PCBs

This note demonstrates a small connectivity tester / check nets program for KiCad. This program allows doing checks like: Is the U1:8 pin connected to GND? Motivation Sometimes visual errors can creep in the schematic (and the PCB subsequently). This connectivity tester allows expressing the same connections in a non-visual way (with a different probability of making errors). The ERC and DRC checks in KiCad work great but this non-visual test assertions provide another level of sanity checking. ...

Instead of punching islands or using commercial pads (islands) or making traditional pads myself, I simply make use of small pieces of single-sided PCBs to create the pads / islands easily for my boards. The Technique This technique has a huge advantage over the punched islands or scored and divided boards techniques as it keeps the bottom ground plane perfectly 100% intact! Also, it is almost a tool-free process to create the pads by breaking or cutting the single-sided PCBs. Single-sided prototyping boards also happen to be very reasonably priced. ...