KiKit is a Python library and CLI tool to automate several tasks in a standard KiCAD workflow like:
- panelization of the boards (see examples)
- exporting manufacturing data
- building board presentation pages (see an example presentation page generated by KiKit)
KiKit is available as a PyPi package, therefore, you can install it via pip:
pip3 install kikit
Everything KiKit does, can also be done via Pcbnew in KiCAD. However, you have to do it manually. One of the common scenarios is the creation of panels. Most of the tutorials on the internet guide you to use the "append board" functionality of Pcbnew. However, this approach is labour-intensive, error-prone and whenever, you change the board, you have to do it again.
With KiKit you just call a CLI command if you have a simple layout (e.g., a grid) or write few Python instructions like "place board here", "add bridge here", "separate boards via mouse bites/v-cuts" and you are done. The process is repeatable and actually much simpler than hand-drawing the panels. KiKit also allows you to easily export all the Gerbers in a single step.
You can then write a Makefile and simply call make to get all your
manufacturing data and board presentation pages.
See BatteryPack as an example usage of KiKit. Also see an example presentation page generated by KiKit.
- create panels by appending boards and pieces of substrate (bridges)
- supports board with arbitrary shapes
- easily create mouse-bites/V-CUTS
- compared to hand-creation of panels, your panels will pass DRC (as tracks from different instances of the same board have distinct nets when using KiKit)
- if you have multiple boards in a single file, you can split them
- automated export of gerber files
Read the CLI documentation and the panelize documentation. Also don't miss the examples.
To use KiKit in CI (e.g., Travis) you can use prepared Docker image
yaqwsx/kikit. Also see example .travis.yml.