Board And KiCad

The Board tab is for inspecting board state after the PCB workspace has produced KiCad-compatible layout files. It is where hardware source becomes physical board geometry: footprints, tracks, outlines, layers, and unrouted connections.

When the Board tab is empty

If the workspace is not initialized, the tab asks you to create or sync the board through the agent. If the workspace exists but layout files are missing, ask the agent to run the PCB sync or layout action.

This state usually means:

pcb/ does not exist,
main.zen does not exist,
the layout action has not produced KiCad files,
the board file was deleted or moved.

2D PCB view

When layout data exists, the Board tab can show a 2D view with footprints, tracks, outline, and layers.

Use it for quick inspection:

are components present,
are layers visible,
does the outline exist,
did sync or automation create expected layout files,
are footprints placed roughly where expected.

This is not yet a full manual layout editor.

Auto Place and Auto Layout

The Board tab can run PCB automation when the project has a valid board state.

Auto Place proposes component positions. Review placement before routing, especially for connectors, mounting holes, LEDs, sensors, heat-producing parts, antennas, and user-facing controls.

Auto Layout routes the current board placement. It applies tracks to the KiCad board file and reports routed or open nets. If nets remain open, improve placement, board outline, layer assumptions, or route those nets manually in KiCad.

Long-running automation can be canceled. Treat automation output as a proposal, not final sign-off.

Layers

Common KiCad-style layers include:

F.Cu: front copper,
B.Cu: back copper,
F.SilkS: front silkscreen,
Edge.Cuts: board outline.

Layer visibility controls help inspect one part of the board at a time.

3D viewer

When supported layout artifacts and model export are available, the Board tab can activate a 3D view. 3D inspection is useful for checking board orientation, footprint scale, and mechanical fit.

If the 3D view fails, verify that layout output exists and the PCB runtime is available.

Open in KiCad

Use Open KiCad when you need full PCB layout control. KiCad is the right tool for:

interactive routing,
detailed DRC workflows,
copper pours,
footprint edits,
manufacturing outputs,
mechanical constraints.

Embedr's goal is not to hide KiCad. It is to keep the hardware source and firmware context connected before and after the KiCad handoff.

Generated layout files

The PCB workspace may create files such as:

pcb/
  boards/
    layout/
      layout.kicad_pcb
      layout.kicad_pro

Decide whether to commit generated layout files based on your workflow. If they are needed for handoff, review, or manufacturing, commit them. If they are always regenerated in your process, source .zen may be enough.

For classrooms, committing generated layout can help students open the exact same board without running all tooling first.

Review checklist

Before treating a generated board as meaningful, check:

schematic source matches firmware pins,
footprints match physical packages,
power and ground nets are present,
connector orientation is clear,
board outline exists,
critical nets are named,
layout output opens in KiCad.

Do not manufacture a board from generated output without normal electrical and layout review.