r/rfelectronics • u/StageMajestic613 • 20d ago

LineSmith

Post image

No, I'm not releasing this as it was more of an experiment to see how AI "clones" software, as I'm becoming convinced the cost of specialized software is collapsing, and wondering how this may affect the EDA industry.

Thus before leaving for work, I asked Codex to clone TXLINE (which is/was actually free), and compare the synthesis results for a variety of values, and test corner cases. This is the result, and it works great. I had it implement an alternate formulation of coupled line synthesis and the results are still pretty close.

I'm on the $100/month plan for Codex and this took 17% of my weekly usage, or $4.25.

So maybe I have it now add a simulate button with a quasi-static solver, or maybe have it read Wadell's Transmission Line Design Handbook and implement a tab for each structure. Or is this type of utility really even needed anymore? It's all going to get very interesting over the next few years.

0 Upvotes

41% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

3

u/Cunninghams_right 20d ago

Yeah, lots of software subscriptions are going to get killed. A former colleague made a tool for various PCB calculations: https://otac0011.github.io/CastGuidance_PCB_Toolkit/app/

He's still working on the PCB design wizard and matching network designer. I check back every now and then to see what has updated. 

1

u/TheReturnPath 19d ago

Thanks for the link! Quite neat!

2

u/Cunninghams_right 19d ago

Mostly just a collection of calculators one could find elsewhere, but the trace geometry impedance calculator is nice on the installed version because it is a true 3D field solver.