| A few weeks ago I was going yo start learning how to use PCB design software. Flux seemed really cool and I gave it a try but couldn't get going well enough to continue. Here are my impressions: ## Key features and my impressions (as of 4/29/23): - Interaction - Browser based
- Buggy in Firefox, don't try it (simulation failed to converge)
- Versioning (ala git)
- Collaboration
- Multiple people can work on a circuit at once
- can also give a link to share a circuit with limited permissions
- AI assistant
- Appears to have no specific knowledge of Flux? When I asked it question about running the code it didn't know I was asking about Flux even.
- Schematics - Has a large library of parts?
- UI is a little clunky for common task like rotating elements but it gets the job done
- Circuit Simulation - does not support plotting
- can't find a way to parametrize a simulation
- Can affect appearance of schematic or PCB model: e.g.: the LED In the schematic or 3D model will light up / be dark depending on the state determined by the simulation. (this doesn't help me get my work doe but it is cool/pretty)
- Can press a button on the schematic and see its effects via the sim
- API
- Supports manipulation of the circuit via code (looks like #javascript) - I haven't used it much, and their \*example\* was non-functional (?!)
- PCB design - Linked directly to the schematic so if you change a part there it changes on the PCB
- Has a very nice looking 3D mode/view of the circuit
I wound up using KiCad for design and www.circuitlab.com for simulation. |
We are still at day one here…lots of work ahead clearly!
On simulation: we have lots more to come here but work took a bit of a back burner as we have been focusing on PCB layout recently!
On AI: just getting our feed wet…but access to our docs is in the QA pipeline here and should hopefully land soon
Let me know if you wanna hop on a call…would love to learn more details about your usecases and how we can do better