Not sure how many of you use ai or LLMs in your day to day. I use them for code a lot, and I wanted to use it for design as well. I have created an MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server that allows a user to pair Claude AI with KiCad. I am looking for feedback, here is my repo:
This will work with Claude desktop, or with VSCode and Cline, or any other MCP Client you wish to use.
From my understanding, MCP is a standard for allowing LLMs to access and use external tools. This is typically done through an API provided by each tool. Since KiCad has no API for the schematic portion, the MCP doesn’t address it. I’ve seen LLMs drive tools through the GUI, but I don’t think that’s part of MCP.
You may want to take a look at kicad-skip. It may allow you to extend your MCP to handle schematic operations.
Also, @Jean_Pierre has a post where he demonstrates using DeepSeek to design a schematic and PCB for an IOT device. It looks like he asks DeepSeek for design advice and then he manually creates the schematic and PCB using that advice. He might be able to more fully automate his design flow using your MCP server.
We’re excited to announce the addition of schematic generation capabilities! Now, in addition to PCB design, KiCAD MCP enables AI assistants to:
Create and manage KiCAD schematics through natural language
Add components like resistors, capacitors, and ICs to schematics
Connect components with wires to create complete circuits
Save and load schematic files in KiCAD format
Export schematics to PDF
This powerful addition completes the PCB design workflow, allowing AI assistants to help with both schematic capture and PCB layout in a single integrated environment.
Do you have any screenshots of schematics and PCBs created using Claude and this MCP? I can see functions in the MCP for placing schematic symbols and connecting wires between start and end points, but what does the final result look like? Is it human-readable or just a jumble of parts and wires?
As of now, the repo is not working correctly. I will have it working (hopefully) by tomorrow (Friday). It generates in Kicad format and PDF, I will see if I can post a pic from the tests. I broke something or deleted something going back an forth from work an home, so I apologize.