Close
0%
0%

KiCAD RF tools

Round tracks hack:
An easy way to design round tracks in KiCAD with a full DRC support.

mauriceMaurice
Following
Liked Like project

Just one more thing

To make the experience fit your profile, pick a username and tell us what interests you.

Pick an awesome username
hackaday.io/
Your profile's URL: hackaday.io/username. Max 25 alphanumeric characters.
Pick a few interests
Projects that share your interests
People that share your interests

We found and based on your interests.

Choose more interests.

OK, I'm done! Skip
Similar projects worth following
6k views
5 comments
36 followers
View Gallery
Round tracks are finally available in KiCAD :)
Since legacy canvas, has been dropped in KiCAD 5.1, and the status of round tracks in main source code seems to moving slowly, I started to play a bit with scripts and action plugins for RF tools… Then I developed some RF footprint wizards: Mitered corners, Round corners & Taper for square track ending or track taper. But then I've developed a Track Rounder and a Solder Mask Espander hack for KiCAD as an action script.

Round tracks are finally available in KiCAD :)

Since legacy canvas, has been dropped in KiCAD 5.1, and the status of round tracks in main source code seems to moving slowly, I started to play a bit with scripts and action plugins for RF tools…

Then I developed some RF footprint wizards:

  • Mitered corners
  • Round corners
  • Taper for square track ending or track taper


The Miter script has been developed from an original script I found at KiCAD mailing list  ... unfortunately the message didn’t get many attention and the contribution didn’t get inside kicad code… and after a while I finally decided to revamp the code to align it to kv5.1

Some other scripts came later on: Round (Arc) and Taper footprint wizards. Even if these are useful for RF needs, a simpler method to create round tracks in KiCAD would be useful.

But then I decided to develop a Track Rounder hack for KiCAD as an action script.

and later on I've added also a Solder Mask Expander action plugin:


Still if there is room for improvements, I think KiCAD can now handle many critical aspects that weren’t easily obtainable before.

I have done a small video to show the tools capabilities:

Thanks go Simon K (https://github.com/skuep/) I've merged the Via Fencing code into RF-tools-KiCAD project :D

  • Round corner traces for Flex PCB

    Maurice • 10/16/2019 at 20:27 • 0 comments

    The best practice for Flex PCB Design, when the circuit bend is unavoidable, is to keep the track work as gently curving as possible, using conical radius bends.

    This goal could be reached both with Round Tracks plugins (being aware to highly discretize the curve) or even with real arcs, using the Arc footprint Wizard included in the tools.

    Moreover near the connectors it is advisable to taper down from the pads. This can be achieved using the Taper footprint Wizard included in the tools.

  • RF tools: Trace length caliper

    Maurice • 10/11/2019 at 19:56 • 0 comments

    An other small tool added ... Trace length caliper

View all 2 project logs

Enjoy this project?

Share

Discussions

Gus Fantanas wrote 01/16/2020 at 06:23 • point

Can the microwave  tapers have rounded corners?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jan wrote 10/21/2019 at 10:19 • point

Awesome scripts, need to try them asap! I don't do RF stuff but I think rounded traces just look prettier sometimes!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Dan Maloney wrote 10/07/2019 at 16:11 • point

I don't know much about RF trace design, but would the mitered trace be a problem due to the decreased width of the trace across the miter? Should the inside corner be mitered too? Or is this one of those cases where RF just does weird things and conventional wisdom doesn't apply?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Maurice wrote 10/07/2019 at 21:05 • point

@Dan Maloney 

mitered corners are exactly designed to meet RF signal integrity needs

please have a look at:

https://awrcorp.com/download/faq/english/docs/Elements/MBENDA.htm

  Are you sure? yes | no

Dan Maloney wrote 10/08/2019 at 15:32 • point

Guess it is RF weirdness. I'd love to get into the physics of it. I'll have to check that reference at the end of the article your linked. Thanks!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Similar Projects

An attempt to duplicate the Die Hard vault RFID reader as a semi-interactive prop
Project Owner Contributor

Nakatomi Plaza RFID reader prop

robert-wallheadRobert Wallhead

Three games on a PIC16F1705 \with eight 14- segment displays and a discrete diodes character ROM
Project Owner Contributor

Tetradeca - 1KB - 3 games on 14seg displays

matsengmatseng

A project to update BattMan II with a Raspberry Pi.
Project Owner Contributor

BattMan Pi

andrewAndrew

An improved hardware description language.
Project Owner Contributor

CDL - Circuit Description Language

reed-fosterReed Foster

Does this project spark your interest?

Become a member to follow this project and never miss any updates

By using our website and services, you expressly agree to the placement of our performance, functionality, and advertising cookies. Learn More

Yes, delete it Cancel

Report project as inappropriate

You are about to report the project "KiCAD RF tools", please tell us the reason.

Send message

Your application has been submitted.

Remove Member

Are you sure you want to remove yourself as a member for this project?

Project owner will be notified upon removal.