# Flux vs Cadence Allegro and OrCAD: Build your Allegro and OrCAD boards without manual routing. Compare Flux and Cadence Allegro and OrCAD. Allegro and OrCAD are PCB design software that your engineers operate. Flux is an AI hardware engineer that does the design work. Bring your OrCAD and Allegro projects in, ask Flux to change them, and get them manufactured. Using Allegro and OrCAD, your engineers must place and route each board by hand. With Flux, you provide the requirement, and the AI engineer selects parts, draws the schematic, and routes the board. [Start Free Trial](https://www.flux.ai/signup) [Book a Demo](https://www.flux.ai/p/demo) ![Flux editor: the AI engineer plans and delegates tasks while the 3D view shows the complete device: enclosure, circuit board, and wiring](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-hero-device.webp) ## What Flux and Cadence Allegro and OrCAD are ### What Flux is Flux works as an autonomous hardware engineer for your team. Give it a requirement. It plans the design, selects the parts, draws the schematic, routes the board, models mechanical parts, and writes the firmware. It checks its work with simulation and design rule checks, then hands your engineers files ready for manufacturing. ### What Allegro and OrCAD are OrCAD is a suite of PCB design and analysis tools. It includes a schematic editor (Capture), an analog and mixed-signal circuit simulator (PSpice), and a PCB layout tool (PCB Designer).[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) Cadence Design Systems bought OrCAD in 1999 and integrated it with Cadence Allegro in 2005. OrCAD PCB Designer is sometimes called Allegro PCB Designer.[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) ## What Allegro and OrCAD do well ### PSpice simulation PSpice simulates analog and mixed-signal circuits. Component manufacturers supply PSpice models for their parts.[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) ### Part database OrCAD CIS keeps a database of available parts that you can update from component manufacturers.[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) ### Reference designs Many reference boards come in the OrCAD Capture format.[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) ## How Flux stands apart Flux selects from 734,000+ public parts with live pricing and stock, creates the schematic, places parts, and routes the board like a seasoned designer. It verifies the design against every datasheet, runs circuit and full-wave electromagnetic simulation, and delivers manufacturing files. Your engineers inspect and edit the result. Flux operates directly in your browser. ![Close-up of the ESP32 x86 PC board, marked Made with Flux](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/compare-photo-1009063.webp) Actual boards and enclosures built using Flux. Flux compared with Cadence Allegro and OrCAD | Feature | Flux | Cadence Allegro and OrCAD | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | AI hardware engineer with built-in design tools | PCB design and analysis software[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Who does the design work | The Flux agent. Your engineers inspect and edit. | Your engineers[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Schematic and parts | Built in. Selects from 734,000+ public parts. | OrCAD Capture[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Placement and routing | The AI engineer places parts and routes the board like a seasoned designer. Your engineers inspect and edit. | PCB Designer, which your engineers drive, with an auto-router[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Parts and sourcing | 734,000+ public parts, with real-time pricing and stock from distributors | A part database that you update from component manufacturers[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Simulation and design rule checks | SPICE, thermal, electromagnetic, and mechanical simulation, with design rule checks | PSpice analog and mixed-signal simulation, plus board-level analysis and design rule checks[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Manufacturing files | Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, bill of materials, pick-and-place, and other files | Prints for printed circuit board manufacturing[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | | Tool licenses | Included with your Flux plan: the editor, parts data, mechanical CAD, simulation, and manufacturing files. No extra purchases needed. | Capture, PSpice, and PCB Designer are separate products in the OrCAD suite[\[1\]](#compare-source-1) | ## [Board design](https://www.flux.ai/p/eda), done by your AI engineer. ### Routes like a seasoned designer Flux places parts and routes the board like a seasoned designer, respecting your design intent and layout rules. ### Parts you can purchase Flux selects from 734,000+ public parts. It verifies live pricing and distributor stock before placing any part on the board. ### Your layout rules Flux checks each board against your layout rules and your fabricator's capabilities. ### Reads every datasheet Flux reviews the datasheet for each part, verifying the design against documented pinouts, ratings, and operating limits. ## Move your Allegro and OrCAD work into Flux. Import your OrCAD project or Allegro board. Ask the agent to modify it. Then move to manufacturing: Flux gives you the exact files your manufacturer needs. Example request “Swap the linear regulator for an in-stock buck converter, then reroute the power traces.” ![An engineer holds a relay board in a blue 3D-printed enclosure](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/compare-photo-1008346.webp) Actual