The Future of Circuit Boards: Code, Constraints, and LLMs
In this episode of electronics.dev, Seve (founder of tscircuit) and Matt (founder of atopile) break down a quiet revolution in electronics: designing circuit boards with code and compiler-like workflows, not traditional schematics. They dive into: * Why traditional EDA tools limit innovation* How constraints, templates, and AI are unlocking more expressive, testable circuit design* The surprising overlap between web layout (CSS) and PCB layout* How tools like atopile let you think in relationships, not in traces* What “spatial reasoning” really means for engineers, and why half of us may be bad at it* Why autonomous layout and reference design matching will change everything Along the way, the duo shares reflections on: * The enduring power of sketching in engineering* Using AI as a design partner (and critique engine)* How mechanical and electronics design differ, and what each can learn from the other* Why circuit fabrication is standardized, but placement logic is still tribal knowledge If you’ve ever written hardware configuration code, fought with schematic tools, or dreamt of a world where hardware is as programmable and composable as software, this episode is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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Inside a North Korean Missile: What Chips Are Inside?
Seve (founder at tscircuit) and Matt (founder at atopile) tear into the wild intersection of geopolitics and hardware as they explore a North Korean KN-23 ballistic missile teardown. This episode reveals how Western components still end up in restricted military tech, and how second-hand supply chains blur the line between hobby electronics and weapons of war. But the conversation doesn’t stop there. From chip smuggling to the future of prototyping, this episode explores how electronics shape everything from missiles to laundry robots. What You’ll Learn Today: * How NXP, Analog Devices, and Fairchild chips wound up in a North Korean missile * The surprising link between PlayStation 2 and military supercomputers * Why chip reverse engineering is rarely worth it, unless you're a rogue state* How China is trying (and struggling) to close the chip tech gap* Why ASML is a single point of failure for the global chip industry* The future of humanoid robots and open-source robotics startups* A new “jumperless breadboard” that redefines prototyping* A wild idea for a fully automated PCB assembly shop Whether you're into defence tech, microcontroller ecosystems, or the nerdy tools reshaping prototyping and manufacturing, this episode will blow your mind! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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The Desktop PCB Revolution Is Here!
Are we finally close to fabbing real PCBs at home?In this episode, Seve (tscircuit) and Matt (atopile) go deep into the state of DIY PCB fabrication: why it feels like the early days of 3D printing, what's still holding it back, and what could push it over the edge.We talk lasers, vias, copper, tariffs, and some surprising hacks people use to prototype faster without sending things to China.What You’ll Learn Today:* How fiber lasers are being used to blast copper off PCBs* Why vias are still the bottleneck for DIY PCB prototyping* What a $200K laser ablation machine actually does* How one engineer claims to make PCBs with no chemicals at all* Whether DIY sintered copper vias might actually work* How U.S. tariffs sparked a wave of fake “local” PCB fabs* Why 3D printing and PCB fab might follow the same path* What still needs to happen before in-house PCB manufacturing is truly usableWhether you're building hardware, designing boards, or just wondering what’s next for fast prototyping, this is one of our most technical and fun episodes yet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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1:04:26
Building PCBs with Code is The Future of Hardware Design
Join Seve (founder at tscircuit) and Matt (founder at atopile) for a no-fluff conversation about the future of electronics design. In this episode, the founders dive deep into:* Why designing PCBs with code is better than legacy schematic tools* How Chinese factories like JLCPCB dominate with software automation* The hidden costs of tariffs — and why they don’t actually help US manufacturing* Why open-source hardware and standards like ODB++ and IPC are a mess* Real talk on US vs. Chinese PCB fabs, and what needs to changeWhether you're a hardware engineer, startup founder, or just curious about how electronics are made, this episode is packed with firsthand insights, rants, and laughs.Bonus topics:* Automating your business taxes with AI* What “open source” really means in 2025* The surprisingly painful experience of launching a landing page This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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The Hard Lessons of PCB Auto-Routing: Part 2 of Seve's List
Seve's original postPart 1 episodeThis episode continues where the last one left off, diving into Part 2 of Seve's blog post “13 Things I Wish I Knew Before Building an Autorouter.” 🧠⚡ Seve (founder of tscircuit) and Matt (founder of atopile) explore the deep technical challenges of auto-routing printed circuit boards using code, compiler toolchains, and caching, rather than traditional schematics-based tools.In this second half, they unpack:* Why caching is crucial for speeding up PCB auto-routing* Visualization as a debugging superpower* The power of PyInstrument and visual profiling tools* Why recursive functions and Monte Carlo methods often fail in optimization* Game dev tricks (like greedy A*) adapted for PCB pathfinding* The difference between grid-based vs intersection-based routing math* Why keeping results grounded in physical space (like millimeters) makes debugging easier* Using animation to catch stupid behavior before it goes live* How a meta-router manages multiple strategies in parallel* Insights from CNC machines and high-fidelity spatial modelingThis episode is packed with Seve and Matt's hands-on experiences, hard-won insights, and sharp advice for anyone building or using modern, code-first electronics design tools.🛠 Whether you're a PCB engineer, systems architect, or startup founder in the hardware space, this conversation is pure gold. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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