Tutorial 1.2 Import Symbol Continue With Drawing of Circuit

You can watch this video on YouTube by clicking on YouTube Video On Import Terminal 

and Place Symbol

Terminal Block 2P Side Entry 5.08MM PCB

1.               For a terminal block, we want to use Terminal Block 2P Side Entry 5.08MM PCB

2.               On the Digi-Key website, you will find the particulars of the above terminal block by clicking on Digi-Key website and datasheet of terminal block.

3.               It looks like as shown in figure 1.2A below:

Fig. 1.2A: Terminal Block 2P Side Entry 5.08mm PCM

4.               The product overview of the terminal block is as shown in figure 1.2B:

Fig. 1.2B: Product Overview of the Terminal Block

5.               In the Digi-Key symbol library for KiCad you will find the symbol of this terminal with the Digi-Key part number ED2609-ND.

Download and Install the Digi-Key KiCad Library

1.               If you have not done so yet download and install the Digi-Key KiCad Library.

2.               To download you can find the library on Digi-Key KiCad Library.

3.               Download and store the Digi-Key KiCad Library on your computer.

4.               In Eeschema click on Preferences and click on Manage Symbol Libraries.

5.               The Symbol Libraries window opens and looks like as shown in figure 1.2C below:

Fig. 1.2C: Symbol Libraries Window

6.               Click on the file icon at the bottom between the + and the upward pointing arrow.

7.               Navigate to where you stored the Digi-Key KiCad Library on your computer.

8.               In the files, you downloaded there are two places where you can find the symbols.

9.               In my case the first place was at:  C:/Users/Deon/Documents/KiCad/LIBRARY/digikey-kicad-library-master/digikey-symbols.

10.            The symbol files all have a .lib extension.

11.             Select all the files if you want to and click Open

12.             In my case the second place was at:  C:/Users/Deon/Documents/KiCad/LIBRARY/digikey-kicad-library-master/src/Source_Symbols.

13.            The symbol files all have a .lib extension.

14.            It looks like as shown in figure 1.2D below and this is where you will find the ed2609-nd.lib symbol file.

Fig. 1.2D: The ed2609-nd.lib Symbol File on Your Computer

15.             Select at least the ed2609-nd.lib file and click Open.

16.        You can also select all the .lib files if you want to.

Place Terminal Block Digi-Key ED2609-ND Symbol

1.            Click on the Place symbol icon which is the icon with the op-amp on the right vertical

           bar of icons of the main window.   

2.               Be careful, there is another op-amp icon on the top horizontal icon bar.

3.               Do not use this one. It is for Create, delete and edit symbols.

4.               Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.

5.               Another window opens with heading Choose Symbol

6.               Type in  "ED2609" 

7.               You should see the ED2609-ND symbol as shown in figure 1.2E:

Fig. 1.2E: ED2609-ND Symbol

8.               Click OK.

9.               Place the ED2609-ND symbol to the left and next to the 100pF capacitor.

10.           This is where we will connect the input 12V to.

11.            Right-click on ED2609-ND and select Duplicate  C.

12.           Place the duplicate to the right of the 200uF polarized capacitor.

13.           Right-click the duplicate again select Orientation and select Mirror on Vertical (Y) Axis.
14.          This will be our 3.3V output terminal.

You can watch this video on YouTube by clicking on YouTube video download symbol 
and continue with drawing of circuit.

Transistor Si4412DY 

1. The Si4412DY transistor is not in the symbol library.
2. Go to SnapEDA.
3. Symbol library is not available. 
4. SI4412DY-T1-E3 Mosfet recommended alternative 781-SI4128DY-T1-GE3.
5. Go to Ultra Librarian. 
6. Also does not have Si4412DY-T.
7. Mouser Electronics recommends Si4128DY-T1-GE3. 

Download Symbol and Footprint of Si4128dy 

1. Go to Ultra Librarian and download Si4128dy Footprint at Ultra Librarian.
2. In Eeschema click on Preferences and click on Manage Symbol Libraries 
3. The Symbol Libraries window opens as shown in figure 1.2F below.

Fig. 1.2F: Symbol Libraries Window

4.               Click on the Folder icon next to the + icon.

5.               Navigate to where you stored your Si4128dy.lib file the symbol of the terminal block.

6.               Click Open. 

7.               In the last column under Description type in 

             “ N-Channel 30-V (D-S) MOSFET”

8.          Click Okay.  

Place Symbol Si4128dy

1.               Click on the Place symbol icon which is the op-amp icon on the right vertical bar of icons of the main window.  

