PCB revision comparison
Compare schematics, BOMs, Gerbers, drill files, netlists and pick-and-place data between PCB revisions—without uploading your project to the cloud.
Runs locally · Windows, Linux and macOS · Review-ready exports
Interface illustration based on the Kontr-Owl comparison workflow.
Revision control
Replacing an unavailable part, correcting a footprint or refining the layout can change multiple design and manufacturing files. Kontr-Owl helps you verify that the final revision contains the changes you intended—and no surprises.
A substitution or layout adjustment may affect more than the file you were editing.
Compare the previous version with the revised version and create a clear record of what changed and what remained identical.
Project coverage
Check the principal design and manufacturing files produced for a PCB revision.
Compare schematic PDFs page by page and identify regions that differ between revisions.
Identify added, removed and modified component records using a designator or reference column.
Compare copper, mask, paste, silkscreen and supported mechanical layers using a visual overlay.
Review hole additions, removals, movement, size changes and plating changes across drill spans.
Detect connectivity changes, modified nets and component-level regressions.
Compare component population, position, rotation and board side using configurable tolerances.
Comparison reports
Build a consolidated PDF or CSV summary from selected comparisons, including identified changes and verified-identical results.
How it works
A focused workflow for checking a personal PCB project or reviewing a complete manufacturing release.
Load the previous version and the revised version of the files you want to compare.
Choose the relevant page, Gerber layer, drill span or structured file pair.
Inspect visual overlays, changed regions and structured summaries using appropriate tolerances.
Save comparison outputs and optionally combine selected results into a consolidated report.
Product demonstration
Watch how Kontr-Owl loads two PCB revisions, identifies differences and produces a reviewable output.
Open on YouTubeIndustry context
There is no universal figure for how many redesigns are caused by unavailable components. Established industry guidance does, however, recognise availability, obsolescence and configuration control as lifecycle risks that should be managed.
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that median semiconductor inventory held by surveyed buyers fell from approximately 40 days in 2019 to fewer than five days in 2021.
U.S. Department of Commerce, 2022 ↗IEC 62402 provides requirements and guidance for establishing an obsolescence-management process throughout a product lifecycle.
IEC 62402:2019 ↗ISO 10007 covers configuration identification, change control, status accounting and configuration audit within a quality management system.
ISO 10007:2017 ↗These references provide general industry context. They do not represent a claimed redesign rate for an individual company, product or sector.
Product principles
Project files are processed on the machine running Kontr-Owl rather than uploaded to a hosted comparison service.
Kontr-Owl is built to run locally on Windows, Linux and macOS.
Cyan and magenta distinguish old and new content without relying on the conventional red-and-green pairing.
Export visual comparisons and structured summaries for build notes, project documentation or formal review.
Early access
Request access for a personal project, open-source design, university project or professional engineering workflow.
Available for Windows, Linux and macOS