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A Fablab Library for KiCad
Why?
Well, why not?
At the beginning of Fabacademy 2016 I had the crazy idea of doing all electronics assignments in KiCad - I hadn't really done anything with it before and wanted to have a look. Getting a whole EDA package for naught... OK, for reporting bugs and helping to fix them is a cool thing. Being able to talk to the developers and suggesting new features is a cool thing, too.
The Fablab Inventory lists a bunch of electronic components to give a lab basic abilities to make stuff. So, it has its advantages to actually use those components. On the other paw, a lot of them are not in the standard KiCad Library, so to use them you first have to make them. Everyone doing the same thing is rather inefficient, so the idea of not only doing the whole library, but also working on adding it to the KiCad Standard Library was born. There was a library last year, sadly, it is for the old version of KiCad's library system and can't be easily converted to the shiny new format of Version 4.
A few others immediately joined in, so I hope to have a complete library long before this Fabacademy year is over.
Who?
Contributors so far are:
- Daniel Bruns, adding footprints and schematic symbols
- Ferdi, working on 3D models
- Me, adding footprints and schematic symbols, putting stuff together
What?
The most valuable content of those libraries are the footprints for stuff from the inventory. Most components can easily be added to schematics using the standard KiCad symbols already, and then assigned a footprint from this library. There are very few parts (like the tactile switch with a ground pin...) that really need new symbols. I have put in a heap of new symbols anyway, specifically to make it easier for beginners. Both libraries will be split at some point, as having all those copies would be rather stupid when trying to get stuff into the official KiCad libs. Which does not mean that we can't maintain a fablab library after that, making it easier for beginners and easier to find stuff for those who already know their way around.
The Fablab Inventory
At the moment, the schematic symbols have the "footprint" field preset. To make use of that, add the library as "fablab-inventory" so the links work. If you name it differently, you will have to redo the footprint assignment. If you use CvPcb, the footprint filters should work and make stuff simpler.
The Fablab Noninventory
We ended up using other parts than those from the inventory in some cases. Some just because we had them in our lab inventory, others because what we were looking for was not available from the inventory. So, another library was started, collecting those components for further use.
At the moment, the schematic symbols have the "footprint" field preset. To make use of that, add the library as "fablab-noninventory" so the links work. If you name it differently, you will have to redo the footprint assignment. If you use CvPcb, the footprint filters should work and make stuff simpler.
Changelog
Inventory
2016-03-05 Repaired Tactile Switch (Symbol was wrong)
2016-03-05 Initial upload
NonInventory
2016-03-08 Added footprints: 0.96" OLED Display, Micro USB port
2016-03-05 Initial upload
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