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README.md

Former

A desktop application for generating 3D-printable solder paste stencils and snap-fit enclosures from KiCad/Gerber files.

Former

Features

Stencil Generation

  • Parses RS-274X Gerber solder paste layers
  • Supports standard apertures (Circle, Rectangle, Obround) and Aperture Macros with rotation
  • Generates optimized STL meshes for 3D printing
  • Automatic cropping to PCB bounds

Enclosure Generation

  • Generates snap-fit enclosures with lids and trays from KiCad .gbrjob projects
  • Native OpenSCAD .scad export for parametric editing
  • Interactive 3D layer viewer with per-layer colorization (KiCad color scheme)
  • Visual cutout placement on any surface (top, bottom, sides) with live 3D preview
  • Automatic USB port detection and cutout alignment from F.Fab/B.Fab layers
  • Tray clip system with vertical relief slots
  • Dado/engrave mode for surface text and logos

Desktop App

  • Native macOS and Windows application (Wails v2)
  • Project saving and loading with persistent cutout state
  • CLI mode for scripted/batch workflows

Install

Requirements

macOS

  1. Install Homebrew (if not already installed)
  2. Install dependencies: 
    brew install go node
xcode-select --install          # Xcode Command Line Tools
go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/cmd/wails@latest

Windows

  1. Install dependencies (using winget, built into Windows 10/11): 
    winget install GoLang.Go
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/cmd/wails@latest
    Or download manually: Go 1.21+, Node.js 18+
  2. WebView2 Runtime — required by Wails. Pre-installed on most Windows 10/11 machines with Edge. If missing, download from Microsoft.

Version Summary

Tool Minimum Install docs
Go 1.21+ https://go.dev/dl/
Node.js 18+ https://nodejs.org/
Wails CLI v2 https://wails.io/docs/gettingstarted/installation

Build

The build scripts check for missing dependencies and print install instructions if anything is missing.

macOS:

./build.sh

Windows (native):

build-windows.bat

Cross-compile for Windows (from macOS/Linux):

./build-windows.sh

The built application will be at build/bin/Former.app (macOS) or build/bin/Former.exe (Windows).

CLI Usage

Former can also run headless from the command line:

./Former [options] <paste_layer.gbr> [outline.gbr]

Options

Flag Default Description
--height 0.16 Stencil height in mm
--wall-height 2.0 Wall height in mm
--wall-thickness 1.0 Wall thickness in mm
--dpi 1016 Rendering DPI
--keep-png false Save intermediate PNG

Example

./Former --height=0.16 --keep-png my_board-F_Paste.gbr my_board-Edge_Cuts.gbr

3D Printing Tips

For fine-pitch SMD stencils (TSSOP, 0402, etc.):

  • Nozzle: 0.2mm recommended
  • Layer height: 0.16mm total (0.10mm first layer + 0.06mm second)
  • Build surface: Smooth PEI sheet for flat stencil bottom

Acknowledgments

Former began as a fork of pcb-to-stencil by Nikolai Danylchyk, a Go tool for converting Gerber paste layers to STL stencils. The original Gerber parser and STL mesh generation formed the foundation that Former builds upon.

License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.