Sd wav pcm5100

generateBox

Generate YAPP_Box OpenSCAD enclosures directly from KiCad PCB files

generateBox is a command-line utility that parses KiCad .kicad_pcb files and automatically generates OpenSCAD enclosure code.
It removes the manual work of measuring connectors, switches, and LEDs by extracting metadata directly from your PCB design.

The result is a printable project box that accurately fits your board and its components.

🚀 Features

• Automatic Cutouts
  Generates enclosure openings for connectors and cables based on footprint properties.

• Lid Mounting Support
  Adds mounting holes in the lid for designated components.

• Interactive Components
  Built-in support for pushbuttons and LEDs.

• LED Light Guides
  Automatically generates light tubes for LEDs, or simple holes if preferred.

• 3D Model Integration
  Optionally imports your PCB’s exported 3D model for accurate fit verification in OpenSCAD.

🛠 Prerequisites

The following versions were used during development. Later versions may also work.

• KiCad 9.0.6+
  https://kicad.org/

• OpenSCAD 2021.01+
  https://www.openscad.org/

• Operating System

  • Windows (tested with default installation paths)
  • linux (tested both arm64 and x64)
  • macOS (untested, but should work)

📋 KiCad Footprint Preparation

To allow the generator to identify components correctly, specific custom properties must be added to the relevant footprints in the KiCad PCB Editor.

Required Footprint Properties

Component roles are identified using a combination of footprint reference prefixes (e.g. J, D, SW, X) and the presence of these properties.

Example: USB Micro-B Connector

Example: LED

📸 Optional: Export the PCB 3D Model

For best results, export your PCB as an STL file so it can be displayed inside the generated enclosure in OpenSCAD.

Steps

1. In KiCad, go to
   File → Export → STEP / GLB / BREP / XAO / PLY / STL...
2. Select STL as the format
3. Set Coordinate Origin to Board center origin
4. Rename the file extension to .pcb.stl
   (This prevents OpenSCAD’s STL export from overwriting the PCB model.)

💻 Usage

After adding the required footprint properties and optionally exporting the PCB 3D model, open a terminal in the directory containing your .kicad_pcb file and run:

path_to_generateBox inputfile.kicad_pcb [outputfile.scad] [--lightholes]

Example

generateBox my_project.kicad_pcb my_project_box.scad

⚙ Command-Line Options

🔄 Typical Workflow

1. Add the required custom properties to your KiCad footprints.

2. (Optional) Export the PCB as an STL file.

3. Run the generator on your .kicad_pcb file.

4. The tool generates:

   • An OpenSCAD enclosure file (.scad)
   • A filtered PCB STL (if a .pcb.stl was found)

5. If OpenSCAD is installed in the default location, it will be launched automatically:
   C:\Program Files\OpenSCAD\openscad.exe

6. Render and export the enclosure in OpenSCAD.

🛠 Some maybe counter intuitive facts

• Back wall is at x = 0, Front at positive x (inherited from YAPP_BOX).
• KiCad y cordinate points down

🌟 Credits

This project builds upon the work of the following open-source tools and libraries:

• YAPP_Box
  https://github.com/mrWheel/YAPP_Box
  Yet Another Parametric Projectbox by Willem Aandewiel, which forms the basis of the generated enclosure code.

• KiCad PCB File Parser
  https://www.nuget.org/packages/MSDMarkwort.Kicad.Parser.PcbNew
  Used for parsing KiCad PCB files and extracting component metadata.

• OpenSCAD
  https://www.openscad.org
  The 3D modeling engine used to render the final enclosure designs.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.