Fabrication Output Skill

Use this skill when an AI agent is asked to prepare, validate, or package KiCad manufacturing outputs through KiCad MCP Pro.

This skill is specific to oaslananka/kicad-mcp-pro and should be kept synchronized with docs/tools-reference.generated.md.

When to use

Use this skill for:

• Gerber and drill export
• BOM and pick-and-place export
• STEP/3D/PDF fabrication documentation
• DFM review
• Manufacturing quality gate review
• Release evidence and manifest generation
• Final manufacturing handoff preparation

Do not use this skill before ERC/DRC/DFM status is known.

Required context

Collect:

• Active KiCad project path
• Target manufacturer or generic fabrication constraints
• Board stackup and layer count
• Assembly requirement: PCB only, SMT assembly, through-hole, mixed assembly, or prototype
• Required output directory
• Whether variants/DNP/population options apply
• Human approval status for unresolved violations and waivers

Primary MCP tools

Pre-release gates

• kicad_get_project_info
• project_quality_gate
• project_quality_gate_report
• project_professional_release_gate
• project_release_readiness
• project_signoff_report
• run_erc
• run_drc
• check_design_for_manufacture
• manufacturing_quality_gate

Manufacturing and DFM tools

• dfm_load_manufacturer_profile
• dfm_run_manufacturer_check
• dfm_calculate_manufacturing_cost
• mfg_generate_test_plan
• mfg_create_release_evidence
• mfg_generate_release_manifest
• mfg_correct_cpl_rotations
• pcb_check_creepage_clearance
• pcb_check_test_coverage

Export tools

• export_manufacturing_package
• export_gerber
• export_drill
• export_bom
• export_pick_and_place
• export_netlist
• export_pcb_pdf
• export_sch_pdf
• export_step
• export_3d_render
• export_ipc2581
• export_odb
• export_ipc_d356
• jobset_list_templates
• jobset_validate
• jobset_export
• variant_export_manufacturing_package

Workflow

1. Confirm active project with kicad_get_project_info.
2. Run or retrieve project validation state using project_quality_gate or project_quality_gate_report.
3. Run run_erc and run_drc unless the user provides recent validated evidence.
4. Run DFM/manufacturing checks using check_design_for_manufacture and manufacturing_quality_gate.
5. If a manufacturer is specified, load and run the relevant DFM profile with dfm_load_manufacturer_profile and dfm_run_manufacturer_check.
6. Block release if there are unresolved critical ERC, DRC, DFM, stackup, or manufacturing-gate failures.
7. Export required artifacts with the smallest complete export set for the user's target.
8. Prefer export_manufacturing_package when a gated package is requested and supported.
9. Generate evidence and manifests with mfg_create_release_evidence and mfg_generate_release_manifest when available.
10. Report exact artifact types, output paths, gate results, known waivers, and human-review requirements.

Minimum artifact set

For a typical PCB fabrication handoff:

• Gerber files from export_gerber
• Drill files from export_drill
• Board PDF or fabrication drawing from export_pcb_pdf
• Schematic PDF from export_sch_pdf
• BOM from export_bom
• Pick-and-place file from export_pick_and_place when assembly is required
• STEP model from export_step when mechanical review is required
• Release evidence/manifest when a formal release package is requested

Quality checks

A manufacturing package response must include:

• ERC status
• DRC status
• DFM/manufacturing gate status
• Exported artifact list
• Output location
• Missing artifacts, if any
• Waivers and exclusions
• Human-review checklist

Failure modes

Stop and report clearly when:

• ERC/DRC has unresolved critical failures
• DFM constraints are missing for a manufacturer-specific release
• Export tools fail or output paths are not writable
• BOM or pick-and-place data is incomplete
• Variants/DNP requirements are ambiguous
• The user asks to fabricate without validation evidence

Output format

Return:

• Release target
• Gate status
• Artifact inventory
• Waivers/exclusions
• Blockers
• Human-review checklist
• Final verdict: blocked, draft package, or candidate package after human review

Safety rule

Never represent generated fabrication files as production-approved. Use candidate package after human review unless a qualified human explicitly approves the release outside the agent workflow.