Flux Blog

News, resources, and company updates

A screen that looks like the part of a game where you choose your character. Except the characters are different helmets, representing how Copilot can change for each application. The categories are Aerospace, Edge Computing, UAV, Telecom, Robotics, Audio, Marine and Defense

Flux Copilot Can Adapt To Your Objectives

Today, we’re thrilled to launch a powerful new feature that allows you to declare project requirements like operating temperature, voltage, or compliance standards so Copilot can leverage that knowledge to accelerate tedious tasks like BOM verification, debugging, and part recommendations freeing you to do more of the work you love.

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August 23, 2023

Understanding the Fundamentals: MOSFET Basics for Beginners

The blog delves into the essentials of MOSFETs, a cornerstone in electrical engineering, highlighting their voltage-controlled nature and efficiency. It contrasts MOSFETs with BJTs and JFETs and explains pivotal parameters like Vgs and Vd. Their low power consumption, versatility, and role in modern electronics are underscored."

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September 21, 2023

Understanding the Flyback Diode: Your Essential Guide to Functionality and Why You Need One

Managing inductive loads in electronics can pose challenges due to voltage spikes. The flyback diode serves as a protective component, preventing damage to delicate parts like transistors. This article dives deep into its functionality, types, and real-world applications.

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September 18, 2023

Explore the Advantages of Buck and Boost Converter in Modern Electronics

Buck and Boost converters are highlighted for their power efficiency and system reliability roles. The blog reveals their unique advantages, making them essential in diverse applications like renewable energy and portable electronics.

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September 16, 2023

LM741 Pinout: A Deep Dive into a Classic Op Amp

The blog post provides an in-depth look at the LM741 pinout diagram, explaining the functions of each pin, including inverting and non-inverting inputs, and comparing the LM741 to the LM324. It also covers various applications of the LM741 as an amplifier and a comparator.

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September 14, 2023

LM2596 in Action: Case Study of Its Application in Power Supply Units

The LM2596 is a versatile voltage regulator used in various buck converters and power supply applications. The blog explores its key components, such as inductors, capacitors, and FETs, and provides insights into its broad voltage capabilities.

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September 12, 2023

AC to DC Converter: The Backbone of Power Electronics

Explore the mechanics of converting AC to DC in this comprehensive blog post. The article covers everything from the role of transformers in adjusting voltage levels to the function of bridge rectifiers and capacitors in shaping the waveform.

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September 7, 2023

Understanding Pull-up and Pull-down Resistors: A Guide for Arduino and Microcontrollers

This article provides a comprehensive guide on pull-up and pull-down resistors, emphasizing their importance in establishing a known voltage level on microcontroller pins. It explains how to implement these resistors in Arduino circuits, discussing functions like pinMode and digitalRead. It also dives into real-world applications, voltage dividers, and tips for avoiding common mistakes.

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September 5, 2023

Discovering PCB Manufacturing: Technologies That Shape the Industry

In this blog, you'll get an insider's look at PCB manufacturing, learn how PCB boards have evolved, and why they're vital in almost every piece of tech you use. We cover all the bases from circuit board printing for basic gadgets to the advanced techniques used by top PCB manufacturers for multilayer boards. The blog also sheds light on upcoming tech that could redefine the industry. It's essential reading for anyone interested in electronics or PCBs.

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September 1, 2023

What Is a Netlist? Understanding the Basics of Electronic Design Automation

The blog is an educational resource on netlists, detailing their role as intermediaries between circuit schematics and physical layouts. Special attention is given to different types of netlists, such as FPGA and RTL. It outlines the crucial role of accurate netlists in hardware functionality and discusses the various formats used in the design process.

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August 30, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Electrical Connectors and Wiring Connection

This comprehensive guide explores the roles and types of electrical connectors in any wiring project. From crimping tools to wire strippers, it outlines the tools and techniques needed for efficient electrical wiring. The post also provides safety tips and insights into specialized connectors.

