ICLR KiCad Hardware Libraries

This repository contains custom symbol, footprint and 3d model libraries for components that are not included in the default KiCad library.

Using this library

The first step to using this library is to clone this repository using your git client of choice. Our recommendation is to make an ICLR somewhere on your computer where it is not backed up to onedrive - this is because some tools used in designing do not work when there is a whitespace in the path name!

Environment variable

For this library to properly associate footprints to their 3D models, the location the library is cloned in must be added as an environment variables called ICLR_HW. This can be done in KiCad -> Preferences -> Configure Paths..., and once done it should look similar to the following:

Symbol library

A KiCad symbol libraries is stored in a single file with the extension .kicad_sym. This library can be added as a global KiCad library in KiCad -> Preferences -> Manage Symbol Libraries. From here, add a library and select it by navigating to the cloned iclr-hw folder, then to syms and select iclr.kicad_sym. If the environment variable step has been followed, this should then be the same as the following:

To import downloaded symbols into this library:

• Go to the Kicad Symbol Editor, scroll to the iclr library
• Scroll to the iclr library
• Right click the iclr library
• Click Import Symbol
• Select the new symbol's .kicad_sym file
• Save the library

Footprint library

A KiCad footprint library is stored in a single folder. This library can be added as a global KiCad library in KiCad -> Preferences -> Manage Footprint Libraries. From here, add a library and select it by navigating to the cloned iclr-hw folder, then to fp then into iclr.pretty and click open. Like before, if the environment variable step has been followed, this should be the same as the following:

To import downloaded footprints into this library:

• Copy the downloaded footprint's .kicad_mod file
• Navigate to iclr-hw/fp/iclr.pretty/
• Paste the .kicad_mod file

3D model library

Each KiCad footprint has a 3D model associated with it, which can be assigned in the footprint properties. If a footprint also includes a 3D model, it can be associated to the footprint with the following steps:

• Copy the downloaded 3D model
• Paste it in iclr-hw/3d/
• Open the KiCad Footprint Editor
• Open the footprint the 3d model should be associated to
• Go to footprint properties (shortcut E)
• Click the 3D Models tab
• Select the 3D model pasted previously
• Align the 3D model with the footprint if necessary
• Save the footprint.