These templates are your starting point if you’re building a Raspberry Pi HAT.
Each pack contains six Raspberry Pi B+ templates.
Downloads
Gerber files
High-quality ABS construction
Removable side panels and lid for easy access to GPIO, camera and display connectors
Light pipes for power and activity LEDs
Extraordinarily handsome
Colour: white/red
High-quality ABS construction
Removable side panels and lid for easy access to GPIO, camera and display connectors
Light pipes for power and activity LEDs
Extraordinarily handsome
Colour: black/grey
The Elektor Laser Head transforms the Elektor Sand Clock into a clock that writes the time on glow-in-the-dark film instead of sand. In addition to displaying the time, it can also be used to create ephemeral drawings. The 5 mW laser pointer, with a wavelength of 405 nm, produces bright green drawings on the glow-in-the-dark film. For best results, use the kit in a dimly lit room. Warning: Never look directly into the laser beam!
The kit includes all the necessary components, but soldering three wires is required.
Note: This kit is also compatible with the original Arduino-based Sand Clock from 2017. For more details, see Elektor Magazine 1-2/2017 and Elektor Magazine 1-2/2018.
Raspberry Pi-based Eye Catcher
A standard sand clock just shows how time passes. In contrast, this Raspberry Pi Pico-controlled sand clock shows the exact time by “engraving” the four digits for hour and minute into the layer of sand. After an adjustable time the sand is flattened out by two vibration motors and everything begins all over again.
At the heart of the sand clock are two servo motors driving a writing pen through a pantograph mechanism. A third servo motor lifts the pen up and down. The sand container is equipped with two vibration motors to flatten the sand. The electronic part of the sand clock consists of a Raspberry Pi Pico and an RTC/driver board with a real-time clock, plus driver circuits for the servo motors.
A detailed construction manual is available for downloading.
Features
Dimensions: 135 x 110 x 80 mm
Build time: approx. 1.5 to 2 hours
Included
3x Precut acrylic sheets with all mechanical parts
3x Mini servo motors
2x Vibration motors
1x Raspberry Pi Pico
1x RTC/driver board with assembled parts
Nuts, bolts, spacers, and wires for the assembly
Fine-grained white sand
This bundle contains the popular Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico and the new Elektor Laser Head Upgrade, offering even more options for displaying the time. Not only can you "engrave" the current time in sand, you can now alternatively write it on a glow-in-the-dark foil or create green drawings.
Contents of the bundle
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico (normal price: €50)
Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock (normal price: €35)
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi (Raspberry Pi-based Eye Catcher)
A standard sand clock just shows how time passes. In contrast, this Raspberry Pi Pico-controlled sand clock shows the exact time by "engraving" the four digits for hour and minute into the layer of sand. After an adjustable time the sand is flattened out by two vibration motors and everything begins all over again.
At the heart of the sand clock are two servo motors driving a writing pen through a pantograph mechanism. A third servo motor lifts the pen up and down. The sand container is equipped with two vibration motors to flatten the sand. The electronic part of the sand clock consists of a Raspberry Pi Pico and an RTC/driver board with a real-time clock, plus driver circuits for the servo motors.
A detailed construction manual is available for downloading.
Features
Dimensions: 135 x 110 x 80 mm
Build time: approx. 1.5 to 2 hours
Included
3x Precut acrylic sheets with all mechanical parts
3x Mini servo motors
2x Vibration motors
1x Raspberry Pi Pico
1x RTC/driver board with assembled parts
Nuts, bolts, spacers, and wires for the assembly
Fine-grained white sand
Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock
The new Elektor Laser Head transforms the Sand Clock into a clock that writes the time on glow-in-the-dark film instead of sand. In addition to displaying the time, it can also be used to create ephemeral drawings. The 5 mW laser pointer, with a wavelength of 405 nm, produces bright green drawings on the glow-in-the-dark film. For best results, use the kit in a dimly lit room. Warning: Never look directly into the laser beam!
The kit includes all the necessary components, but soldering three wires is required.
Note: This kit is also compatible with the original Arduino-based Sand Clock from 2017. For more details, see Elektor Magazine 1-2/2017 and Elektor Magazine 1-2/2018.
Learn KiCad with Peter Dalmaris
The Academy Pro Box "Design PCBs like a Pro" offers a complete, structured training programme in PCB design, combining online learning with practical application. Based on Peter Dalmaris’ KiCad course, the 15-week programme integrates video lessons, printed materials (2 books), and hands-on projects to ensure participants not only understand the theory but also develop the skills to apply it in practice.
Unlike standard courses, the Academy Pro Box provides a guided learning path with weekly milestones and physical components to design, test, and produce working PCBs. This approach supports a deeper learning experience and better knowledge retention.
The box is ideal for engineers, students, and professionals who want to develop practical PCB design expertise using open-source tools. With the added option to have their final project manufactured, participants complete the programme with real results – ready for use, testing, or further development.
Learn by doing
Build skills. Design real boards. Generate Gerbers. Place your first order. This isn’t just a course – it’s a complete project journey from idea to product.
