KiCad Workflow

How OpenSkyhawk KiCad projects are organised, share a common parts library, and get fabbed. Every physical board is its own KiCad project; shared parts and rules live in PCB/Libraries/.

Shared library — no global setup needed

All projects point at PCB/Libraries/ as the single source of truth for custom parts. The library tables use the built-in ${KIPRJMOD} variable, so they resolve automatically — clone the repo, open a project, and the library is just there. No global KiCad configuration.

The tables resolve three levels up from the board folder, matching the fixed structure:

PCB/
├── Libraries/          ← shared library root
└── <Console>/
    └── <Group>/
        └── <Board>/    ← the KiCad project, 3 levels below Libraries
            ├── sym-lib-table
            └── fp-lib-table

Scaffolding a new board — use the skill

Always create a new board with the /new-kicad-project skill — never hand-roll the project files. It copies the library tables, pins the OpenSkyhawk libs, pre-loads the design rules, creates the root schematic, and registers the board in the GitHub Project (Panel Research & Assignment).

/new-kicad-project <Console> <Group> <BoardName> [mcu|breakout]

The shared library

PCB/Libraries/OpenSkyhawk.kicad_sym + OpenSkyhawk.pretty/ hold the custom symbols and footprints (the 5050 LED, IRLML2502, the X27 steppers). Everything else is a KiCad built-in. The full parts list with symbol references is on the Component Library page.

To add a new custom part: add the symbol in OpenSkyhawk.kicad_sym, create the matching .kicad_mod in OpenSkyhawk.pretty/, and commit both — no per-project duplication.

Reusable sheet templates

PCB/Libraries/sheets/ is for shared hierarchical sheets (power rail, MCP23017 instance, LED zone switch, ADC filter, CAN transceiver) — Place → Add Sheet and browse to the template. (README present; the .kicad_sch templates aren't populated yet.)

The KiCad CLI

KiCad 10.0.1 ships a CLI used for validation and fabrication outputs:

KICAD=/Applications/KiCad/KiCad.app/Contents/MacOS/kicad-cli

# Validation
$KICAD sch erc --output erc.json <board.kicad_sch>
$KICAD pcb drc --output drc.json <board.kicad_pcb>

# Fabrication
$KICAD pcb export gerbers --output ./gerbers/ <board.kicad_pcb>
$KICAD pcb export drill   --output ./gerbers/ <board.kicad_pcb>
$KICAD sch export bom     --output bom.csv     <board.kicad_sch>

# Fusion/FreeCAD fit-check + panel cutout
$KICAD pcb export step --output board.step  <board.kicad_pcb>
$KICAD pcb export dxf  --output cutout.dxf  <board.kicad_pcb>

ERC/DRC also run automatically in CI on PRs that touch PCB files.

CAD fit-check

The pcb export step output drops straight into the mechanical CAD for a board-in-enclosure fit check. The CAD side of that workflow is on the CAD Workflow page (tooling still under evaluation).