# Streamline Component Research with AI Copilot links to components for quick part research, offering multiple options tailored to your needs - offering multiple options tailored to your needs. Written by [Jake Hertz](https://www.flux.ai/jakehertz) Published Jul 2024 - 2 min read [![Flux copilot, a hardware design assistant is responding to a user request to provide him drop-in replacement for an electronic component in his project. Behind is a complicated realistic printed circuit board.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/streamline-component-research-with-ai/main.webp)](#) ## Component selection is a tedious process. You have to identify your needs, research options, read datasheets, and make comparisons. Only then can you make a choice. ## Historically, the process is scattered, with each step occurring on disparate platforms. Research happens on your browser at places like DigiKey. Reading datasheets means downloading and viewing PDFs with the software of your choice. Creating parts and drawing schematics happens in your design tool. At Flux, we’re bridging this gap and bringing all the hardware design process under one roof. Today, we’re giving Copilot the ability to link to parts when it makes suggestions, so that your team can easily research components without having to leave the tool. Just click the link and instantly access everything you need to know: specs, datasheets, real-time pricing, and even usable models—all within Flux. ### Part Research [ ![](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-component-selection/response-example-2.webp) ](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/research-components-faster-with-ai) Learn more about [part research](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/research-components-faster-with-ai) When your team needs to find a part for your design, Copilot is your best friend. Simply provide it with your needs, criteria, and project-specific restrictions. Then watch as it offers you multiple component options, each meeting your team’s unique needs. Now that Copilot can link to components within its responses, your team has a new advantage. You can go from part option to part research immediately. Simply click the link on the Copilot-suggested part, and you’ll be brought to that part’s page within Flux. There, you’ll find everything you ever wanted to know about the part, including performance specifications, datasheets, real-time sourcing and pricing, and even usable schematic symbols, footprints, and 3D models. No more switching tabs and software. The entire component selection process lives in one tool, meaning your team can work quicker and more efficiently. ### Part alternatives [ ![](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-component-selection/response-example-3.webp) ](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/research-components-faster-with-ai) Learn more about [part alternatives](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/research-components-faster-with-ai) Say your team already selected a part, but you’re in need of alternative options. Maybe you need to cost-optimize your design with more affordable components. Or, maybe your part is out of stock and lead-times are months long. Copilot shines here by leveraging its knowledge and Flux’s vast database of components to find your team the best options for your specific project. Copilot can understand your project architecture and the interplay between components within your schematic. With knowledge of that context, Copilot can find the best part alternatives that meet your needs without risking your designs functionality or performance And, with parts linked directly in Copilot responses, you can go from searching for alternative options to designing with those alternatives in minutes. No searching DigiKey. No creating footprints or models. Follow Copilot’s link, read up on your new part, and drag and drop it directly into your design. ### The Future Imagine a world where hardware design is streamlined, intuitive, and collaborative. That's the future we're building at Flux. Hardware design doesn’t need to be scattered, confusing, and slow. Want to learn more about how your team can 10x efficiency? [Sign up for Flux today.](https://www.flux.ai/signup) ## About the author [Jake Hertz](https://www.flux.ai/jakehertz) Electronics Engineer at Flux Jake Hertz is an Electrical Engineer who works with Flux. He has his M.S. and B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and previously worked for MakerBot Industries where he worked developing the electrical systems for next-generation 3D printers. Find him on Flux [@jakehertz](https://www.flux.ai/jakehertz) Let’s start building Build your big idea together with Flux. All you need to do is describe what you want to make, or what problem you want to solve. Flux will work with you to make it a reality. ![Close-up photo of a PCB made with Flux, with an ESP32 module, buttons, and a microSD slot.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/miscellaneous/sidebar-cta-pcb.webp) [Try it Free](https://www.flux.ai/signup) ## More in AI & Prompt Engineering for Hardware [ ![What Makes a Perfect PCB Design Prompt](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/how-to-write-a-perfect-pcb-design-prompt/main.webp) ### What Makes a Perfect PCB Design Prompt 8 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/what-makes-a-perfect-pcb-design-prompt)[ ![Flux, an AI hardware engineer pointing out the dos and don'ts when prompting.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/prompting-guide/main.webp) ### Prompting Guide: Working with Flux from Idea to Schematic 9 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/prompting-guide-working-with-flux-from-idea-to-schematic)[ ![A space-themed image with a central cartoon astronaut helmet against a backdrop of stars and nebulae in shades of purple. Surrounding the helmet are eight speech bubbles with text relating to electronic design considerations, such as 'Review unconnected pins,' 'Check my design for errors,' and 'Radiation Hardness.' A ninth bubble says 'Share Review Template,' with a share icon.