You’ll walk away with:
Working knowledge of KiCad’s tools
Confidence designing your own PCBs
A fully manufacturable circuit board – made by you
What's inside the Box (Course)?
Both volumes of "KiCad Like a Pro" (valued at €105)
Vol 1: Fundamentals and Projects
Vol 2: Advanced Projects and Recipes
Coupon code to join the bestselling KiCad 9 online course by Peter Dalmaris on Udemy, featuring 20+ hours of video training. You'll complete three full design projects:
Breadboard Power Supply
Tiny Solar Power Supply
Datalogger with EEPROM and Clock
Voucher from Eurocircuits for the production of PCBs (worth €85 excl. VAT)
Learning Material (of this Box/Course)
15-Week Learning Program
▶ Click here to open
Week 1: Setup, Fundamentals, and First Steps in PCB Design
Week 2: Starting Your First PCB Project – Schematic Capture
Week 3: PCB Layout – From Netlist to Board Design
Week 4: Design Principles, Libraries, and Workflow
Week 5: Your First Real-World PCB Project
Week 6: Custom Libraries – Symbols, Footprints, and Workflow
Week 7: Advanced Tools – Net Classes, Rules, Zones, Routing
Week 8: Manufacturing Files, BOMs, and PCB Ordering
Week 9: Advanced Finishing Techniques – Graphics, Refinement, and Production Quality
Week 10: Tiny Solar Power Supply – From Schematic to Layout
Week 11: Tiny Solar Power Supply – PCB Layout and Production Prep
Week 12: ESP32 Clone Project – Schematic Design and Layout Prep
Week 13: ESP32 Clone – PCB Layout and Manufacturing Prep
Week 14: Final Improvements and Advanced Features
Week 15: Productivity Tools, Simulation, and Automation
KiCad Course with 18 Lessons on Udemy (by Peter Dalmaris)
▶ Click here to open
Introduction
Getting started with PCB design
Getting started with KiCad
Project: A hands-on tour of KiCad (Schematic Design)
Project: A hands-on tour of KiCad (Layout)
Design principles and PCB terms
Design workflow and considerations
Fundamental KiCad how-to: Symbols and Eeschema
Fundamental KiCad how-to: Footprints and Pcbnew
Project: Design a simple breadboard power supply PCB
Project: Tiny Solar Power Supply
Project: MCU datalogger with build-in 512K EEPROM and clock
Recipes
KiCad 9 new features and improvements
Legacy (from previous versions of KiCad)
KiCad 7 update (Legacy)
(Legacy) Gettings started with KiCad
Bonus lecture
About the Author
Dr. Peter Dalmaris, PhD is an educator, an electrical engineer and Maker. Creator of online video courses on DIY electronics and author of several technical books. As a Chief Tech Explorer since 2013 at Tech Explorations, the company he founded in Sydney, Australia, Peter's mission is to explore technology and help educate the world.
What is Elektor Academy Pro?
Elektor Academy Pro delivers specialized learning solutions designed for professionals, engineering teams, and technical experts in the electronics and embedded systems industry. It enables individuals and organizations to expand their practical knowledge, enhance their skills, and stay ahead of the curve through high-quality resources and hands-on training tools.
From real-world projects and expert-led courses to in-depth technical insights, Elektor empowers engineers to tackle today’s electronics and embedded systems challenges. Our educational offerings include Academy Books, Pro Boxes, Webinars, Conferences, and industry-focused B2B magazines – all created with professional development in mind.
Whether you're an engineer, R&D specialist, or technical decision-maker, Elektor Academy Pro bridges the gap between theory and practice, helping you master emerging technologies and drive innovation within your organization.
This bundle includes both volumes of "KiCad Like a Pro" (4th edition 2024). In Fundamentals and Projects (normal price: €39.95), you'll learn how to use KiCad through a practical approach, helping you quickly become productive and start designing your own boards. Advanced Projects and Recipes (normal price: €34.95) allows you to practice your new KiCad skills by challenging yourself with a series of real-world projects.
The latest iteration of KiCad, the world’s best free-to-use Printed Circuit Board tool, is packed with features usually found only in expensive commercial CAD tools. This modern, cross-platform application suite built around schematic and design editors, with auxiliary applications is a stable and mature PCB tool. KiCad 8 is a perfect fit for electronic engineers and makers.
Here are the most significant improvements and features in KiCad 8, both over and under the hood:
Modern user interface, completely redesigned from earlier versions
Improved and customizable electrical and design rule checkers
Theme editor allowing you to customize KiCad on your screen
Ability to import projects from Eagle, CADSTART, and more
Python scripting API
Improved integrated SPICE circuit simulator
Multi-sheet schematics
Filters define selectable elements
Enhanced interactive router helps you draw single tracks and differential pairs with precision
New or enhanced tools to draw tracks, measure distances, tune track lengths, etc.
Advanced interactive router
Built-in bill of materials generator
Realistic ray-tracing capable 3D viewer
Customizable teardrops
Plug-in manager for quick installation of themes, libraries and functionalities such as autorouters and BOM generators
The first book KiCad Like A Pro – Fundamentals and Projects will teach you to use KiCad through a practical approach. It will help you become productive quickly and start designing your own boards. Example projects illustrate the basic features of KiCad, even if you have no prior knowledge of PCB design. The author describes the entire workflow from schematic entry to the intricacies of finalizing the files for PCB production and offers sound guidance on the process.
