As of mid 2025,
It still has a long way to go before being fully production-ready. For now, I'll hold off and wait until its ready

The Good

Here are several features that I found impressive, which set Flux EDA apart from other tools:

1) Realtime BOM prices

On the top right corner of the UI, there is a Price display. It updates in realtime as you add or remove components. This is very handy especially when you’re designing a board for batch production.

This feature is not yet available in EasyEDA and KiCad. While Altium does have an advanced feature called ActiveBOM, The way it is implemented in Flux is straightforward and user-friendly.

2) Schematic ←→ PCB Layout Live sync

Any change made in the Schematic is instantly reflected in the PCB Layout workspace, and vice versa. For context the other EDA tools require the user to manually import the changes from one workspace to another.

This might be ideal or not, depending on your workflow, but it was very helpful for me.

3) Project Gallery

While this is not an exclusive feature, the implementation in Flux is user friendly. These are projects contributed by a user. Flux has a great way to search and find these projects, Both templates and projects are searchable (they are essentially the same in flux)

In case of the other EDA tools, you will have to find it somewhere on the internet. Like github in case of Kicad. While Easyeda does have an open Gallery called OSHWLab with all the open source projects, the user contributed Modules are not yet searchable.

Templates and Modules are circuits which are reused in multiple projects, a good analogy is the boilerplate code in programming.

4) Co-pilot for Component Search

The co-pilot chat box is helpful when searching for components. Usually we have to visit a suppliers website and use the filters to find the perfect component.

This co-pilot has a context of the components and its features for most manufacturers. For beginners this should be more than enough to get started.

That's all the AI is good for. The co-pilot is a double-edged sword for Flux, and we'll explore that in the last part.

5) Customer support

I have been observing the flux slack group for the past two weeks, The Flux team is highly responsive, addressing user queries and clarifying doubts. They also add components to the Flux library based on user requests, that is good.

The BAD

Some of the pain points associated with using Flux EDA.

1) Schematic UI

I like that a dark mode is available, but why like this. Can you see whats in the schematic? The issue is not the dark mode, but the line width and monocolor UI.

Here’s a schematic from EasyEDA for reference,

For more complex designs, flux is not suitable since we also cant organize the schematic into different sheets. Official suggestion is to use the modules feature as a workaround.

My designs are usually simple, so I rarely have to use multiple schematic sheets. But I still had a hard time with that Flux schematic UI.

2) Everything combined into “Library”

All the EDA tools treat the components and common tools (like pads, holes, lines, text) separately. Flux combines everything into the library. Anyone who has worked with a different EDA (like KiCAD, EasyEDA) will find this annoying.

Here’s a screenshot from KiCAD, It is better to keeps these tools and components separate.

Maybe flux is trying for a different experience.

3) Rules Editor

The rules editor looks more oriented to programmers, the language definitely sounds that way (Objects, Values, Types). The rules is setup like CSS, not sure why they chose this for a PCB design software.

This might be easy for programmers who are looking to get into hardware design. But for hardware designers who are looking to switch from a different EDA tool; its gonna be a real pain.

For reference, the Altium rules manager still manages to keep it simple.

The Worst:

Here are a few aspects of the Flux PCB design tool that definitely needs to be improved.

1) The AI

Flux AI over promises, under delivers; Maybe this is applicable to all AI companies.

Other than helping with component selection, it not much good for anything else. Although it does have context of the schematic and PCB, its not ready to be used in production.

As a test,

• I gave a schematic PDF and asked it to recreate that in flux - not done

• Next I placed all the components and asked it to adjust the placements and do the wiring - not done

• So I manually did the schematic and pcb layout, Then tried the auto router feature - typical autorouter

This was a basic ESP32-C3 module based design. The co-pilot burned 300 credits and got nowhere. (300 credits would have cost 12 USD)

This is the contradicting part: For these simple you might as well just do it manually since the copilot is currently dead slow, and for more complex designs it cant help.

For my design sessions, it would cost me additional 25-100 USD worth of credits each week. As a hardware engineer, this would be a good deal if it actually worked since It would be a real time saver just to automate the simple tasks. Flux still has a long way to go.

2) No import/export

I consider this a basic feature. Flux can't import projects from other EDA tools, and it also can't export to other formats.

You can't even import a Flux file back into Flux, which is puzzling...

Personally, I don't like using any software that lacks interoperability, as it increases the risk of vendor lock-in.

Final thoughts:

AI & Hardware:

Vibe coding is nice for making simple apps and websites. If anything goes wrong, it just takes another update to fix it. For personal projects, this costs nearly nothing, maybe some loss of time.

But the AI aspect of hardware is highly problematic in the current stages. As with any hardware projects, it costs time and money, and for each revision it takes a lot of work to design, wait for the boards to arrive, then complete testing.

