Purdue ROV KiCad Board Template

Starter template for new PCB designs in Purdue ROV. Pre-configured with the team component library submodule, declared KiCad clean filters, isolation rules, a small project manifest, and CI/CD validation.

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Quickstart: Opening the Project (Recommended)

Always open the project using the 1-click launcher:

• Windows: Double-click LAUNCH_KICAD.bat
• macOS / Linux: Run ./LAUNCH_KICAD.sh

What the Launcher Does Automatically

1. Makes a local copy of the shared tooling: a shallow clone of purduerov/pcb-devops in .pcb-devops-cache/, which is disposable and never committed.
2. Prepares the board: renames the starter board-template.kicad_* files to your project name, writes rov.project.json, adds the standard library table entries, and installs the untracked .rov-hooks/pre-commit validation hook.
3. Updates the component library: fast-forwards purdue-rov-kicad-lib when the submodule is clean and the remote is reachable. It never resets, stashes, or overwrites your work.
4. Opens KiCad: launches the project with all 6 central library categories pre-linked.

If the shared tooling cannot be downloaded, the launcher says so and opens the project directly instead of failing silently.

Optional: KiCad clean filters

.gitattributes declares the KiCad clean/smudge filters, but the filter commands themselves are local Git config. To strip GUI-only viewport/zoom noise from your diffs and avoid merge conflicts, run the central setup script once per clone:

# macOS / Linux
bash .pcb-devops-cache/scripts/setup_git_filters.sh

# Windows
.pcb-devops-cache\scripts\setup_git_filters.ps1

Run it after the first LAUNCH_KICAD, which creates the cache.

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Creating a New Board Repository

1. Create the repository with GitHub Use this template.
2. Clone the repository.
3. Run LAUNCH_KICAD once, or run python bootstrap.py.
4. Open future sessions with LAUNCH_KICAD.

git clone --recursive https://github.com/purduerov/<your-repo-name>.git
cd <your-repo-name>

If you cloned without --recursive, initialize the submodule:

git submodule update --init --recursive

To run the preparation step directly instead of through the launcher:

python bootstrap.py

You never rename board-template.kicad_* by hand. The bootstrap step does it, records the result in rov.project.json, and is safe to run more than once.

rov.project.json is the board's contract with the platform:

{
  "schema": 1,
  "project_name": "board-template",
  "kicad_version": "10",
  "platform_ref": "master",
  "library": {
    "path": "libs/purdue-rov-kicad-lib",
    "branch": "master",
    "update_policy": "pull-request"
  },
  "ci_profile": "standard"
}

Central Component Library & Manager GUI

The template is pre-configured with project-level library tables (sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table) pointing to purdue-rov-kicad-lib:

• rov_passives: Resistors, capacitors, inductors, crystals
• rov_power: Voltage regulators, buck/boost converters, MOSFETs, diodes
• rov_logic: MCUs, logic ICs, op-amps, level shifters, transceivers
• rov_connectors: Power terminals, XT60/XT30, headers, USB, JST connectors
• rov_sensors: IMUs, temperature, pressure sensors
• rov_mech: Mounting holes, standoffs, test points

Launching the Library Manager GUI

To browse parts, inspect footprints, edit properties, or add/delete components in the shared library:

• Windows: Double-click libs\purdue-rov-kicad-lib\LIBRARY_MANAGER.bat
• macOS / Linux: Run ./libs/purdue-rov-kicad-lib/LIBRARY_MANAGER.sh

Design Rules & Clearances

• Clearance rules are defined in custom_rules.kicad_dru.
• High-power thruster nets require a minimum 2.0 mm clearance from low-voltage logic (3.3V / 5V).

Automated CI/CD & DevOps Preflight Checks

All CI/CD automation and tooling are centralized in purduerov/pcb-devops:

1. Shared board validation: rov board validate checks the manifest, project files, library tables, submodule state, and conflict markers. The same command runs in CI, so a local pass means that shared CI gate will pass. ERC, DRC, and the artifact exports are separate KiBot steps.
2. KiCad Symbol Linting: validates mandatory fields (MPN, Manufacturer, Category, DigiKey, Datasheet, Temp_Range) on all library components.
3. ERC & DRC Validation: executes Electrical and Design Rules Checks via KiBot in GitHub Actions.
4. Artifact Generation: automatically exports Schematic PDFs, Board Layout PDFs, and Interactive HTML BOMs on every pull request.
5. Library Updates: a scheduled or dispatched job opens a chore/library-update pull request against the approved library master. It never pushes your branch directly.

Known Follow-Up

The tracked .githooks/pre-commit file shipped with this template is legacy. It syncs the library submodule over the network and can stage a submodule change during an ordinary git commit. Bootstrap installs the untracked .rov-hooks/pre-commit instead, which only validates. The legacy file is teammate-authored and has been left in place pending an owner-approved cleanup; use --no-verify if it surprises you, and check git status before committing.