Quilter

What is Quilter?

Quilter is a smart tool that automates the layout of circuit boards, making the whole PCB design process much smoother. It is an automated assistant that handles tasks like placing components, routing connections, and setting up the board’s layers. It can do a lot more than just basic routing; it handles things like component placement and even EMI simulations. What’s really neat is that Quilter can quickly create many different design options for you to choose from. It’s designed to optimize for things like EMI performance and make sure your designs are ready for manufacturing without any errors. Plus, it works well with popular ECAD tools like Altium and KiCAD, so it should fit right into your current design setup.

Instead of just blindly following rules like a typical autorouter, Quilter acts more like a human designer. It explores hundreds of different ways to lay out your board, looking for the best results. It even checks these designs against the specific tolerances from top manufacturers. It’s particularly great for PCBs that aren’t overly complex – say, with fewer than 1000 pins, under 100 components, a low density, signal speeds below 500MHz, and currents under 2A. The tool uses a type of learning called reinforcement learning to explore a wide range of design possibilities. Generating the first layout candidate usually takes about 1 to 2 hours, and exploring all the options can take between 2 to 6 hours. Ultimately, Quilter is built to help hardware teams innovate faster by taking over circuit board design and allowing for quicker hardware iterations.

Who created Quilter?

Quilter was started by Sergiy Nesterenko, who is also the CEO. The company itself is based in Los Angeles, California, but it operates with a remote-first team. This team is made up of experts in AI and electronics who all share a passion for innovation. Quilter officially launched in 2021 with a clear goal: to automate circuit board design to speed up hardware innovation. Right now, the platform is in an open beta phase. Its main aim is to simplify the PCB design process through features like automated placement, routing, and stack-up generation.

What is Quilter used for?

• Automating circuit board layout
• Handling placement, routing, and stack-ups
• Designing complex boards
• Validating board designs
• Optimizing for EMI performance
• Generating various design candidates
• Ensuring compatibility with ECAD tools
• Speeding up hardware innovation
• Saving time and money on PCB design
• Improving how quickly hardware can be iterated upon

Who is Quilter for?

• Engineers working at electronics companies
• Engineers in general
• Electronics companies
• Hardware teams

How to use Quilter?

Using Quilter is pretty straightforward. Here’s a quick rundown of the steps:

1. Design Your Schematic: Start by creating your schematic using your favorite ECAD tool, like Altium or KiCAD.
2. Import Constraints: Quilter works with popular ECAD applications and can quickly generate multiple design options based on your input.
3. Evaluate Design Rules: Quilter will check your designs against various manufacturer rules to make sure the routing is optimal and free of violations.
4. Generate Layouts: The tool uses reinforcement learning to explore millions of design possibilities. You can expect the first candidate layout in about 1-2 hours, with the full exploration taking 2-6 hours.
5. Review Candidates: Quilter lets you look at the layout options before they’re finalized. You’ll get an email notification when the first successful candidate is ready, or when the entire process is complete.

By following these steps, you can make the most of Quilter for automating your circuit board designs and really speed up your hardware innovation process.