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August 25, 2023

ESP32 Vs Arduino: Why Choose One Over the Other in 2023

Our 2023 guide compares ESP32 and Arduino, two essential microcontrollers in IoT. ESP32 offers advanced features like Wi-Fi, while Arduino excels in ease of use and community support. Choose based on your project's complexity and needs.

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August 23, 2023

What is Arduino Pro Micro: a Comprehensive Introduction for Novices

The Arduino Pro Micro is a compact microcontroller within the Arduino ecosystem, based on the ATmega32U4. It's ideal for small applications, offering 20 digital I/O pins, built-in USB support, and easy programming. While having some limitations, its flexibility makes it popular for wearables, robotics, and DIY projects.

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August 18, 2023

What Is an Oscillator? Beginner's Guide to Oscillating Circuits

Oscillators are electronic circuits producing oscillating signals without an input. Types include sine, square, sawtooth, triangular, and pulse wave oscillators. Crystal oscillators use vibrating crystals for precise frequencies, crucial in clocks and radios. RF oscillators operate at radio frequencies, essential in broadcasting and telecoms.

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August 15, 2023

Ditch Datasheets with this Flux Copilot Upgrade

Today, we're proud to announce a significant upgrade to Flux Copilot: Copilot can now understand datasheets and reference them in its responses. This means you get more accurate responses when asking Copilot questions about specific parts. This enables you to directly utilize the wealth of data often hidden in the layers of these dense technical documents.

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July 26, 2023

Exploring ESP32: from History to Application

ESP32 microcontrollers are affordable, low-power SoCs with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Offering dual-core processing, ample memory, and versatility, they excel in IoT, wearables, and smart home applications. The ESP32's continuous evolution promises exciting possibilities ahead.

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July 25, 2023

What Makes Good Circuit Simulation Software: Factors to Consider in 2023

Circuit simulation is a crucial tool in electronic design. It uses software to predict how circuits will perform, saving time and money. Popular options like Flux, LTSpice, and CircuitMaker offer powerful features.

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July 24, 2023

Designing PCBs: What Are the Essential Steps

Designing a PCB is an intricate and engaging process that plays a pivotal role in electronics. The steps and tips provided in this article are not exhaustive but will certainly help you in your journey to designing effective and efficient PCBs. Armed with these insights, it's time to bring your electronic ideas to life with your own PCB designs

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July 24, 2023

Raspberry Pi Pico Schematic in 20 minutes using Flux Copilot

Imagine designing a PCB in a third less time than you're used to - that's the power of Flux Copilot's new upgrade, allowing it to wire components together for you. In this tutorial, we'll walk you through the important workflows and example prompts to help you design a Raspberry-Pi-Pico-like board in 20 minutes.

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June 27, 2023

Generative AI for Hardware Design

We're excited to reveal a major upgrade - Flux Copilot is transitioning from being a helpful guide to a proactive partner. It no longer just advises but, with your approval, can now wires components together! This is a small step towards fully generative AI, reducing the time and complexity often associated with component connections.

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June 27, 2023

20+ Amazing Flux Copilot Prompts for Hardware Design

We’ve been so amazed with the ways you’ve used Copilot to brainstorm, debug, and conduct part research that we’ve compiled some of our favorite prompts you can copy and paste, or modify for your own use!

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June 20, 2023

Schematic Diagrams In Electronics

If you're looking to improve your understanding of schematic diagrams, this article is the perfect starting point. Let's explore the crucial role of circuits and components schematics in translating conceptual electrical designs into physical printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).

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June 9, 2023

PCB Design: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Before you start this exciting journey, it's essential to equip yourself with the right knowledge, tools, and preparations. This article offers practical insights and suggestions to help you lay a strong foundation for your PCB design projects.

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June 7, 2023

Improving User Interaction Performance: Introducing log-time-to-next-idle Tool

Discover how Flux.ai enhanced its web app performance using the open-source tool, log-time-to-next-idle. The blog details how to measure user interactions and pinpoint their completion point for optimal performance. Learn from our experience and apply these strategies to refine your app's user experience.

