Create 3D Models of Components and Board Outlines in KiCad : Using the CadQuery Library for Python

Oppenheim, Matthew (2024) Create 3D Models of Components and Board Outlines in KiCad : Using the CadQuery Library for Python. Circuit Cellar, 1 (404): 1. pp. 4-9. ISSN 1528-0608

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Abstract

KiCad [1] has rapidly become one of the most popular open-source and freely available packages for schematic entry and PCB layout. Every design package has its own quirks and characteristics. I have spent more than a few hours searching for solutions to problems with the software. In this article, I present two solutions solved by using 3D computer-assisted design (CAD). The CAD package presented is CadQuery [2], which is a library for Python. This library enables us to create complex CAD objects through code.