CERN has released its complete KiCad component library under an open source license, making it available to hardware designers anywhere in the world. The library, maintained by CERN’s Design Office, contains more than 17,000 electronic components in the form of schematic symbols and printed circuit board footprints.

Layout of a printed circuit board made using KiCad (Source: CERN)

KiCad is a free and open source software suite for printed circuit board design. Because it uses open file formats and carries no licensing fees, designers can share their work without restrictions and without requiring collaborators to purchase software access. CERN’s Design Office has used the tool to support hardware projects across the organization, building up its component library over time.

CERN has a long record of open source activity. The organization released the World Wide Web software under an open source license in 1994 and later developed the CERN Open Hardware Licence, which allows others to access, modify, redistribute, and commercialize hardware based on licensed designs. The lab also supports open access publishing through SCOAP³ and makes particle physics data available through its Open Data Portal.

KiCad is available for free here.