fcad_pcb is yet another way to improve ECAD/MCAD collaboration between FreeCAD and KiCAD.
The original purpose of these tools was to do PCB milling in FreeCAD. It can do much more now.:
- It can generate gcode from kicad_pcb directly without going through the gerber stage.
- It can let your modify the PCB directly inside FC (done already),
- and potentially export back to kicad_pcb (partially done).
- and finally it can generate solid tracks, pads and plated drills to enable FEM and thermal analysis on KiCad pcb boards.
The fcad_pcb macro is written in Python and requires FreeCAD 0.17 or later to work properly.
- Clone this repo into your freecad macro directory. To check what the default path of your macro directory is go to dropdown
Macro>Macros..and find the path in the field User macros locationcd <path/to/your/macros/directory> git clone https://github.com/realthunder/fcad_pcb/
- Enter the locally cloned repository
cd fcad_pcb/ - Download the repository submodules
git submodule update --init --recursive
- Restart FreeCAD
At this time fcad is usable through the FreeCAD python console.
- Start FreeCAD,
- Launch the python console
Enable through the
View > Panels > Python Consoledropdown menu - Invoke the python
importcommand to load fcad_pcb:from fcad_pcb import kicad
Result: you are now ready to use fcad_pcb.
from fcad_pcb import kicad
pcb = kicad.KicadFcad(<full_path_to_your_kicad_pcb_file>)
pcb.makeCoppers()Note: the file path syntax should be one of the following:
pcb = kicad.KicadFcad('C:/Users/fooDesktop/MyProject/MyPCBfilekicad_pcb')Alternatively if you don't want to replace backslashes for a Windows system:
pcb = kicad.KicadFcad(r'C:\Users\foo\Desktop\MyProject\MyPCBfile.kicad_pcb')`Generate these full solid objects ready to for the FEM workbench
from fcad_pcb import kicad
pcb = kicad.KicadFcad(<full_path_to_your_kicad_pcb_file>)
pcb.make(copper_thickness=0.035, board_thickness=1.53, combo=False, fuseCoppers=True )
#
# NOTE: KiCAD 5.99 and later added possibility to specify per layer thickness including
# dielectric layers. You are no longer required to explicitly supply thickness
# parameters in any of the function calls as shown above.Use either integer or layer name
-
integer(0~31,0being the front and31the back) -
layer namefor key. Note: keyNonecan be used for default thickness.pcb.make(copper_thickness={None:0.05, 0:0.04, 'B.Cu':0.09}, board_thickness=1.53, combo=False, fuseCoppers=True) # # NOTE: KiCAD 5.99 and later added possibility to specify per layer thickness # including dielectric layers. You are no longer required to explicitly # supply thickness parameters in any of the function calls as shown above.
pcb.setLayer('F.Cu')
pcb.makeCopper()For local nets you have to specify full hierarchical name
pcb.setNetFilter('GND')
pcb.makeCopper()
pcb.setNetFilter('GND','VCC')
pcb.makeCopper()In case you only want the shape without any intermediate document objects
from fcad_pcb import kicad
pcb = kicad.KicadFcad(<full_path_to_your_kicad_pcb_file>, add_feature=False)
# Or, you can set the parameter later
pcb.add_feature = False
# All the above makeXXX() calls now returns a shape without creating any features
# For example, if you want the complete fused copper layers.
# Note: 'thickness' can be a dictionary for per layer thickness
coppers = pcb.makeCoppers(shape_type='solid', holes=True, fuse=True)
Part.show(coppers)Note: that there is a sample board to play with inside this repo: test.kicad_pcb
FreeCAD >= v0.17
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