The plugin approach
Works inside Altium, Cadence, and KiCad. No rip-and-replace. Keep your libraries, your workflows, your suppliers.
What ships with the plugin
Altium first. Cadence and KiCad follow.
Schematic parsing & cross-probing
Reads multi-sheet hierarchical schematics. Select a component on schematic, jump to layout. AI-driven functional block grouping.
Library cleanup module
Scrubs component libraries against datasheets and IPC standards. Flags non-compliant footprints and inconsistent layer features.
Layer stackup automation
Generates layer stackups from impedance targets and manufacturer material specs. Plugs into your design rules.
Scrape-and-place from PDF
Reads mechanical drawings. Extracts keep-outs, component locations, height constraints. Places parts automatically.
Live Altium bridge
Connect directly to a running Altium Designer instance via the Trace CLI. AI design reviews, DFM analysis, and questions answered without leaving Altium.
CI/CD with GitHub Actions
Validate designs on every PR with automated ERC/DRC checks, AI-powered design reviews, and Gerber generation on release. Official GitHub Action included.
MCP server for AI agents
12-tool Model Context Protocol server works with Cursor, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible AI assistant. Your team's AI tools speak hardware.
Component sourcing
Cross-references component selection with live distributor stock, pricing, and lead times. Flags obsolete parts.
Bring your own manufacturer
Connect your own fab partner. Ask them to expose their API and Trace integrates it. DFM rules, quoting, and submission built in.
Who uses this
PCB design services bureaus
Design firms serving 30-100 OEM clients use Trace to 10x throughput. Same libraries, same conventions, faster output. The plugin means zero migration cost.
Research and hardware prototyping
R&D teams iterate faster with AI-assisted placement, automated DFM checks, and direct routes to prototype manufacturers. From concept to first board in days.
Defense, aerospace, medical devices
Enterprise engineering groups get per-engineer AI budgets, centralized billing, role-based access, and manufacturing partners validated for compliance.
Platform capabilities
Design conventions
AI learns your team's placement rules and style.
Version control
Every edit versioned. Rollback to any point.
Custom DFM rules
Per-project manufacturer constraints, validated live.
Per-engineer AI quota
Dedicated capacity. No shared pool.
Role-based access
Owner, admin, member. View-only for stakeholders.
Centralized billing
One invoice. Auto seat adjustments.
Workspace isolation
Personal and team contexts stay separate.
IPC compliance
Components validated against IPC-7351.
Manufacturer routing
Submit to pre-validated fab partners.
Component tracking
Live stock, obsolescence, and lead time checks.
Bring your own mfg
Connect any fab via their partner API.
Bring your own key
Route AI through your own API key from any supported provider.
MCP server + CLI
12-tool MCP protocol server. 35+ CLI commands for automation.
SSO and audit logs
SAML, compliance reporting. Enterprise plans.
Trusted by
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