From: jl@glen--canyon.com   
      
   On Sat, 7 Mar 2026 02:03:58 +1100, Bill Sloman    
   wrote:   
      
   >On 4/03/2026 2:16 pm, john larkin wrote:   
   >> On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 13:57:05 -0700, Don Y    
   >> wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On 3/2/2026 6:36 PM, Lasse Langwadt wrote:   
   >>>> afaict they can be pretty good, but in the time it take to setup all it   
   needs   
   >>>> to know you could have been done doing it yourself   
   >>>   
   >>> The advantage that an autorouter brings to the process is that it   
   >>> is rerunnable.  You can rip up (and many routers do this as part of   
   >>> their routing heuristics) portions of the circuit and reroute them   
   >>> far easier (and more accurately) than doing a manual (re)route.   
   >>>   
   >>> Routing an analog board is different than a digital as it tends   
   >>> to be more sensitive to noise -- but, can often require fewer   
   >>> layers as analog components inherently allow traces to "step over"   
   >>> other traces without having to stitch to another layer.   
   >>>   
   >>> Also, analog designs tend to "flow" in a single direction;   
   >>> there are far fewer "backtracks" in analog signal paths.   
   >>> You can see this by "picking up" a ratsnest and noticing   
   >>> how "clumped" it is (or isn't).  Digital designs tend to be   
   >>> more entangled.   
   >>>   
   >>> Successfully using an autorouter typically involves understanding   
   >>> the different types of routing algorithms available to it and   
   >>> knowing how and when to apply each (e.g., it would be foolish to use   
   >>> a maze router on a *typical* entire board).   
   >>>   
   >>> You also need to know when the "rules" (which are actually just   
   >>> guidelines) can be bent or ignored -- e.g., I often route certain   
   >>> groups of signals on the "power layers".  This often lets me reduce   
   >>> a 6-layer design to 4 layers with no real consequences (for a board   
   >>> with no errors).   
   >>>   
   >>> The days of a "single click" route are likely still far off -- for   
   >>> all but simple designs.   
   >>   
   >> One advantage I have over an autorouter is that I can change the   
   >> schematic if it makes the PCB easier.   
   >   
   >Sensible circuit designers have the printed circuit layout in mind when   
   >they design the electronics.   
   >   
   >> https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3r3dnk2dml8gcmwu4e7ln/R560_PPG   
   A7.jpg?rlkey=gmee5zigol724vbc9qzx78q6t&raw=1   
   >>   
   >> I used pours on L3, the power layer, for some bussed signals.   
   >>   
   >> Electronics is cool. I would have been a very bad farmer or goat   
   >> herder or coal miner.   
   >   
   >but are you an adequate electronic circuit designer?   
      
   Maybe people give us purchase orders and awards because I'm so cute.   
      
      
   John Larkin   
   Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center   
   Lunatic Fringe Electronics   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)