OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast

AI PCB routing only works when the tool understands your design intent, and in this OnTrack Podcast episode Zach Peterson sits down with Alain-Sam Cohen and Nabil Chouba of InstaDeep's DeepPCB to find out what that actually takes. They explain why classic autorouters fail on configuration rather than on routing, how a reinforcement-learning routing engine paired with Cooper, a natural-language orchestrator, detects net classes, decoupling caps, reference planes, and USB impedance problems before a single trace is drawn, and where LLM-driven PCB-as-code tools fit alongside placement and routing. 

Then they open one of Zach's own boards live, let Cooper flag what the design file left unspecified, and compare it with a run they let converge before the show. If you've watched a one-line AI prompt produce an epic hardware fail, this is the case for task-based AI in PCB design and the design knowledge you still need to bring to it.

📚 More from this Episode:
- DeepPCB: https://deeppcb.ai 
- InstaDeep: https://instadeep.com

💡 Watch Next:
- AI PCB Autorouting: What's Real and What's Hype: https://youtu.be/YJTbsoxPg7E
- AI PCB Layout vs. Human Design: The Honest Truth: https://youtu.be/qX29OWSYTmI
- The Black Box Problem With AI PCB Layout Tools: https://youtu.be/JiR10b7f41g
- Code-Based PCB Design with AI: Inside atopile: https://youtu.be/J1Dl5bUvm6E
- When to Use an Autorouter in PCB Design: https://youtu.be/Hgl7DttRaoo

💡 Stay Connected: Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from  @AltiumAcademy   Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

👉 Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy?sub_confirmation=1

Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.

👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altium/
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltiumOfficial/

The Altium Academy is an online experience created to bring modern education to PCB Designers and Engineers all across the world. Here you can access a vast library of free training and educational content covering everything from basic design to advanced principles and step-by-step walkthroughs. Join industry legends as they share their career knowledge, review real-life design projects, or learn how to leverage one of Altium's leading design tools. No matter your level of experience, the Altium Academy can help you become a better Designer and Engineer!

About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.

#altium #pcbdesign #pcbrouting