2.               Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.  

3.               Another window opens with the heading Choose Symbol.  

4.               Under 2019-07-09_13-28-35 N-Channel 30-V (D-S) MOSFET choose SI4128DY-T1-GE3. 

5.               Click OK. 

Place Inductor 10uH 

1.          Click on the Place symbol icon which is the op-amp icon on the right vertical bar of icons of the main window.  

2.          Click on the drawing sheet in the main window. 

3.          Under Device choose L Inductor. 

4.          Click Okay  

5.          Click on the main sheet in Eeschema to place next to 35.7k resistor.  

6.          Right-click on the inductor choose Orientation and click on Rotate Counterclockwise to make the inductor horizontal.  

7.          Right-click on the inductor choose Properties click on Edit Value 

8.          Edit Value Field window opens.  
9.          In Text: type “10u” for 10 mico Henry for the inductor as shown in figure 1.2G below: 

Fig. 1.2G: Edit Value Field for Inductor

Place Zener MBRS340
1.         Click on the Place symbol icon which is the op-amp icon on the right
             vertical bar of icons of the main window.  
2.         Click on the drawing sheet in the main window. 
3.          In the search field type in "MBR340". 
4.          Select MBR340.
5.          Click Okay.
6.          Click on the main sheet in Eeschema to place it under the source pins of   
              Si4128Dy  close to the 10uH inductor.   
7.           Right-click MBR340 select Orientation and rotate to a vertical position.
8.           Click Save. 

You can watch this video on YouTube by clicking on YouTube Video place gnd, wire circuit and ltspice simulation

Place GND Power Flag

1.       Click on the Place symbol icon which is the op-amp icon on the right 

          the vertical bar of icons of the main window.
2.       Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.
3.       Another window opens with the heading Choose Symbol.
4.       In filter space type in “GND”.
5.       Under power Choose GND Power symbol creates a global label with 

          name “GND”, ground Keywords: power-flag. 

6.       Click OK.
7.        Click on the drawing surface to place the GND symbol below the ED2609-ND

           connector.
8.         Right-click GND and click Duplicate and place below:
            8.1.       6.8 k resistor;
            8.2.      100pF capacitor;

            8.3.       LTC 1624 GND pin 4;
            8.4.       MBR340;
            8.5.       20k resistor;
            8.6.       200uF capacitor; and 

            8.7.        the second ED2609-ND connector.

Wire Circuit

1.         Click on the Place wire icon which is the forward-slash green icon on the
            right vertical bar of icons of the main window.  
2.          Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.
3.          If you left-click on a pin of a symbol the will starts a wire.
4.          If you left-click at the end of the wire on the destination pin of a symbol the
             wire will end. 
5.          By left-clicking, you can add a turning point to the wire. 
6.           Double-clicking ends a wire, even if it is not on a pin. 
7.           A node spot will appear where crossing wires are connected. 
8.          If there is not a node spot showing it means the two wires that are crossing
             are not connected. 
9.          Wires are a visual way of connecting two nodes. 
10.       This enables the schematic tool to create the netlist of what symbol or node
            is connected to what other symbol or node. 
11.        Connect symbols as in the circuit drawing. 

12.        You can also right-click on a symbol and use the Drag function to relocate
             a symbol that has been wired without disconnecting the wiring of the
             symbol.
13.        Click Save. 
14.         Finally, your circuit should look something like this in Eeschema as shown
              in figure 1.2H below: 
15.         However, keep in mind the symbols in figure 1.2I have already been
              numbered. 
16.         We will do this in the following tutorial.

Fig. 1.2H: Final Circuit in Eeschema

LT Spice Circuit

1.        Let's do an LTspice simulation of our circuit.
2.        I added a resistor R5 of 4 ohms just to give the circuit a load as shown in 
           figure 1.2I below.

Fig. 1.2I: LTspice Circuit With 4 Ohm Load

3.       See the simulation plots in figure 1.2J below:

Fig. 1.2J: Input Voltage and Output Voltage and Current Simulation Plots

4.      The blue trace is the input which settles at 12 volts.
5.      The green trace is the output settling at 3.3 volts after about 250 
         microseconds.
6.      The red trace is the current in the load resistor of 4 ohms settling at 834
         milliamps.