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-design-reviews/main.webp) ### AI Design Reviews 6 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-design-reviews)[ ![5 Pro Tips for Better Routing with AI Auto-Layout](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/5-tips-for-ai-auto-layout/main.webp) ### 5 Pro Tips for Better Routing with AI Auto-Layout 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/5-pro-tips-for-better-routing-with-ai-auto-layout)[ ![Top 20+ Flux Copilot Prompts for Hardware Design](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/top-copilot-prompts-2/main.webp) ### Top 20+ Flux Copilot Prompts for Hardware Design 9 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/top-20-flux-copilot-prompts-for-hardware-design)[ ![More than 20 amazing Flux Copilot prompts on a starry background](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/top-copilot-prompts/main.webp) ### 20+ Amazing Flux Copilot Prompts for Hardware Design 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/amazing-flux-copilot-prompts)[ ![Top 20+ Flux Copilot Prompts (Refreshed)](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/top-copilot-prompts-3/main.webp) ### Top 20+ Flux Copilot Prompts (Refreshed) 7 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/top-20-flux-copilot-prompts-refreshed)[ ![a space-themed background with stars and a floating astronaut helmet to the left. Large, bold text reads '6 Prompting Tips to Get the Most Out of Copilot', indicating a focus on maximizing the use of a digital assistant or tool.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot-6-prompting-tips/main.webp) ### 6 Prompting Tips to Get the Most Out of Copilot 6 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/6-prompting-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-copilot)[ ![Graphic showing a red printed circuit board design with a list of common asked questions in Flux, such as overlapping copper and missing footprints. Based on the most common questions we hear from our users, it walks through practical solutions to unblock your designs and give you more confidence as you build.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/top-10-troubleshooting-tips-n-tricks/main.webp) ### Top 9 Most Asked Questions in Flux 6 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/top-9-most-asked-questions-in-flux)[ ![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](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot-templates/main.webp) ### Flux Copilot Can Adapt To Your Objectives 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/flux-copilot-ai-hardware-assistant-adapts-to-your-requirements)[ ![Design Circuits with Natural Language: Copilot Upgrade](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot-takes-action/main.webp) ### Design Circuits with Natural Language: Copilot Upgrade 6 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/design-circuits-with-natural-language-copilot-upgrade)[ ![Flux Copilot can learn how you work—your design principles, part selection preferences, schematic, and testing workflows—and remember them automatically](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot-knowledge/main.webp) ### Teach Copilot How You Work with Knowledge 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/teach-copilot-how-you-work-with-knowledge)[ ![The First AI Hardware Engineer](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/first-ai-hardware-engineering-intern/main.webp) ### The First AI Hardware Engineer 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/the-first-ai-hardware-engineer)[ ![A schematic diagram of a project on Flux showing an electrical engineer accessing the Copilot shortcut](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai_shortcut/main.webp) ### AI Shortcuts for PCB Design 2 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-shortcuts-for-pcb-design)[ ![Flux Copilot’s faster workflows with the new AI-first UI](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/new-ai-first-ui/main.webp) ### Less Clicking, More Building: The New AI-First UI 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/less-clicking-more-building-the-new-ai-first-ui)[ ![Screenshot of a PCB design tool showing an AI-powered review panel. The review panel highlights capacitor C56 with a red error indicating a voltage rating of 16V, below the required safe margin. A chat response suggests replacement capacitors with part numbers, demonstrating the AI's capability to recommend fixes for flagged issues.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-drc-panel/main.webp) ### Introducing the AI Design Review Tab 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/introducing-the-ai-design-review-tab)[ ![Flux Copilot - The First AI Powered Hardware Design Assistant can now route your PCB. Introducing AI Auto-Layout. With just one click, Copilot tackles the repetitive task of routing your board, delivering clean, human-like results that are easy to work with and iterate on.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-auto-layout-v1/main.webp) ### Introducing AI Auto-Layout 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/introducing-ai-auto-layout)[ ![Flux Copilot astronaut points at a PCB with the text “Smarter AI Auto‑Layout” overlaid, highlighting the intelligence of Flux’s AI Auto‑Layout feature.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-auto-layout-summer-update/main.webp) ### AI Auto-Layout Just Got Smarter 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-auto-layout-just-got-smarter)[ ![An astronaut placing electronics components and tracing complex signals on a complex glowing PCB board.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-auto-layout-v2/main.webp) ### AI Auto-Layout Winter Update 9 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-auto-layout-winter-update)[ ![Flux Copilot suspended in space, intellegently scanning electronic components datasheets](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ditch-datasheets/main.webp) ### Ditch Datasheets with this Flux Copilot Upgrade 2 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ditch-datasheets-with-this-flux-copilot-upgrade)[ ![Illustration of an astronaut helmet superimposed over a circuit board background, stylized as 'Flux Copilot Vision.' The helmet is detailed with a prominent, reflective visor in shades of purple and white, with a simplified antenna on the side, set against a complex pattern of digital circuits and glowing nodes. This is Copilot Vision, first multi-modal AI for hardware design for electronics and PCB engineers](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot_vision/main.webp) ### Flux Copilot Can Now See 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/copilot-can-now-see)[ ![Flux copilot writing and optimizing a firmware code of an electronic project](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/firmware-productivity-with-ai/main.webp) ### AI for Firmware Development: How to Code Firmware Faster 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/code-firmware-faster-with-ai)[ ![Research Components Faster with AI](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-component-selection/main.webp) ### Research Components Faster with AI 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/research-components-faster-with-ai)[ ![Instant Hardware Analysis with AI: Meet Copilot's Code Interpreter](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/code-interpreter/main.webp) ### Instant Hardware Analysis with AI: Meet Copilot's Code Interpreter 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/instant-hardware-analysis-with-ai-meet-copilots-code-interpreter)[ ![This image displays a sophisticated electronics testing setup. In the foreground, a person's hand holds a probe connected to a circuit board densely populated with various electronic components. The background features an oscilloscope screen showing waveform outputs and a digital meter displaying the number 0.95. A digital overlay on the image presents a test plan for signal integrity checks, listing steps such as confirming a voltage level of 3.3V, checking for a PWM signal at 1 kHz, and ensuring zero voltage (ground). The layout emphasizes precision and methodical testing in electronic design and development.