KiCad FEM

KiCad is a free and open source electronics design application (EDA) that can handle everything from the most basic schematic to a complex hierarchical design with hundreds of sheets. It allows electronics designers to use a tool chain that itself is technically transparent, and that can be customized when needed. This project adds a finite element analysis (FEA) system for physical simulation of printed circuit boards. The proposed work will integrate with existing open source meshing and simulation systems to provide a first class, direct application of FEA to circuit specific questions. The FEA system will integrate directly with the existing PCB editor. It will read copper geometry, dielectric stackups, and component thermal data from the native KiCad data model. Results display as overlay heatmaps and isolines on the 3D board view and on individual layers.

The outcome is the first open-source EDA tool with integrated multi-physics simulation. Designers will be able to iterate on layout and check thermal and mechanical viability without exporting to commercial tools. Educational institutions will gain a free platform for teaching PCB physics. And hardware startups will be able to validate designs before fabrication without commercial license costs that often exceed the cost of a prototype production run.