Previous: KiCad 5.1.2 Tutorial 1.1 Start To Draw Circuit
Next: Tutorial 1.3 Annotate Symbols Electrical Rules Checker

KiCad Tutorial 1.1: Draw Circuit

Start To Draw a Circuit

Download KiCad

1.               Go to kicad-pcb.org

2.               Download and install the latest version of Kicad for your operating system.

3.               These tutorials are based on KiCad 5.1.5. 
4.         Kicad is a free open-source PCB (printed circuit board) software.
5.         It is a great tool to use in PCB design. 

Create a Project

4.              Click on the KiCad icon, the icon with the transistor and two resistors a 
            square in the lower right corner and the lower right corner of the square cut-off.

5.               The KiCad window opens.

6.               Click File click New click Project … .

7.               Give it a name and click Save.

8.               You will see files in the left window with the following extensions:

8.1.          ProjectName.pro

8.2.          ProjectName.kicad_pcb

8.3.          ProjectName.sch.

You can see this video on YouTube by clicking here

The Circuit (Schematic) We Want To Draw in KiCad. 

1.                Firstly, we draw the circuit or schematic in fig. 1.1A below in Eeschema as 
             we want to create a printed circuit board or PCB for it so that we can build it.

2.               It is a step-down circuit in that for an input of 12 volts it gives an output of 3.3 volt.

3.              It is used by implementing the LTC 1624 from Linear Technology.

4.              The LTC 1624 is a switching regulator controller.

5.               Details of the LTC 1624 can be found on the Digi-Key website by clicking here.

6.             On this page, a simulation model is given as LTC1624 Spice Model in LTspice
           within which the circuit below is simulated.

Fig, 1.1A LTspice Circuit to Draw in Kicad

Draw the Circuit

Page Settings

1.               Click on the Schematic Layout Editor icon.

2.               It is the icon with the transistor and two resistors.

3.               Eeschema opens. 

4.              A window opens that is a page that has a drawing sheet with a square in the 
           lower right corner.

5.              You can fill it in by clicking File and then Page Settings … .

6.        It is the icon with the page and the two vertical and horizontal double-sided intersecting arrows and square in the lower right corner.

7.               A Page Settings window opens.

8.               Fill in the title block fields like shown in figure 1.1B below:

Fig. 1.1B: Title Block Filled In

Place Symbols

Place LTC1624

1.               Click on the Place symbol icon which is the icon with the op-amp on the right vertical bar of icons of the main window.   

2.               Be careful, there is another op-amp icon on the top horizontal icon bar.

3.               Do not use this one. It is for Create, delete and edit symbols.

4.               Click on the Place symbol icon.

5.               Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.

6.               Another window opens with heading Choose Symbol

7.               Where there is written Filter type “LTC1624”.

8.               The Choose Symbol window opens and looks like this in figure 1.1C below:

Fig, 1.1C: LTC1624 Symbol

9.                 Choose LTC1624CS8

High Efficiency N-Channel Switching Regulator Controller, SOIC-8 Key words: Switching Regulator Controller.

10.              Click OK.

              

Place Capacitors

1.               Click on the Place symbol icon which is the op-amp icon on the right vertical bar of icons of the main window. 

2.               Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.

3.               Another window opens with heading Choose Symbol.

4.               In filter space type in “C”.

5.               It should look like shown in figure 1.1D below.  

Fig. 1.1D: Unpolarized Capacitor Symbol

C5 1000pF According to LTspice Drawing

1.               According to the schematic or circuit, C5 is an unpolarized capacitor of 1000 pF.

2.               Under Device choose C Unpolarized capacitor.

3.               Click OK.

4.             Left Click on the schematic or circuit sheet in the main window to place this 
          1000 pF capacitor symbol so that it corresponds with the position of the C5 capacitor 
          in the circuit.

5.              Right Click on the capacitor symbol in the schematic.

6.              Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… field.

7.        The Edit Value Field window should open.

8.              In the Text: box where there is a “C” type “1000pF”.

9.              It should look like this as shown in figure 1.1E below:

Fig. 1.1E: Edit Value Field Window

10.              Click OK.

11.              Click Save. 

C3 470pF According to LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               According to the schematic or circuit, C3 is also an unpolarized capacitor of 470 pF.