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May 24, 2023

Convert your Typescript codebase to No Unchecked Indexed Access

Describes Flux.ai's process of enabling 'noUncheckedIndexedAccess' in their TypeScript codebase. This setting enhances type safety by enforcing checks for possible 'undefined' values but introduces numerous type errors in a large codebase. To manage this, Flux.ai used heuristics and automation to suppress new errors with '!' and automate fixes using a provided script.

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May 19, 2023

How to replicate data from the main thread to a web worker using ImmerJS

In this blog post, we explore how Flux.ai effectively uses Web Workers and ImmerJS to enhance data replication in our web-based EDA tool. We discuss our challenges with data transfer, our exploration of SharedArrayBuffer, and our ultimate solution using ImmerJS patches.

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May 18, 2023

Flux Copilot - The First AI Powered Hardware Design Assistant

Effortlessly enhance your electronic product development with Flux Copilot, the innovative design assistant by Flux. With features like schematic feedback, component selection, and design analysis, Flux Copilot leverages the power of AI to accelerate innovation, save costs, and avoid mistakes in your PCB design process.

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April 26, 2023

Arduino Uno Basics: Beginner's Guide to Getting Started

In this article, we will explore Arduino Uno's fundamental concepts, specifications, and its comprehensive pinout details including programming with the Arduino IDE.

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April 20, 2023

Resistor Color Code Calculator

Easily calculate resistor values with Flux online Resistor Color Code Calculator. This powerful tool saves time and eliminates errors for electronics enthusiasts and professionals.

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April 19, 2023

Parallel and Series Resistor Calculator

Effortlessly calculate parallel and series resistor values with our accurate, user-friendly tool designed to optimize circuit performance and streamline electrical design processes.

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April 19, 2023

Introduction to the ATtiny85 Microcontroller

From programming to hardware connections, this ATtiny85 comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know to get started. Read on and start exploring the endless possibilities of this tiny yet mighty microcontroller.

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March 11, 2023

ESP32 Pinout: Everything You Need to Know

Looking for a comprehensive guide to ESP32 pinout? Check out our article that covers everything you need to know about the ESP32's pins, including digital, analog, PWM, and Strapping pins. Perfect for beginners and experts alike, our guide will help you understand the ESP32's pinout and how to use it in your projects.

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March 2, 2023

Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Review: a Powerful and Affordable Mini Computer

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is a small and powerful computer with impressive performance for its size and price. With a quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, built-in wireless connectivity, and a USB On-The-Go port, it's suitable for many projects, including home automation, media centers, and robotics.

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February 25, 2023

Flux Public Launch Announcement

We’re incredibly excited to announce that we have decided to open up Flux and move out of private beta! What does this mean? If you’re a current user of Flux - nothing will change for you. For new users, this means that we’re now allowing anyone and their team to signup!

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February 16, 2023

Arduino Vs Raspberry Pi: Which Is the Best Board for You

Arduino and Raspberry Pi are two of the most popular single-board computers used by electrical engineers for various projects. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, and choosing between the two depends on the specific requirements of a project.

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February 7, 2023

Arduino Uno Schematic Diagram: A Comprehensive Guide

In this article, we will discuss the key components of the Arduino Uno schematic, including the microcontroller, voltage regulator, USB interface, and passive components, and how they work together to make the board work.

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February 7, 2023

Raspberry Pi Pinouts: A Comprehensive Guide

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to the Raspberry Pi pinout diagram, including a description of each pin and its functions.

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February 4, 2023

How to Use Flux When Soldering Electronics

A comprehensive guide to using solder flux in electronics soldering. Soldering flux is used to clean and prepare the surfaces of the components that need to be joined. It helps to remove oxidation and other contaminants that can prevent a strong bond from forming. Flux also reduces surface tension, allowing the solder to flow more easily and improves the wetting of the components.

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February 3, 2023

Exploring Different Types of Vias in PCB

One of the key components of PCBs are vias, which are tiny pathways that allow electrical signals to travel from one layer of the board to another. Vias are a staple of PCB design.

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January 31, 2023