etc. This is useful for the placement of mechanically important parts and form factor compliance.
- Batch load parts into schematic
- Complete schematic as needed, batch loading can be repeated or bom exported & checked for consistency
- Update PCB from schematic (f8)
- Run script which moves existing ref des to the location in config
Placing Test Pads to Reuse a Tester
- Can follow same workflow as making a tester or copy from the existing board that uses the tester
- Script should have a check placement function that is read only
Matching Form Factor
- Ensure position, type, & rotation match a certain description.
- The grouped components then only need 2 dimensions locked to a reference to get correct.
Critical component placement
- Exact placement of mounting holes, sensors, connectors, etc
Notes
- Place parts in pcb layout from a configuration table.
- Allows writing a config script which fully defines the parts
- Connections are made either by updating from a schematic or passing a netlist
- Use example of schematic to pcb placement
- All parts are grouped together, locking their relative placement
- Internal configuration is a dataframe with ref des, label/value, footprint, position x, position y. Notes fields can be added for documentation generation.
- A separate config object can be that could pull in a board outline, stackup, etc describing the board.
- Position, rotation, & ref des are available in the centroid file, that avoids requiring the source board be kicad.
Installation
PyPi
All you need to run is:
pip install kicad-parts-placer
Source
To install from source:
git clone https://github.com/snhobbs/kicad-parts-placer
cd kicad-parts-placer
pip install .
References
- Openscad test jig generator: https://tinylabs.io/openfixture-config/
- Manual kicad location extraction: https://tinylabs.io/openfixture-kicad-export/
- Hackaday test jigs: https://hackaday.com/2016/08/24/tools-of-the-trade-test-and-programming/#more-218337
- https://www.testjigfactory.com/
- https://climbers.net/sbc/home-lab-pcb-programming-test-jig/
- Kicad schematic to pcb position: https://github.com/ian-ross/kicad-plugins
- Test pad to openscad pin placement: https://github.com/5inf/TestPointReport2STL
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