2.               Under Device choose C Unpolarized capacitor.

3.               Click OK.

4.               Left Click on the schematic or circuit sheet in the main window to place this 470 pF capacitor symbol so that it corresponds with the position of the C3 capacitor in the circuit.

5.               Right Click on the capacitor symbol in the Eeschema schematic or circuit.

6.               Select Orientation and Rotate Clockwise

7.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… field.

8.               In the Text: box where there is a “C” type “470pF”.

9.               Click OK.

10.            Click Save.          

C2 100pF According to LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               According to the drawing, C2 is an unpolarized capacitor of 100 pF.

2.               Under Device choose C Unpolarized capacitor.

3.               Click OK.

4.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place this 100 pF capacitor symbol so that it corresponds with the position of the C2 capacitor in the circuit.

5.               Right Click on the capacitor in the Eeschema drawing.

6.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… field.

7.               In the Text: box where there is a “C” type “100pF”.

8.               Click OK.

9.               Click Save.

You can see this video on YouTube by clicking here.

C4 0.1uF According to the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               According to the drawing, C4 is an unpolarized capacitor of 0.1 uF.

2.               Under Device choose C Unpolarized capacitor.

3.               Click OK.

4.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place this 0.1uF capacitor symbol so that it corresponds with the position of the C4 capacitor in the circuit.

5.               Right Click on the capacitor in the Eeschema drawing.

6.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… field.

7.               In the Text: box where there is a “C” type “0.1uF”.

8.               Click OK.

9.               Click Save.

 C1 200uF According to the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.                According to the drawing, C1 is a polarized capacitor of 200 uF. 

2.         Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place a capacitor symbol. 

2.               Under Device choose CP Polarized capacitor.

3.               Click OK. 

4.         It should look like this as shown in figure 1.1F below:

Fig. 1.1F: Polarized Capacitor Symbol

5.                 Place this C1 capacitor symbol so that it corresponds with the position of the 200uF capacitor in the circuit.                

6.               Right Click on the capacitor in the Eeschema drawing.

7.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… field.

8.               In the Text: box where there is a “CP” type “200uF”.

9.               Click OK.

10.            Click Save.

Place Resistors

1.               Click on the Place symbol icon which is the operational amplifier (op-amp) icon on the right vertical bar of icons of the main window.  

2.               Click on the drawing sheet in the main window.

3.               Another window opens with heading Choose Symbol (14276 items loaded).

4.               In filter space type in “R”.

5.               Under Device Generic symbols for common devices choose R Resistor.

6.               It should look like shown in figure 1.1G below:

Fig. 1.1G: Resistor Symbol

7.     Click OK. 

The R1 20k Resistor According to the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place the resistor symbol somewhere on the lower left of the C1 200uF capacitor.

2.               This will become the 20k resistor in the drawing.

3.               Right Click on the resistor in the Eeschema schematic.

4.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… .

5.               In the Text: box where there is an “R” type “20k”.

6.               It should look like this in figure 1.1H below:

Fig. 1.1H: Edit Value Field Window for Resistor

7.       Click OK

8.       Click Save. 

The R2 35.7k Resistor in the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place the resistor symbol somewhere next to and left of the C1 200uF capacitor.

2.               This will become the 35.7k resistor in the drawing.

3.               Right Click on the resistor in the Eeschema drawing.

4.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… .

5.               In the Text: box where there is an “R” type “35.7k”.

6.               Click OK.

7.               Click Save.

The R4 .033 Resistor in the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place the resistor symbol somewhere next to the upper right of LTC1624.

2.               This will become the 0.033-ohm resistor in the schematic.

3.               Right Click on the resistor in the Eeschema schematic.

4.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… .

5.               In the Text: box where there is an “R” type “.033”.

6.               Click OK.

7.               Click Save.

The R3 6.8k Resistor in the LTspice Schematic or Circuit

1.               Left Click on the drawing sheet in the main window to place the resistor symbol somewhere next to and left of the 470pF capacitor.

2.               This will become the 6.8k resistor in the schematic.

3.               Right Click on the resistor in the Eeschema schematic.

4.               Click on Properties and click on Edit Value… .

5.               In the Text: box where there is an “R” type “6.8k”.

6.               Click OK.

7.               Click Save.

Next: Tutorial 1.2 Import Symbol and Continue with Drawing.