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-electronic-testing-and-debugging/main.webp) ### AI for Electronics Testing and Debugging 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-for-electronics-testing-and-debugging)[ ![A hardware design assistant wearing a spacesuit helmet, automatically reading test points in a complex printed circuit board and doing design analysis](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-functional-testing/main.webp) ### AI for Functional Testing 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-for-functional-testing)[ ![AI design assistant named Copilot wearing a space helmet is scanning an electronic schematic diagram to optimize for production total cost by looking at every single electronic components, stackup configuration and packages](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-driven-cost-optimization/main.webp) ### AI-Driven PCB Cost Optimization 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-driven-pcb-cost-optimization)[ ![Simulate Circuits with a Prompt](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/simulate-circuits-with-a-prompt/main.webp) ### Simulate Circuits with a Prompt 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/simulate-circuits-with-a-prompt)[ ![Meet Files: AI-Native Project Documentation](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/meet-files-ai-native-project-documentation/main.webp) ### Meet Files: AI-Native Project Documentation 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/meet-files-ai-native-project-documentation)[ ![Flux copilot under the hood - an AI agent with access to real tools, structured data, and your active design context. Because it understands your schematic — the parts you’ve used, their interconnections, net names, designators, and annotations — it can reason about your design.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/flux-copilot-under-the-hood/main.webp) ### Flux Copilot: Under the Hood 8 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/flux-copilot-under-the-hood)[ ![An illustration showing AI-driven PCB design workflows with automated routing and placement optimization](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/how-ai-is-changing-pcb-design/main.webp) ### How AI Is Changing PCB Design 11 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/how-ai-is-changing-pcb-design)[ ![A screenshot displaying the Flux Copilot Chat dialog box on a computer screen, featuring a selection of specialized AI models, each uniquely tailored for various aspects of hardware design.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot_got_smarter/main.webp) ### Flux Copilot Just Got Smarter 2 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/flux-copilot-just-got-smarter)[ ![An astronaut in silhouette stands on a ledge, gazing at stars and planets that resemble electronic circuits, imagining the endless possibilities Flux Copilot offers in realizing his dream](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/future-of-copilot/main.webp) ### The Future of Flux Copilot 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/the-future-of-flux-copilot)[ ![Flux Copilot is creating a block diagram or architectural diagram of an electronic PCB project](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-powered-architecture-design/main.webp) ### AI-Powered Architecture Design 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-powered-architecture-design)[ ![An illustration of astronaut helmet spacesuit suspended in space.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot_v1/main.webp) ### Flux Copilot - The First AI Powered Hardware Design Assistant 8 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/flux-copilot-the-first-ai-powered-hardware-design-assistant)[ ![A schematic diagram with two integrated circuit symbols with a message bubble above it, featuring Copilot AI hardware assistant](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/generative-ai-for-hardware-design/main.webp) ### Generative AI for Hardware Design 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/generative-ai-for-hardware-design)[ ![Flux copilot optimizing the initial phase of hardware development process](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/ai-research-and-planning/main.webp) ### AI Research & Planning 5 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/ai-research-planning)[ ![Flux copilot just got smarter, cleaner layouts, fewer bugs. An astronaut traversing the galaxy having full control.](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/copilot-getting-smarter/main.webp) ### Smarter Copilot, Cleaner Layouts, Fewer Bugs 2 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/smarter-copilot-cleaner-layouts-fewer-bugs)[ ![Introducing Copilot Knowledge Base for Flux Engineers](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/how-to-transfer-your-knowledge-to-copilot/main.webp) ### Introducing Copilot Knowledge Base for Flux Engineers 6 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/introducing-copilot-knowledge-base-for-flux-engineers)[ ![Flux + GPT-5 (Beta)](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/flux-and-gpt-5/main.webp) ### Flux + GPT-5 (Beta) 4 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/flux-gpt-5-beta)[ ![Design hardware in the fast lane with Flux's new steerable agent](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/blogs/new-steerable-hardware-agent/main.webp) ### Design hardware in the fast lane with Flux's new steerable agent 3 Min Read](https://www.flux.ai/p/blog/new-steerable-hardware-agent) See All (41) ## Let’s start building. Let’s build your idea together. All you need to do is describe what you want to make, or what problem you want to solve. Flux will work with you to make it a reality. [Try it Free](https://www.flux.ai/signup) ![Close-up of a Flux-designed printed circuit board](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/mission-visual.webp)