Best Practice Wanted: Multipanel with... kikit? (For JLCPCB)

Layout
1

Dear community,

I’m looking for best practices and know-how for the following scenario:

I have two PCB projects that are almost identical, differing mainly in layout and a few minor components. For example, one has a manual switch, while the other uses a potentiometer. From a BOM perspective, both are nearly identical. But from a layout perspective one could not solve it with marking some components as DNP for example.

Currently, I only know how to handle a single PCB: I create a panel and use KiKit with kikit fab jlcpcb to generate the BOM files for fabrication.

Now, I want to order a multi-panel PCB that includes both designs on the same panel. Ideally, I’d like a Python tool that automates this process for me.

What I’m unsure about is whether “Append Board” in KiCAD would work since it doesn’t copy designators and schematics. However, it’s crucial that I can still run the manufacturing process at JLCPCB without issues.

Can anyone share insights or suggest a good workflow?
Thanks in advance for your ideas!

Best regards from Germany,
Michael

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just FYI, you’ll pay the same if you create a panel yourself or if they create the panel for you. On order it seems like it is cheaper to order with a self-made panel, but they see this and will request a surcharge.

I ordered ~15 panels from them and there was only one order where I wasn’t asked to pay more. They probably just missed that one.

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I am not talking about a single pcb to be panalized, i am talking about an jlcpcb double sided assembly. To my knowledge it must be a single file to be processed. But please correct me if i am wrong.

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Some things are not clear:

Do you intend to separate the panels using V-cuts or slots and mousebites? You don’t say, so it it sounds like you want two designs on the same board, not connected, but one set of assembly info (BOM, CPL), and you are not going to separate the panels.

KiCad works on the basis of one project = one board. Maybe you could put each schematic in a child sheet and then use a root sheet to combine them into one design.