This question is about what’s the best way to add a logo (not about HOW to add a logo). I’m working with Kicad 5, in case it’s relevant. Currently, my board has silkscreen logos. They are footprint only parts, and there is no symbol in the schematic associated to them. If I do changes in the schematic, update the netlist in Eeschema and then go to PCBnew and read the updated netlist, all updates correctly.
If, alternatively, go to PCBnew and click the tools / update from schematic button, PCBnew can’t find any symbols related to the logo footprints, and deletes them.
Is that the intended behaviour? Do I need to have a no-pin symbol for the silkscreen logos?
What I use to do is make a logo symbol or a dummy symbol. And put it in schematic. Then assign the logo/customized footprint to it. I do this with “screw” holes too.
Other users seem to follow this approach for logos, text that identifies the part number (P/N) and revision level (Rev), copyright notices, non-electrical parts like mounting holes and heatsinks, the symbols for ESD sensitivity or high voltage, etc. Making a schematic symbol for the logo is easy enough: just use the logo itself, and tuck it away in some convenient corner (or as part of the title block). I’ve seen some passable attempts to represent a heatsink on a schematic, although they are not recognized as industry standard schematic symbols. Mounting holes, the P/N & Rev block, ESD warning, “Made with KiCAD” logo, etc, are not easily shown on schematics.
Yeah, I do that for other miscellanea parts, like mounting screws and fiducials too. I’ll go that route, I think it’s the neatest, having the logo in the schematic too.