KiCad AI Assistant

Intelligent AI assistant for KiCad PCB design with real-time component pricing via Nexar API

🚀 Key Features

• Real-time Component Pricing: Multi-distributor pricing from Digi-Key, Mouser, Farnell, Newark, Arrow, etc.
• AI-Powered Design Assistant: Context-aware suggestions and optimizations
• Free Tier Available: 1,000 API calls/month with Nexar API (no credit card required)
• Seamless Integration: Works directly within KiCad interface
• 🌍 Multilingual Support: Choose from 6 languages (English, Nederlands, Deutsch, Español, Français, Português)

📋 Quick Setup

1. Install Plugin

For most users: Download kicad-ai-assistant.zip and extract to your KiCad plugins directory:

• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\KiCad\scripting\plugins\
• macOS: ~/Documents/KiCad/scripting/plugins/
• Linux: ~/.kicad_plugins/

2. Get Free API Access

1. Visit https://portal.nexar.com
2. Create free account (1K calls/month)
3. Create app and get API token
4. Set environment: export NEXAR_TOKEN="your_token"

3. Start Using

Open KiCad → Tools → AI Assistant and start getting real component pricing!

💡 Demo Mode

Works immediately without API token using realistic demo data for testing.

📋 Requirements

• KiCad 9.0+
• Python 3.7+
• Ollama with llama3.2:3b model
• requests Python package

🚀 Installation

Method 1: KiCad Plugin Manager (Recommended)

1. Download the plugin ZIP: kic-ai-assistant-v1.4.5-final.zip
2. Open KiCad → Plugin and Content Manager
3. Click Install from File
4. Select the downloaded ZIP file
5. Restart KiCad

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Download and extract the plugin
2. Copy to your KiCad plugins directory:
   • Windows: %APPDATA%/kicad/9.0/scripting/plugins/
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/kicad/9.0/scripting/plugins/
   • Linux: ~/.config/kicad/9.0/scripting/plugins/

🔧 Setup

1. Install Ollama

Download and install Ollama from ollama.ai

2. Install AI Model

ollama pull llama3.2:3b

3. Start Ollama Server

ollama serve

💡 Usage

How to Use KIC-AI Assistant

1. Open your KiCad project in PCB Editor (File → Open → your_project.kicad_pcb)
2. Click the KIC-AI robot icon in the PCB Editor toolbar
3. Choose analysis mode:
   • Schematic/Circuit: Analyze component values, connections, and circuit design
   • PCB Layout: Analyze component placement, routing, and board layout
4. Select language: Choose from 6 supported languages
5. Select AI interaction mode:
   • 🔍 Analysis Mode: Safe recommendations only
   • 📋 Advisory Mode: Step-by-step guidance with confirmation
   • 🤖 Assistant Mode: Interactive assistance and future automation
6. Start chatting: Ask questions or click "Analyze" for automatic analysis

Dual Mode Capabilities

📋 Schematic Mode

• Circuit analysis and component review
• Component value validation
• Net connectivity analysis
• Circuit design recommendations
• Component selection advice

🔧 PCB Mode

• PCB layout analysis
• Component placement optimization
• Routing suggestions
• Design rule checking tips
• Manufacturing considerations

AI Interaction Modes

🔍 Analysis Mode (Safe)

• What it does: Analyzes your design and provides recommendations
• Safety: No modifications to your project
• Best for: All users, learning, getting design insights

📋 Advisory Mode (Guided)

• What it does: Provides step-by-step instructions with user confirmation
• Safety: Guides you through changes with clear steps
• Best for: Users who want detailed guidance

🤖 Assistant Mode (Interactive)

• What it does: Detailed step-by-step instructions and component-specific guidance
• Safety: Advanced features for experienced users
• Best for: Power users, complex design tasks

Example Questions

Schematic Mode:

• "Review the power supply circuit"
• "Check if R1 value is appropriate"
• "Analyze the op-amp configuration"
• "Are there any missing decoupling capacitors?"

PCB Mode:

• "How can I improve the routing on this PCB?"
• "Are there any potential EMI issues?"
• "What's the best way to place these components?"
• "Can you review my power distribution?"

🌍 Language Support

The plugin supports 6 languages with native AI responses:

• 🇬🇧 English
• 🇳🇱 Nederlands (Dutch)
• 🇩🇪 Deutsch (German)
• 🇪🇸 Español (Spanish)
• 🇫🇷 Français (French)
• 🇵🇹 Português (Portuguese)

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Cannot connect to Ollama"

• Make sure Ollama is running: ollama serve
• Check if the model is installed: ollama list

"Requests module not available"

• Install requests: pip install requests

Plugin doesn't appear in KiCad

• Check plugin installation path
• Restart KiCad completely
• Check KiCad logs for errors

📁 Project Structure

kic-ai-assistant/
├── plugins/
│   ├── __init__.py          # Plugin registration
│   ├── ai_dialog.py         # Main dialog and AI integration
│   └── robot_icon.png       # Plugin icon
├── screenshots/             # Interface screenshots
├── README.md               # This file
├── INSTALL.md              # Detailed installation guide
├── CHANGELOG.md            # Version history
├── metadata.json           # Plugin metadata
└── LICENSE                 # MIT License

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built for KiCad, the amazing open-source PCB design suite
• Powered by Ollama for local AI processing
• Thanks to the KiCad community for their support and feedback