So less error-free revisions is better to get the product fast into the market.

Would you trust an AI to design the hardware? Definitely not now, I will just wait till it gets better.

For beginners:

If you’re from a programming background, you might find flux interesting. Definitely checkout the copilot features. Flux currently offers a two week trial.

But if you’re looking to get into PCB design, I would suggest EasyEDA or KiCAD - both are free and production ready. Learn More

This is actually my second time trying out flux, I first tested flux back in mid-2024. Even though its still slow, The copilot has become better. Looks like they are focusing more on the AI features rather than implementing the basic features.

Flux appears to be in its early stages, so I have high hopes for its future. The development pace is promising, especially with a team that is highly receptive to customer queries and doubts.

Who knows, I might even be recommending it in a couple of years.

My PCB design adventure began in 2019 with an [online tutorial](introduction: Getting started with an electronics project?%20You%20need%20to%20look%20into%20jlc%27s%20ecosystem). I ordered the PCBs from JLCPCB and the parts from LCSC. JLCPCB had just launched their assembly service, but I still got the parts separately just for the adventure of soldering those smd parts. It was a great experience getting the design become a reality.

If it was the 90s or even the early 2000s, I wouldn't have bothered with PCB design. It was way too expensive, and manufacturers weren't interested in small-time makers like us. It's the same reason we don't really do IC design now - the cost to get a wafer made is crazy high (and that’s not even counting slicing it up and packaging the chips), Selling a kidney might not be enough.
Hopefully, things will change when some fab starts doing prototype orders for hobbyists like us. IC design software has come a long way, so maybe by 2030 we can get our own custom ICs - that would be awesome.

Back to the present: If you're a hobbyist looking to create your own PCBs, it's now possible to design and get them made in under a month. You'll need some basic electronics knowledge and familiarity with components like transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Working with the ICs is no problem - we just refer to the datasheets. Fun fact: I designed my first PCB without even knowing how crystals worked! The point is, you only need to know enough to get started; nobody's an expert right away.

Before diving in, lets familiarize these terms

• EDA - Electronic Design Automation (PCB design software)

• DRC - Design Rule Check

• DFM - Design For Manufacturing

• PCBA - Printed Circuit Board Assembly

• THT - Through Hole Technology

• SMT - Surface Mount Technology

• SMD - Surfact Mount Device

From PCB design to fabrication - here's how you can make it cost-effective and warp-speed your development time.

1) Free Software First

When starting with PCB design, free software is the way to go. EasyEDA (cloud-based) and KiCad (open source) are the best options. For beginners, I recommend EasyEDA due to its user-friendly interface. Once you get the hang of PCB design, you can switch to KiCad or any other software - the core skills will transfer.

I personally use EasyEDA for my open-source projects because its fully integrated with JLCPCB & LCSC, which is where our members usually get our boards. Since the files end up at JLCPCB anyway, I'm not worried about using their cloud storage.

That said, You can also use Kicad - It's a fantastic open-source option that's constantly getting better. And if you like working with JLCPCB, there are some great open-source tools like easyeda2kicad and kicad-jlcpcb-tools to make things easier.

2) Manufacturer Capabilities

When designing a PCB, follow your manufacturer's capacilities (reference: JLCPCB, PCBWay, NextPCB). Set your software's DRC to match these rules; it will then flag any violations.

These specifications generally result in faster production and lower costs:

• FR4 board

• 2,4 layer

• 1.2, 1.6mm board thickness

• Vias 0.3mm or larger, smaller vias increase cost.

• Green color soldermask

3) Start with Hand-Solderable parts

image source: https://core-emt.com/smd-size-chart

When starting with SMD components, choose larger, hand-solderable sizes for easier rework. Avoid packages smaller than 0603 or those with hidden leads like QFNs and BGAs, as these are difficult to rework manually. Once you gain experience, you can move to smaller packages. While smaller components are often slightly cheaper, the difference is negligible for small quantities.

In general, prefer SMD components over through-hole. They are typically less expensive, especially for PCB assembly service.

4) The Cost-Benefit of PCB Assembly

Many manufacturers now offer affordable assembly (PCBA). For example, JLCPCB's assembly cost is only around $8-$25 for 5-10 boards.

• Depending on the complexity of your design, this can save you around 20-60 minutes of soldering time per board. Unless you want to manually reflow them or practice hand-soldering SMDs, just get your boards assembled.

• Double-sided assembly is considerably more expensive, usually costing 2-4 times more; as it adds an extra production step and requires a custom assembly fixture. For most designs, you should be able to pack the parts onto a single side.

