An imported design can fit neatly in the editor window while its dimensions are wrong. Automatic zoom hides uniform scaling, and familiar-looking symbols can distract from altered pad sizes or offsets. Verify units and scale immediately after import, before investing effort in cleanup or routing.
KiCad’s EasyEDA importer documentation describes coordinate conversion and distinguishes source-format handling. This illustrates why file-format interpretation matters. Do not assume that the numbers visible in a source file already represent the destination tool’s displayed units.
Select independent reference dimensions
Choose several known dimensions from the authoritative design or component drawings: overall board width, a mounting-hole spacing, connector pitch, and a representative pad or drill size. Include both large and small features, and both horizontal and vertical distances. Use dimensions that come from more than one source object, so an incorrect imported footprint cannot act as the sole reference for validating every other feature around it.
Measure these features in the imported design using numerical properties, not a ruler held against a screenshot. Record the expected value, observed value, and ratio. If all ratios agree, investigate a global scale or unit interpretation. If they differ, investigate object-specific conversion, rounding, or an incorrect source feature.
Use the pattern to narrow the cause
| Observed pattern | Likely area to investigate |
|---|---|
| All dimensions share one ratio | Global units or scale conversion |
| Locations shift but sizes are correct | Origin or coordinate translation |
| Only one axis reverses | Axis direction or mirroring convention |
| Small features differ disproportionately | Rounding or object conversion details |
These are diagnostic clues, not proof of a particular defect. Preserve the original file and import settings while investigating. An arbitrary rescale can make one dimension match while corrupting another object class.
Check meaning after geometry
- Confirm the exact source format and version.
- Repeat the import with corrected settings in a separate working copy.
- Recheck the reference dimensions and representative coordinates.
- Inspect layer mapping, pad numbering, and connectivity.
- Generate independent manufacturing or mechanical previews.
Correct scale does not establish complete import fidelity. A hole can have the correct diameter while losing plating classification, and a trace can have the correct shape while losing its net assignment. Include these semantic checks before declaring the migration ready for manufacturing.
Archive the conversion record with the destination project so later reviewers know how the geometry was verified. Where the issue is limited to drill data, the drill scale and alignment guide provides a more focused investigation.
Move from reading to a build-ready project
Use the fabrication and assembly checklists to prepare drawings, production files and test requirements.
Open the DFM checklist