Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1536171
46 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2025 Don't Be a Passenger on Your Own Design Here's the real kicker: You still have to dou- ble-check the autorouter's work—not just casually glance it over, but really inspect it. Using an autorouter and performing a critical review of the results is like driving a Tesla in autopilot mode with a blindfold. You might arrive at your destination, but you'll have no idea how you got there. If you have to retrace your route, forget it. You're lost. Now, think about how Tesla autopilot is actually meant to be used: hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, fully alert and ready to take over. at's the mindset you need when using an autorouter. Let it handle the grunt work, but you're the one watching the road. If you don't (and I've seen this firsthand), you'll end up with an autorouted board that technically passes DRC but fails in the real world. You'll have power integrity issues, tim- ing errors, and EMI nightmares, all because you didn't stay engaged with the layout. Interactive Routing: Designing with Power Steering Enter interactive routing, the middle ground I think most seasoned designers live in today. ink of it as power steering for PCB layout. You guide the trace or even the bus, and the tool handles the heavy liing, shoving, hug- ging, tuning, and rule-checking as you go. It's a true collaboration between designer and tool. You're not giving up control; you're just speeding up the journey without compro- mising direction. Once you've routed a tight BGA breakout or tuned a high-speed differen- tial pair with a good interactive router, you'll wonder how you ever did it the old way. It's not just better, it's smarter. Depending on the types of layouts you do, autorouting tools have the potential to help your layout workflow if you know when and where to use them. I can see them continuing to help in these areas: • Bulk routing for general inputs/outputs, test points, and LED arrays • Quick validation of floor plans and feasibility studies • Clean-up duty once the performance- critical signals are established But would I turn an autorouter loose on high-speed nets or RF sections? Even today, that can still be asking for trouble. Some roads still require a hands-on driver with a feel for the terrain. Why It Matters In this column, I typi- cally share tips about how a design action can help other PCB process stake- holders do their jobs bet- ter. e decision to use an autorouter ultimately comes down to one thing: saving time for the designer. at's it. No one else in the PCB manufac- turing chain cares whether a board was autorouted, manually outed, or routed by a team of caffeinated squirrels.