Introducing: Physics Rule Checks

Today, we’re pleased to announce the launch of Physics Rule Checks (PRCs) in Quilter. Physics Rule Checks work alongside traditional Design Rule Checks (DRCs) to ensure the layouts Quilter generates:

1. are complete
2. are manufacturable, and
3. function as specified.

What are PRCs?

If you’ve used ECAD software before, you’ve probably already heard of Design Rule Checks – ”DRCs” for short. DRCs are user-configurable checks typically used to ensure a PCB design is complete (”is everything routed?”) and manufacturable (”can it be built?”).

However, just because a design is complete and manufacturable doesn’t mean it will function. Even with a clean DRC report, most engineers still worry that the design they sent for fabrication won’t work when it finally shows up on their desk.

This is exactly why we created Physics Rule Checks (PRCs).

Physics Rule Checks are fully automated “unit tests” that Quilter creates for each physics constraint defined in your schematic. After generating a layout, Quilter runs a targeted suite of PRCs to quantify the design quality of each candidate, and packages these results into a report for you to review.

When viewed alongside DRCs, physics rule checks make it easier to explore and understand design tradeoffs between manufacturability, cost, and performance so you can optimize for what’s most important.

Here’s a list of the Physics Constraints and associated PRCs we support today. This list is growing quickly:

• Differential Pairs
  • Length Matching
  • Uncoupled Spacing
  • (soon) Ground Plane Overlap
• High Current Nets / Net Classes
  • Trace Length with Excess Temp Rise
• Bypass Capacitors
  • Distance to Pin
  • Via Count
• Single-Ended Impedance Traces
  • (soon) Trace Width and Thickness
  • (soon) Ground Plane Overlap

Next steps for PRCs

This first release of Physics Rule Checks represents a small but important step towards realizing our vision of a fully automated, physics-aware PCB “compiler”. The best is yet to come:

• In the short term, we’ll integrate PRCs more deeply into Quilter’s candidate review experience, including using PRC results to drive candidate recommendations, filtering options, and enhanced visual review workflows.
• Early next year, we’ll expand the capability of PRCs to produce professional-grade design validation reports that utilize simulation tools to ensure signal and power integrity are maintained for critical sections of each board.
• In the long term, PRCs will grow into a critical feedback system that drives Quilter’s ongoing learning and improvement as a PCB designer.

Visit app.quilter.ai to submit a new design and see PRCs in action. Have questions or feedback? Reply to this email or chat with us in the Quilter app.

We’re excited to hear what you think!