kicad panelize

panelize.py is a tool I created a long time ago to panelize one of my kicad PCBs. Version 3 is a complete rewrite which supports kicad format 4 PCB files, those with the ending ".kicad_pcb". It can copy and optionally rotate and flip parts of PCB files. It can also be used to merge multiple PCB files.

Index

Download

Download it from here, or get it directly from the subversion repository:
svn cat http://repos.borg.ch/projects/kicad/trunk/tools/panelize.py > panelize.py

The latest version is V3.1.4 (r953).

If you want to edit it and be able to view diffs, create patches, etc. use the following command to create a subversion working copy:
svn co http://repos.borg.ch/projects/kicad/trunk/tools panelize

Please send questions and patches generated using svn diff to mf@borg.ch.

Usage

panelize.py configfile

The configfile contains all commands for the panelisation.

Configfile

The config file is a simple text file. It contains one command per line. Empty lines and lines starting with # are ignored. Commands start with a keyword followed by the paramters. Strings can be enclosed in single or double quotes. All measurements are in millimeters.

Layer names:

new

Creates a new empty destination PCB.

Example:

new

load

Loads a kicad PCB file and uses it as source for copies. If no destination PCB exists the loaded PCB is also used as destination.

Example:

load example.kicad_pcb

save

Saves the destination PCB to the specified file.

Example:

save example.kicad_pcb

compat

Save the PCB file in a version compatible to the specified version of kicad. Currently only the versions "4.0.5" and "latest" are supported.

Example:

save example.kicad_pcb

create-template

Creates a template from the source PCB and sets it as destination PCB. The template is a copy of the source containing all the configuration parameters, but no modules, traces, etc. are copied.

Example:

create-template

source-area

Sets the rectangular area in the source PCB for copies.

Example:

source-area 50 50 74 100

layer commands

Includes or excludes the specified layer from the copy. Multiple layers can be included or excluded by executing multiple include or exclude commands. Switching from include to exclude or vice versa clears the previous list.

Example:

exclude-layer Edge.Cuts

titleblock commands

these commands set the texts in the title block.

Example:

set-title 'Panelized PCB'

clone-nets

When set to true the nets of the copies will be duplicated. Their names will have a prefix "C" followed by the number of the copy command and the original name. When nets are not cloned the resulting PCB will show a ratsnest for the missing connections between the PCBs.

Example:

clone-nets false

swap-internal-layers

When set to true internal layers will be swapped too when fliping a PCB. That means internal layer 1 becomes layer N, 2 becomes N-1, etc.

Example:

swap-internal-layers true

Copy Commands

Copies the selected area to the given destination and optionally rotates it or flips it to the other PCB side. The coordinate is the upper left corner of the destination.

Example:

copy 76 50

draw-line

Draw a line. If layer or thickness are not specified a default is used.

Example:

draw-line 75 50 75 100
draw-line 75 50 75 100 Eco1.User 0.5

draw-text

Draw some text. For the arguments which are not specified a default is used.

Example:

draw-text horizontal 75 105
draw-text vertical 90 105 90 Eco1.User 3 2 0.25

set-layer

Sets the layer name which is used as default for the draw commands.

Example:

set-layer Eco1.User

set-line-thickness

Sets the thickness which is used as default for the draw-line command.

Example:

set-line-thickness 0.3

set-text-font

Sets the font (charater height and width, line thickness) which is used as default for the draw-text command.

Example:

set-text-font 1.5 1.2 0.15

Example Configfile

Simple Example

load example.kicad_pcb
source-area 50 50 74 100
copy 76 50
save panelized.kicad_pcb

A Bigger Example

# options
clone-nets true
exclude-layer Edge.Cuts

# rpi-quad-serial-panel-border: 54.5/54.5..119.5/110.5
load rpi-quad-serial-panel-border.kicad_pcb

# rpi-quad-serial: 54.5/54.5..119.5/110.5
load rpi-quad-serial.kicad_pcb
source-area 54.4 54.4 119.6 110.6
copy 54.4 54.4
include-layer Edge.Cuts
source-area 66 87 102 109
copy 66 87
exclude-layer Edge.Cuts

# ttl-2-rs232-isol.kicad_pcb: 89/88..111/150
load ttl-2-rs232-isol.kicad_pcb
source-area 89 88 111 150
copy 121 54.5

# ttl-2-rs485-isol.kicad_pcb: 
load ttl-2-rs485-isol.kicad_pcb
source-area 89 88 111 150
rotate-right 54.5 112

# save...
save rpi-quad-serial-panel.kicad_pcb

 
 
 
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