After the OAI demo, like many others, I tried to use KiCAD through computer-use. This doesn't produce great results.

I have found the best results through a mix of Happy[0], this repo, and computer use to fill in the blanks.

It is _really_ good at the stackup and part config, but creates some absolutely terrible routes. It will snake tiny traces through some SMD pins even though there is plenty of space available outside of the component. When it hits an obstacle, instead of creating 2 45 degree turns, it does 10~30 small ones creating some sort of weird crooked arc.

I have produced a couple of boards for testing this way and they are generally functional.

I have tried KiCadRoutingTools[1] as well which does seem to create routes that make more sense.

Anyone any better experiences with these or similar tools?

[0] https://github.com/aklofas/kicad-happy [1] https://github.com/drandyhaas/KiCadRoutingTools

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mapontosevenths 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Why bother with computer use at all? Did you DRC it?

I did this months before that OpenAI demo, and produced a product that many people are using without knowing it was an AI designed PCB.

It ran using kicad completely headlessly from a terminal with a bit of python and DRC'd it in a loop until it passed. I sent it to PCBWay and it worked the first go. It did take a bit, but if you just set a goal and let 'er rip the LLM gets there in the end.

Would a real EE vomit if they looked at it? Maybe. Does it work? Absolutely.

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ryandrake 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I think “it works” is a very low standard for any creative work you set out to do, professionally or as a hobby. Possibly the lowest standard. We should aim higher in all things.

	▲	cinntaile 2 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		He released a product, not a PCB. For him that's probably not the part where his creativity is focused on.
	▲	varispeed an hour ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Believe it or not "it works" is actually incredibly high standard. Many commercial products are released after meeting the "I can't believe it works" threshold.
	▲	someguydave an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Ok good luck with taking that attitude to the marketplace

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i2cjak an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

the OpenAI folks that worked on this demo include this X account w/ some further tips. https://x.com/0x50484244/status/2110189303418769839?s=20 The future is 100% not computer use in my opinion and experience

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ofrzeta 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I can't comment on the quality but Konnect was using freerouting to do the routing https://www.freerouting.app/