• Other than the time-cost benefit, Sometimes getting PCBA can be cheaper than getting the bare boards and components separately. Just look up why some governments have less import tax for Assembled PCB compared to bare PCB - use that to your advantage.

- JLCPCB's ecosystem -

The previous tips were general to all PCB manufacturers. Now we will see how to optimize costs even more, specific to JLCPCB.

• Stick with "Economic" PCBA for prototypes. The "Standard" option is only needed for fine-pitch parts and special components.

• Use components from the JLCPCB parts library, they can be assembled using their PCBA service

• Pick basic/preferred parts for passives since Extended components are charged $3 extra.

As of March 2025, JLCPCB has great deals for 4 and 6 layer prototypes also. That's a great excuse to try it out.

Funding Your Open-Source Hardware:

The OSHWLab Stars initiative offers valuable prototyping support for open-source hardware projects. You can find more details in this article.

Ultimate Advantage:

JLCPCB's access to components from its sister company - LCSC, gives them a significant advantage over competitors, particularly for assembled PCBs. Nowadays bare PCB production is fast across most manufacturers. But Component sourcing time is the bottleneck, it can take an extra 1-3 weeks.

JLCPCB has zero Component sourcing time if you use parts from their library. The whole production (including assembly) typically takes less than a week for 2-6 layer boards.

This highly integrated supply chain allows them to provide the best lead time at the most affordable rates. This allowed them to capitalize on the price elasticity of demand by triggerring substantial demand from hobbyists and small businesses. Like I said before, I wouldnt have gotten into PCB design if it werent for these companies.

- Taking Your Project to Market -

Once you've completed prototyping and built a following, you may find there's demand for your product. What started as a hobby project could become a marketable product. You may not have expected this, but some people will want to buy your product, from you.

Whether you plan to sell bare PCBs, DIY kits, or fully Assembled devices, you'll need to consider additional services like kitting (packaging components together) and subassembly (assembling parts of the product). Also learn about DFM. This journey can be a wild ride, you'll get valuable learning experiences and the potential for a side hustle.

Important considerations:

• I use JLCPCB, so this article is biased in their favor. The focus here is on fast and affordable PCB prototyping. If you have a better alternative, let me know.

• The sales reps from various PCB companies say that their QC is better so they can't match with jlc's prices (for low volume orders), is it true? We will find out.

• Based on the assumption that most hobbyists would be sharing their projects with the community, I have recommended EasyEDA. If you're working on some secret stuff, then I don't have to say the obvious ;)

Article originally published on oshwlab.com

To get a PCB made, you'll usually need these files:

• Gerber - this is the blueprint of the PCB

• BOM (Bill of materials) - A shopping list of all the parts you need for your board

• CPL (Component placement list) - aka "pick and place" file

The BOM and CPL are required if you want the manufacturer to assemble the board. If you just need the bare PCB, the Gerber files are enough.

All the projects on OSHWLab are designed using EasyEDA, so we'll look at a simpler approach today.

Step 1:

Open the project in Easyeda using the open "Drawing Button"

Step 2:

Open the project. Each design will have a schematic file and a PCB file.

If there are multiple PCB versions, choose the one recommended by the designer.

Step 3:

After the PCB is opened click the "Order PCB" button

In Standard version, it will be under Fabrication

Step 4:

Confirm the generated data

The Standard version will ask for manual confirmation to check for DRC. The project designer would have already made sure it does not have any errors.
But it doesnt hurt to double-check. If no errors pop up, you can proceed.

Step 5:

All the necessary files will be automatically uploaded to the JLCPCB website, and the quote page will open.

Here are the specifications to adjust:

• Base material (usually FR4)

• PCB thickness

• PCB color - your choice, green is cheapest

• Surface finish - Lead-free recommended for health

You can leave the other specs unchanged

Leave the high-end specs at their default values. You can choose to remove the order number if you prefer.

Step 6:

Enable PCBA is component assembly if required (Highly recommended).
You can save a lot of time using this option.

You can also choose to have only 2/5 boards assembled.

The PCBA advanced options can be left at their default settings.

Click "NEXT" and proceed, again.

Step 7:

Normally, you'd have to upload the BOM and CPL files at this step. However, since we're ordering directly from EasyEDA, these files are also uploaded automatically.

You might see some errors, but generally, you can ignore them if the components are labeled DNP (Do Not Populate) or IGNORE, or as directed by project designer. This just means the component isn't included in the BOM and won't be placed during assembly.

Step 8:

This will show an overview of the components in the BOM.

If all components are selected, you can proceed.

Here's the tricky part: if a component is out of stock or there's an inventory shortage, you'll have to choose a suitable substitute. This is usually easy for passive components like diodes, resistors, capacitors, and LEDs. However, if an IC is not available, you'll need to find an alternative that's pin-compatible.

Step 9:

Next, you'll get an overview of the component placements. I haven't had any issues with EasyEDA and JLCPCB so far, so it should be good.

But if anything looks out of place, double-check the design and adjust the placement as needed.

Step 10:

Here you'll see a full price breakdown for your boards.

For bureaucracy reasons, you'll need to select a product class. Choose "DIY" unless you're absolutely sure it's something else.

Finally "Add to cart"

And that's how you order the Assembled boards to replicate a board shared in OSHWLab.

Notes:

I have made a proposal for a real One-click option. Share your interest in the forum - VIEW HERE

• The projects on OSHWLab are shared by community members like you and me. so the risk is yours to take.

• The One-click order option is only applicable if you're using JLCPCB for fabrication.

• I recommend this approach for hobbyists with some electronics experience. It's definitely not for absolute beginners.

EasyEDA Pro edition:

I designed my first PCB in 2019 using EasyEDA; learnt PCB design from a video of Electronoobs. Back then there was only EasyEDA, no pro edition.

I initially avoided OSHWLab Stars in early 2024 since the Pro edition of EasyEDA was buggy - barely usuable. So I designed the TrackLink V1 in the basic edition itself.

By mid-2024, most issues were resolved. then I designed the MICROSPORA board (6-layer) and applied for Stars.

As of January 2025, the software is running smoothly. Kudos to the EasyEDA team for their rapid bug fixes - Great job guys!

EasyEDA, being closed-source and cloud-based, carries the usual risks of vendor lock-in and privacy. Its strong ties to LCSC and JLCPCB suggest the free version will be there forever, as it serves as a promo to their services. I personally dont know anyone who uses the paid edition, I wonder who uses it - If you're a paid user, comment below; I would like to know about it.

For open-source projects, file storage on their servers isn't an issue given their public nature. With that addressed, let's proceed

About OSHWLab Stars:

We invite all electronics enthusiasts to participate in the event and share your open-source hardware designs.
We provide free PCB prototyping, 3D printing, CNC machining, and a series of other services. We invite you to create and share with us.

If you're developing an open-source project, this can be helpful to you.

The requirements are simple:

• Provide all source files to ensure the project is replicable.

• Design the PCB using EasyEDA Pro.

• You can receive funding for only one project at a time.

• Project entries cannot be withdrawn after funding is granted.

• Create a project with a real use. Dev boards are typically not approved.

• Projects must be safe and cause no harm (avoid hazardous or lethal designs).

Other things you should know:

• You retain copyright of your project (as it's open source, you cannot withdraw it).

• Funding covers services exclusively from JLCPCB (PCB, PCBA, 3D printing, CNC)

• You are permitted to sell the products you receive through this initiative.

Do these terms hold up in practice?

Yes, The OSHWLab team lives up to their promises. My experience with the MICROSPORA project was great. Approval was quick, and a minor issue with the JLCPCB coupon was also promptly resolved by the OSHWLab team. No contracts or complex agreements were required.

Despite taking two weeks to finish the project write-up after receiving the boards. I only received an email to follow up on the project status, there was no pressure from their team - I appreciate that.

Then I applied for the next project - TrackLink V2. It was the updated version of the original TrackLink V1. Like before, the whole process was very smooth. I received the boards as expected.

Here's the real catch:

Since my designs are relatively simple, it usually works well first time and no further revisions are required. But this time there was a small error in the design, a feature was not working as expected.

So naturally I applied for another coupon. Only then I got to know that this funding is provided only once for a project; this looks like an unwritten rule, it caught me by surprise since prototyping usually takes a few revisions.

It would be nice if we can mention the expected number of revisions in the application; it would increase transparency between the designer and oshwlab.

Who benefits from OSHWLab Stars?

• The Project creator

• The Open Source community

• JLCPCB Company

1. You get valuable prototyping support for your open source project, 2) More projects are added to the Open Source community. 3) JLCPCB also benefits, as EasyEDA and OSHWLab belong to them.

My community members order my designs directly from JLCPCB. So far so great, they are satisfied with our designs and JLCPCB's quality.

You make a project - you share it with the community - they order the boards from JLCPCB.

Thats a WIN-WIN-WIN

RamBros:

• Watch our videos - Youtube

• Join our Community - Discord

• Check out my PCB designs - OSHWLab

Notes:

• I think OSHWLab can make this process even more simple by integrating a "one click order" button so that our members don't have to mess with the PCB and SMT settings when they order our boards. (One of our member ordered the PCBs without the SMT Assembly, Ouch!)

• When you are applying for the Stars, make sure your design is completed first. Also it is easy to get approved if you have shared open source designs on OSHWLab previously.

What are your thoughts on this, comment below.