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40 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2025 will leverage insights from newly developed PCB designs, incorporating historical design examples into its AI algorithms. is fusion of customer best practices and AI-driven insights promises to accelerate design iterations and substantially boost overall productivity, all within the CR-8000 framework. e final stage, the Autonomous Brain, will possess the ability to self-improve with each project, ushering in a new era of AI-driven innovation. Siemens has made significant advancements with the introduction of Process Prediction, a key component of their Modern UX Solution. is innovative feature is integrated into Xpedition PCB, Constraints Man- ager, and HyperLynx Analysis tools. As users design their products, the pre- diction model is continuously trained in real time, enabling it to make instant predictions. With each new com- mand, the model learns the sequence of a specific user, adapting to their unique behavior. It can accommodate multiple learned sub-processes and seamlessly switch between these paths (Figure 1). e process begins with Xpedition PCB, where the layout is created, and then con- straints are established, including stackup definitions and design rules. Subsequently, it returns to the layout for editing. As the layout is routed, critical constraints are fed into HyperL- ynx for signal integrity analysis to ensure qual- ity. is process utilizes the DDR batch wizard to conduct timing simulations. In the event of failures, the layout is revisited for fine-tuning. is cycle continues until all requirements are satisfied, completing the entire design flow from start to finish (Figure 2). e target demographic encompasses inex- perienced designers that can leverage pre- trained seed models. Mid-level designers have the option to either train their own models or utilize those created by experienced designers, to enhance process efficiency. Furthermore, expert designers can impart their knowledge of intricate workflows and standardized design processes through these seed models. At the lower end of the market, we find emerg- ing platforms such as DeepPCB and Flux Copi- lot. DeepPCB is an end-to-end, fully autono- mous pay-as-you-go PCB AI tool. DeepPCB supports all PCB EDA tools compatible with Specctra, including OrCAD, Allegro, PADS, Zuken CR-3000/CR-5000, Altium, EAGLE, KiCAD, EasyEDA, etc. For best results with DeepPCB, manually route sensitive parts and unsupported nets, then let DeepPCB handle the rest while protecting existing routes. e standard version of DeepPCB allows you to design layouts of up to eight layers and 1,200 connections and takes a few hours to complete a design. is may be suitable for KICAD and Eagle users but appears to represent a regres- sion in technology since the ability to autoroute non-critical nets has been around for decades and completes in a matter of seconds. Flux Copilot, another entry into the AI PCB design realm, is suited to hobbyists who design simple microcontroller projects. It can help with component selection, debug when you are stuck and suggest and create schematic connec- tions for you. Flux Copilot is a direct competitor to KiCAD and EasyEDA. Also, KiCAD Guider provides AI-driven support for KiCAD, deliv- ering design recommendations and detecting errors to enhance the designer's experience. e evolution of PCB design has progressed from manual routing to highly advanced AI- driven autorouting solutions, significantly Figure 2: Xpedition/HyperLynx design flow. (Source: Siemens EDA)