The second book KiCad Like A Pro – Advanced Projects and Recipes will help you to practice your new KiCad skills by challenging you in a series of real-world projects. The projects are supported by a comprehensive set of recipes with detailed instructions on how to achieve a variety of simple and complex tasks. Design the PCBs for a solar power supply, an LED matrix array, an Arduino-powered datalogger, and a custom ESP32 board. Understand the finer details of the interactive router, how to manage KiCad project teams with Git, how to use an autorouter on 2 and 4-layer PCBs, and much more.
Getting started with the world’s best open-source PCB tool
The latest iteration of KiCad, the world’s best free-to-use Printed Circuit Board tool, is packed with features usually found only in expensive commercial CAD tools. This modern, cross-platform application suite built around schematic and design editors, with auxiliary applications is a stable and mature PCB tool. KiCad 8 is a perfect fit for electronic engineers and makers.
Here are the most significant improvements and features in KiCad 8, both over and under the hood:
Modern user interface, completely redesigned from earlier versions
Improved and customizable electrical and design rule checkers
Theme editor allowing you to customize KiCad on your screen
Ability to import projects from Eagle, CADSTART, and more
Python scripting API
Improved integrated SPICE circuit simulator
Multi-sheet schematics
Filters define selectable elements
Enhanced interactive router helps you draw single tracks and differential pairs with precision
New or enhanced tools to draw tracks, measure distances, tune track lengths, etc.
Advanced interactive router
Built-in bill of materials generator
Realistic ray-tracing capable 3D viewer
Customizable teardrops
Plug-in manager for quick installation of themes, libraries and functionalities such as autorouters and BOM generators
This book will teach you to use KiCad through a practical approach. It will help you become productive quickly and start designing your own boards. Example projects illustrate the basic features of KiCad, even if you have no prior knowledge of PCB design.
The author describes the entire workflow from schematic entry to the intricacies of finalizing the files for PCB production and offers sound guidance on the process. Further full-fledged projects, of incremental difficulty, will be presented in a second book, together with a variety of advanced recipes.
The Raspberry Pi A+ Case has been designed to fit both the Pi 3 Model A+ and the Pi 1 Model A+. The high-quality ABS construction consists of two parts. The base features cut-outs to allow access to the microSD Card and the the HDMI, audio/video and USB ports, as well as the power connector.
Mastering PCB design with real-world projects
This book builts on KiCad Like a Pro – Fundamentals and Projects and aims to help you practice your new KiCad skills by challenging you in a series of real-world projects. The projects are supported by a comprehensive set of recipes with detailed instructions on how to achieve a variety of simple and complex tasks. Design the PCBs for a solar power supply, an LED matrix array, an Arduino-powered datalogger, and a custom ESP32 board. Understand the finer details of the interactive router, how to manage KiCad project teams with Git, how to use an autorouter on 2 and 4-layer PCBs, and much more.
KiCad 8 is a modern, cross-platform application suite built around schematic and design editors. This stable and mature PCB tool is a perfect fit for electronic engineers and makers. With KiCad 8, you can create PCBs of any complexity and size without the constraints associated with the commercial packages.
Here are the most significant improvements and features in KiCad 8, both over and under the hood:
Modern user interface, completely redesigned from earlier versions
Improved and customizable electrical and design rule checkers
Theme editor allowing you to fully customize the look of KiCad on your screen
Ability to import projects from Eagle, CADSTART, and more
An improved and tightly integrated SPICE circuit simulator
Autorouting with the Freerouting plugin
Filters define which elements of a layout are selectable
Enhanced interactive router helps you draw single tracks and differential pairs with precision
New or enhanced tools to draw tracks, measure distances, tune track lengths, etc.
Enhanced tool for creating filled zones
A customizable coordinate system facilitates data exchange with other CAD applications
Realistic ray-tracing capable 3D viewer
Differential pair routing
Rich repositories of symbol, footprint, and 3D shape libraries
Python scripting API for programmatic customization and extensions
Improved footprint wizard for fast custom footprints
Specifications
CM4 socket
Suitable for all variants of Compute Module 4
Networking
Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 connectorM.2 M KEY, supports communication modules or NVME SSD
Connector
Raspberry Pi 40-PIN GPIO header
USB
2x USB 2.0 Type A2x USB 2.0 via FFC connector
Display
MIPI DSI display port (15-pin 1.0 mm FPC connector)
Camera
2x MIPI CSI-2 camera port (15-pin 1.0 mm FPC connector)
Video
2x HDMI port (including one port via FFC connector), supports 4K 30fps output
RTC
N/A
Storage
MicroSD card socket for Compute Module 4 Lite (without eMMC) variants
Fan header
No fan control, 5 V
Power input
5 V
Dimensions
85 x 56 mm
Included
1x CM4-IO-BASE-A
1x SSD mounting screw
Downloads
Wiki