boards and enclosures built using Flux. - ![Altium](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/altium.svg) Altium Designer - ![Cadence](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/cadence.svg) OrCAD and Allegro - ![KiCad](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/kicad.svg) KiCad - ![Siemens](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/siemens.svg) PADS, Xpedition, and NX - ![Zuken](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/zuken.svg) CADSTAR - ![Autodesk](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/autodesk.svg) Eagle and Fusion - ![EasyEDA](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/easyeda.svg) EasyEDA - ![SolidWorks](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/solidworks.svg) SolidWorks - ![CATIA](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/catia.svg) CATIA - ![PTC](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/ptc.svg) Creo - ![Onshape](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/onshape.svg) Onshape ### Import your existing work Import entire projects, parts libraries, and 3D models. Schematics, parts, and placement transfer over, along with routing from most formats. ### Keep working with your AI engineer Imported designs are ready to edit immediately. Ask to "move the USB cutout 3 cm left" or "make the enclosure tighter", and Flux handles the work. ### Export for production Flux provides the files your manufacturer needs: Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, bill of materials, and pick-and-place for the board, plus STEP, STL, or 3MF for mechanical parts. Review all file formats Complete projects Altium, Cadence OrCAD and Allegro, KiCad, Siemens PADS and Xpedition, Zuken CADSTAR, Eagle, Fusion Electronics, EasyEDA, and DipTrace (XML export). Schematics, parts, connections, board outlines, and placement come across. Labcenter Proteus netlist and board exports bring in parts, connections, board outlines, placement, and routing. Part libraries Altium, OrCAD, PADS, KiCad, Eagle, Fusion Electronics, EasyEDA, and DipTrace libraries, Allegro footprints, and JEP30 part models become Flux parts. Mechanical files STEP, STL, OBJ, 3MF, and glTF models, plus DXF board outlines. Handoff to manufacturing and electronics tools Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, IPC-D-356 test netlists, bill of materials, pick-and-place, EDIF netlists, GenCAD, and KiCad board files. Handoff to mechanical design The full board and its parts as STEP, compressed STEP, BREP, VRML, glTF, and STL models, plus DXF layer drawings. Enclosures and brackets that Flux designs export as STEP, STL, and 3MF, ready for your mechanical tools or a 3D printer. Orchestration ## One request. A full team of AI engineers. Give Flux an entire product. The lead AI engineer divides it into workstreams, runs parallel tasks across projects, manages them, and reports back. ### Parallel workstreams Each workstream runs with its own agent. The main board, daughterboards, and enclosure develop at the same time. ### Across projects The lead AI engineer launches work in other projects and tracks everything from one place. ### Managed for you It monitors every task, redirects work that strays from the brief, and gathers the results. ### You remain in control Any changes that shift an interface or resize a board require your approval. Use case ### A product featuring three daughterboards Flux creates a brief for each board defining its outline, mounting holes, connectors, and matching enclosure openings. Each board receives its own project and dedicated AI engineer, running all three designs in parallel. Flux then places the completed boards into the main assembly, measuring clearances and connector alignment in millimeters. Verification lab ## Simulates and verifies its work before you build. Flux does not stop at generating designs. The AI engineer simulates and verifies its work using professional-grade solvers, then shows you the results. ### Circuit simulation Run SPICE simulation for analog, power, and mixed-signal circuits, analyzed directly by the AI engineer. ### Electromagnetic simulation Full-wave simulation on the routed board covers impedance, S-parameters, crosstalk, and antennas. ### Design rule checks Electrical and manufacturing rule checks run on every schematic and board. ### Datasheet checks Reads every part's datasheet and validates the design against documented pinouts, ratings, and limits. ### Thermal simulation Simulate heat and airflow across boards and enclosures before you build. ### Fluid simulation Simulate enclosure airflow and cooling, confirming that vents, fans, and heat sinks work prior to your first prototype. ### Mechanical simulation Finite-element stress analysis for brackets, enclosures, and mounts. ![SPICE load step of a 3.3 V buck converter](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/verification-lab-spice-load-step.webp) SPICE load step of a 3.3 V buck converter ![Thermal map of top and bottom copper](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/verification-lab-copper-thermal.webp) Thermal map of top and bottom copper ![Stress analysis of an aluminum bracket](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/verification-lab-bracket-stress.webp) Stress analysis of an aluminum bracket ![S-parameters of a USB data line, simulated on the routed board](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/verification-lab-usb-line-s-parameters.webp) S-parameters of a USB data line, simulated on the routed board Sourcing ## Selects parts you can buy today, at current market prices. