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This article is one part of a walkthrough detailing how we recreated an NXP i.MX 8M Mini–based computer using Quilter’s physics-driven layout automation.
Early in our closed beta, we started asking users how they felt about the visual aesthetics of Quilter designs. Here's what they told us:
"Aesthetically, these traces look very different than my layout, and my client may not like this."
"It just strikes me as looking messier, you know? Like just kind of how the lines go all over isn't pleasing to my eye."
"It would be nice if there was an option to use isotropic routing style or the orthogonal routing style."
You asked, and we listened!
Quilter now utilizes octilinear trace routing (45 and 135 deg angles) for all generic traces routed by our design agent. Here are some photos of the same board mid-progress – both before and after applying our trace shortener and new octilinear trace routing cleanups.
While it's generally a myth that curvy traces are more "manufacturable" than octilinear ones, it's hard to argue that they don't look nicer and perhaps a bit more...human?
Have other ideas for how we could improve our circuit board designs? Let us know by sharing and voting on suggestions in the "Ideas" category of our community forums.
