PCB based Rogowski coil

Jun_ · January 30, 2016, 1:05am

I’m trying to create a PCB based Rogowski coil. Any idea if kiCad can create ‘wrapping’ of traces in a circular traces between 2 layers.
Unfortunately I’m unable to attached a drawing as i’m a new user.

Joan_Sparky · January 30, 2016, 2:51am

Looks like a python scripting problem to me… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogowski_coil

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Rogowsky_coil.png/800px-Rogowsky_coil.png

Have a look here for inspiration/start?
- standalone python script that creates copper spiral
- output needs to be collected in a txt file and manually copy&pasted into a kicad_pcb file

gist.github.com

https://gist.github.com/JoanTheSpark/e3fab5a8af44f7f8779c

KiCAD_CopperSpiral_v2.py

import sys, os
import shutil
import math
import itertools
from copy import deepcopy

#              0        1          2      3      4        5    6
LIST_elmt = ["  ("," (start ",") (end ",") "," (layer ",") ","))"]
#LIST_elmt = ["  (gr_line (start 131.571908 182.314571) (end 112.874456 120.68499) (angle 90) (layer Dwgs.User) (width 0.1))"]
#LIST_elmt = ["  (segment (start 118.7 106.7) (end 119.4 106.7) (width 0.25) (layer B.Cu) (net 0))"]

This file has been truncated. show original

And please post updates if you try to go down that path, sounds interesting - can’t commit time for it now though.

Jun_ · January 30, 2016, 2:59pm

Thanks for the codes but i have no experience with Python or kicad.
Can you nudge me in the right direction, i would like to give it a try to see if it works.

The links you posted are indeed rogowski coils thou the ones i’m trying to achieve is on a pcb board.

Joan_Sparky · January 31, 2016, 3:04am

That up there is the ‘nudge’

If you open a .kicad_pcb file in a text editor you can read what is in there, as it’s human readable.
All python does is create some string elements that KiCAD understands really - creating the positions for the many vias that you need and the pieces of copper tracks with their various positions (x,y).

This should give you an idea what’s involved…