Analyze KiCad projects and PDF schematics: schematics, PCB layouts, Gerbers, footprints, symbols, netlists, and design rules. Reviews designs for bugs, traces nets, cross-references schematic to PCB, extracts BOM data, checks DRC/ERC, DFM, power trees, and regulator circuits. Every finding carries a confidence label and evidence source with trust_summary rollup. Analyzes PDF schematics from dev boards, reference designs, eval kits, and datasheets. Supports KiCad 5–10. Use whenever the user mentions .kicad_sch, .kicad_pcb, .kicad_pro, PCB design review, schematic analysis, PDF schematics, reference designs, Gerber files, DRC/ERC, netlist issues, BOM extraction, signal tracing, power budget, DFM, or wants to understand, debug, compare, or review any hardware design. Also for "check my board", "review before fab", "what's wrong with my schematic", "is this ready to order", "check my power supply", "verify this circuit", or any electronics/PCB design question.
EMC pre-compliance risk analysis for KiCad PCB designs — 18 check categories, 44 rule IDs covering ground planes, decoupling, I/O filtering, switching harmonics, clock routing, differential pair skew, board edge radiation, PDN impedance, return paths, crosstalk, ESD protection, shielding, and magnetic leakage from switching inductors. Produces severity-ranked risk report with pre-compliance test plan. Supports FCC Part 15, CISPR 32, CISPR 25 (automotive), MIL-STD-461G. SPICE-enhanced when available. Use when the user asks about EMC, EMI, radiated/conducted emissions, FCC compliance, CE marking, CISPR, ground plane issues, decoupling strategy, clock routing EMC, switching noise, differential pair skew, or whether their board will pass EMC testing. Also for "will this pass FCC?", "check my EMC", "is my ground plane okay?", "check my decoupling", or "generate an EMC test plan".
Run automatic SPICE simulations on subcircuits detected from KiCad schematic analysis — validates filter frequencies, divider ratios, opamp gains, LC resonance, and crystal load capacitance. Supports ngspice, LTspice, and Xyce (auto-detected). Generates testbenches, runs batch mode, produces structured pass/warn/fail report. Use when the user asks to simulate, verify, or validate any analog subcircuit — RC filters, LC filters, voltage dividers, opamp circuits, crystal oscillators. Also for "simulate my circuit", "run spice", "verify with simulation", "check my filter cutoff", "does this divider give the right voltage", "what's the bandwidth of this opamp stage". Consider suggesting simulation during design reviews when the schematic analyzer reports simulatable subcircuits and a SPICE simulator is available.
Search DigiKey for electronic components and download datasheets — primary source for prototype orders and the preferred API method for fetching datasheets. Find parts by keyword or MPN, check pricing/stock, download datasheets via API, analyze specifications. Sync and maintain a local datasheets directory — extract components from schematics, download missing datasheets, keep them up to date. Also supports batch MPN-list seeding (`--mpn-list`) for bulk workflows without a KiCad project. Use when the user asks about electronic components, part specs, datasheets, pricing, stock, footprints, or needs to download a datasheet — even without mentioning "DigiKey". Also for "sync datasheets", "download datasheets for my board/project", or mentions a datasheets directory. DigiKey is the default distributor for prototyping. For BOM workflows, see the bom skill.
Search Newark, Farnell, and element14 for electronic components — find parts by MPN or distributor part number, check pricing/stock, download datasheets, analyze specifications. One unified API covers all three storefronts (Newark for US, Farnell for UK/EU, element14 for APAC). Free API key, simple query-parameter auth, no OAuth. Datasheets download directly from farnell.com CDN with no bot protection. Sync and maintain a local datasheets directory for a KiCad project, or use batch MPN-list seeding (`--mpn-list`) for bulk workflows without a project. Use this skill when the user mentions Newark, Farnell, element14, needs parts from a non-US distributor, wants to compare pricing across regions, or needs datasheets from a source that doesn't require complex API auth. For package cross-reference tables and BOM workflow, see the `bom` skill.
Search LCSC Electronics for electronic components — find parts by LCSC number (Cxxxxx) or MPN, check stock/pricing, download datasheets, analyze specifications. Sister company to JLCPCB, same parts library. Sync and maintain a local datasheets directory for a KiCad project, or use batch MPN-list seeding (`--mpn-list`) for bulk workflows without a project. No API key needed — uses the free jlcsearch community API. Use this skill when the user mentions LCSC, JLCPCB parts library, JLCPCB assembly parts, production sourcing, Cxxxxx part numbers, needs to find LCSC equivalents for parts, is preparing a BOM for JLCPCB assembly, or wants to download datasheets and LCSC is available. For package cross-reference tables and BOM workflow, see the `bom` skill.
Search Mouser Electronics for electronic components — secondary source for prototype orders. Find parts, check pricing/stock, download datasheets, analyze specifications. Use with KiCad for BOM creation and part selection. Also supports batch MPN-list seeding (`--mpn-list`) for bulk datasheet workflows without a KiCad project. Use this skill when the user specifically mentions Mouser, when DigiKey is out of stock or has worse pricing, when comparing prices across distributors, or when searching for parts that DigiKey doesn't carry. For package cross-reference tables and BOM workflow, see the `bom` skill.
BOM (Bill of Materials) management for electronics projects — the primary orchestrator skill that coordinates DigiKey, Mouser, LCSC, element14, JLCPCB, PCBWay, and KiCad skills into a unified workflow. Create, update, and maintain BOMs with part numbers, costs, quantities stored as KiCad symbol properties. ALWAYS trigger this skill for any task involving component sourcing, pricing, ordering, distributor searches, BOM export, or fabrication preparation — even if the user names a specific distributor or fab house (e.g. "search DigiKey for...", "generate JLCPCB BOM", "order from Mouser"). This skill decides which distributor/fab skills to invoke and in what order. Also trigger on phrases like "what parts do I need", "order components", "how much will this cost", "export for JLCPCB", "find parts for this board", "cost estimate", "compare pricing", or "check stock".