Agent skill
kicad
Designs PCB schematics and circuit layouts for hardware projects. Use when: Creating or modifying KiCad schematic files (.kicad_sch), PCB layouts, symbol libraries, or footprint libraries for the VanDaemon hardware projects.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/majiayu000/claude-skill-registry/tree/main/skills/other/other/kicad
SKILL.md
KiCad Skill
Designs PCB schematics and layouts for VanDaemon hardware projects, primarily the ESP32-based 8-channel LED dimmer. KiCad 7+ uses S-expression format for all files. The project follows automotive-grade design practices for reliability in vehicle environments.
Quick Start
Find Hardware Project Files
# Locate KiCad project files
find hw/LEDDimmer -name "*.kicad_*" -type f
# Current project structure
hw/LEDDimmer/
├── led_dimmer_8ch.kicad_sch # Main schematic
├── led_dimmer_8ch.kicad_pcb # PCB layout (when created)
└── led_dimmer_8ch.kicad_pro # Project settings
Read Schematic Structure
# View schematic header and metadata
head -50 hw/LEDDimmer/led_dimmer_8ch.kicad_sch
# Find all component references
grep -E "^\s+\(property \"Reference\"" hw/LEDDimmer/led_dimmer_8ch.kicad_sch
Key Concepts
| Concept | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Comments | # prefix only |
# Power section |
| Component reference | (property "Reference" "R1") |
Resistor R1 |
| Pin connection | (wire (pts ...)) |
Net connection |
| Symbol instance | (symbol (lib_id "...") |
Component placement |
| Net label | (label "VCC" ...) |
Named net |
WARNING: Comment Syntax
KiCad does NOT support semicolon comments. Use # for comments in KiCad files.
# GOOD - Hash comments work
# Power regulation section
; BAD - Semicolons are NOT comments, they become part of the data
Common Patterns
Adding a Component
(symbol (lib_id "Device:R")
(at 100 50 0)
(unit 1)
(property "Reference" "R1" (at 100 45 0))
(property "Value" "10k" (at 100 55 0))
(property "Footprint" "Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric" (at 100 50 0))
)
Creating a Net Connection
(wire (pts (xy 100 50) (xy 120 50)))
(label "PWM_CH0" (at 110 50 0))
Design Guidelines
| Parameter | Requirement | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Trace width (power) | ≥0.5mm | Handle 2A per channel |
| Trace width (signal) | ≥0.25mm | Manufacturing tolerance |
| Via size | 0.8mm/0.4mm | Thermal dissipation |
| Clearance | ≥0.2mm | Automotive reliability |
| Copper weight | 2oz | Current handling |
See Also
- patterns - Schematic and PCB patterns
- workflows - Design and export workflows
Related Skills
- platformio skill - Firmware for ESP32 hardware
- docker skill - Build automation for production
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