Shipping step-by-step
Once you’re done designing your project, you’ll have to actually organize it all and ship it! Here’s a guide on how to do that step-by-step
1. Make sure you have all of your project files!
Section titled “1. Make sure you have all of your project files!”First off - check that all your project’s files are actually in the repository! This includes a full CAD assembly in .STEP format, your PCB source files, and your firmware! This ensures that other people will actually be able to replicate your project!
It should look something like this:
It’s really hard to tell the difference between all the different files!
2. Organize the different files!
Section titled “2. Organize the different files!”Next, you should organize all your different files!
I recommend making 3 folders - one called “CAD”, one called “PCB”, and one called “firmware”
Drag and drop your files into their respective folders. Here’s an example of what they should look like!
same files, but organized this time around!
3. Make a Bill Of Materials!
Section titled “3. Make a Bill Of Materials!”The next step is to make a bill of materials (BOM)!
A bill of materials is a list of all the parts & materials needed to make your project! You should include any components, modules, and any other parts you may need.
You should store this in a csv (comma-separated value) format. It’s plain text and works across almost every platform.
You can make your own, or use this template here.
It may be tempting to skip this step, but it’ll make it much easier to order your parts later!
4. Write a README.md about your project!
Section titled “4. Write a README.md about your project!”A README.md file is what ties your project together! It should include a short description of your project (what it does, how it works, why you made it), and also screenshots of your project!
Here’s an example of what that looks like!
Make sure to include a screenshot of your PCB(s)/wiring diagram if applicable - it makes reviewing way easier for us and cuts down on time!
One snippet you can add to your project is this. It adds a PCB button to your README that opens your repository’s PCB!
[](https://kicanvas.org/?repo=https://github.com/<OWNER>/<REPOSITORY>/tree/main/pcb)5. Submit!
Section titled “5. Submit!”After this is all done, head back to your program and follow the submission instructions!