@spark-apps/kicad-mcp

⚡ KiCad MCP

🔧 Automate PCB design • 🤖 AI-powered workflows • 🚀 Natural language commands

✨ What It Does

Control KiCad PCB design software through natural language via Claude Desktop:

Feature	Description
🎨 Project Creation	Initialize new KiCad projects with custom templates
🔍 DRC/ERC Checks	Run design rule and electrical rule checks automatically
📦 Component Management	Add, remove, and organize components programmatically
📤 Export & Manufacturing	Generate Gerber files, drill files, BOMs, and 3D models
🔄 Auto-Routing	Automatically route PCB traces with AI assistance
💰 Cost Estimation	Get production cost estimates from JLCPCB, PCBWay

🚀 Quick Setup

📋 Prerequisites

• Node.js >= 18.0.0
• KiCad 8.x installed on your system
• Claude Desktop app

📥 Installation

npm install -g @spark-apps/kicad-mcp

⚙️ Configure Claude Desktop

• Open Claude Desktop settings and locate the MCP configuration file:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

• Add KiCad MCP server to the configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kicad-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@spark-apps/kicad-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

• Restart Claude Desktop

• Verify installation: Look for the 🔌 icon in Claude Desktop. Click it to see "kicad-mcp" listed as a connected server.

🛠️ Available Tools

	Tool	Description
	init	Create new KiCad projects with custom templates
	fix	Run design rule and electrical rule checks with auto-fix
	add/remove	Manage components programmatically
	export	Generate Gerber, drill files, PDFs, SVGs, STEP models
	bom	Generate Bill of Materials with supplier integration
	gen-3d	Create 3D models for visualization and verification
	route	Intelligent trace routing with AI assistance
	estimate	Production cost estimation (JLCPCB, PCBWay)

💬 Example Commands in Claude Desktop

🎨 Project Creation

"Create a new 4-layer PCB project for ESP32 development"

"Initialize a simple Arduino shield project"

"List available project templates"

"Create a basic 2-layer PCB called 'my-sensor-board'"

Available Templates:

• basic - Simple 2-layer PCB
• esp32-dev - 4-layer ESP32 dev board with USB-C
• arduino-shield - 2-layer Arduino-compatible shield
• power-supply - 2-layer power supply board

🔍 Design Validation

"Run DRC checks on my current board and fix all errors"

"Check for electrical rule violations in the schematic"

📤 Manufacturing Output

"Export Gerber files for JLCPCB fabrication"

"Generate a complete BOM with supplier links"

"Create a 3D STEP model for mechanical verification"

🤖 AI-Powered Automation

"Auto-route all remaining traces on the power supply section"

"Estimate production cost for 100 units via JLCPCB"

"Optimize component placement for thermal management"

🔧 Using with KiCad

Workflow Integration

• Open your KiCad project in KiCad software
• Open Claude Desktop alongside KiCad
• Ask Claude to automate tasks using natural language
• Review results in KiCad and iterate

Supported KiCad Versions

• KiCad 8.x (recommended)
• KiCad 7.x (limited support)

Important Notes

⚠️ Current Status: This MCP server uses a mock implementation for development. Real KiCad integration requires KiCad's IPC protocol implementation (coming soon).

✅ What Works Now:

• Project creation with templates and natural language prompts
• Template selection (basic, esp32-dev, arduino-shield, power-supply)
• Project metadata injection (author, description, tags, version)
• Command interface and workflow testing
• All tool signatures and parameter validation
• Integration with Claude Desktop
• Mock KiCad client for development/testing

🔄 Coming Soon:

• Real KiCad IPC integration
• Live project synchronization
• Advanced AI-powered routing
• Supplier API integration for BOMs

🐛 Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Showing in Claude Desktop

• Verify Node.js is installed: node --version
• Check configuration file path is correct
• Ensure JSON syntax is valid (use a JSON validator)
• Restart Claude Desktop completely

Commands Not Working

• Ensure KiCad is installed and accessible
• Check project paths are correct
• Verify file permissions for project directories

Need Help?

• 📖 Documentation
• 🐛 Report Bug
• 💬 Discussions

📝 License

MIT © Muammar Yacoob

🌟 Support

If you find this MCP server helpful:

• ⭐ Star the repository
• 💖 Sponsor the project
• 🐛 Report bugs and suggest features

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