KiCad Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with free Software Tools

Install ParaView to visualize simulations in KiCad FEA workflows; download the MSI file, run the installer, and start ParaView to confirm the installation.

Update openEMS on Windows by downloading the zip, extracting it, and replacing the openEMS folder on the C drive with the new version, ensuring the folder contains the required files.

Learn to install openEMS on Ubuntu, configure KiCad, FreeCAD and the FreeCAD to openEMS macro, and set up Octave and Paraview for openEMS simulations.

Master wave propagation simulations using KiCad 9 and OpenEMS, exporting STEP files, using air as dielectric, and speeding up runs with efficient settings in FreeCAD and ParaView.

Learn to detect and fix errors in KiCad 9 step exports by removing vias defined as pads, re-exporting, and validating results with Octave and Paraview.

Detect hidden KiCad step export errors where through-hole pads create unfilled vias, and fix by converting pads to smd with inside grounded vias to ensure proper PEC-material recognition.

Speed up crosstalk simulations on a 4-layer pcb using KiCad 9 and FreeCAD to prepare OpenEMS setup, setting layer thickness to 0.2 mm and exporting tracks, vias, pads, and zones.

Install the FreeCAD addon StepUp for KiCad 6 by opening FreeCAD, accessing add on manager, searching for StepUp, and installing it; once installed, select StepUp from the menu.

Adapt a KiCad 6 far-field time-domain simulation via a two-grid smooth transition to prevent RAM overflow, inject a sine wave, and ensure a large air box for clear radiation pattern.

Simulate trace impedance over frequency in KiCad 6 using FreeCAD and openEMS with a Gaussian excitation, compare with sine sweep, and analyze S11 results for FR4 PCB traces.

Visualize current directions in a j-field dump using Paraview and the glyph filter, adjusting the resample filter, color range, and sampling dimensions for clear current propagation.

Sort the hierarchy by importance to prevent lower objects from being overwritten by upper objects, placing air box at the bottom, ports at the top, and copper above FR4.

Troubleshoot openEMS pec dump to reveal h-field propagation. Verify the pec dump in FreeCAD, regenerate Matlab code, and apply fixes such as KiCad 6 legacy copper filling or grid alignment.

Learn a simpler way to adjust the step excitation's sample rate using a custom function with t>0, enabling 10 GHz sampling without changing Matlab code.

Download the Elmerfem binaries for Windows, run the installer, and complete the prompts before starting Elmer to confirm a successful installation.

Demonstrates a real-world current density simulation for a KiCad 9 layout using Brep export, Salome meshing, and ElmerFEM to identify hotspots and ensure a safe 10 degree temperature rise.

Demonstrate a KiCad 9 current density simulation by converting through-hole pads to SMD, adding vias, exporting STEP, meshing with Salome, and running Elmer for current density and heating analysis.

Simulate voltage drop on the Vcc rail and ground return in a KiCad design using Elmer DC FEM, visualize potential, and assess a 3.3 millivolt total drop.

Simulate current flow from an oversized pad with KiCad and free tools; reduce excess copper around a via without performance loss, noting current peaking toward the lowest potential.

Manually redraw a troublesome trace in FreeCAD, export a step file, then use Salome and Elmer to perform a copper voltage analysis and visualize current distribution.

Simulate the field around a U-shaped KiCad 6 trace over a ground plane with Salome and Elmer to show that energy concentrates around the trace, not between trace and ground.

Learn to simulate a microstrip field in 3D using Salome and Elmer, revealing how field strength concentrates at the pcb edges, the role of ground planes, and practical EMC insights.

Perform a thermal simulation of a DPAK on one layer, two layer, and four layer PCBs, comparing temperatures across ground pad sizes and learning KiCad, FreeCAD, Salome, Elmer workflow.

Define the thermal resistance from junction to case for a DPAK by setting the material heat conductivity in Elmer, simulate 1 W input, and verify a 6 K/W result.

Simulate heat transfer from a copper trace to a FR4 PCB using Salome and Elmer, exploring steady-state and transient heat conduction, with pulsed temperature and a 60 mW heat source.

Apply a step-by-step thermal simulation workflow from KiCad to ElmerFEM and ParaView to analyze a 25x25 mm PCB with a DPAK LDO, without airflow, using heat transfer coefficients.