Detect via-in-pad in KiCAD DRC

Current development builds for KiCAD 7 include the new constraint keyword physical_hole_clearance for detecting hole and pad collisions within a common net. This is useful for detecting via-in-pads which are often undesirable, as some PCB vendors upcharge to plug vias that could cause wicking during assembly. [Read More]

Iron-filled PLA as a transformer core

I bought a spool of Protopasta iron-filled PLA to test in a project where I need to fit a flyback transformer into a confined space. The prototype will likely be 3D-printed in PLA plastic and contain some moving parts wrapped in magnetic wire for power transfer. [Read More]

Hotfixing ZipInputStream

I came across an apparent bug in java.util.zip.ZipInputStream where reading a certain type of zip file causes an exception: [Read More]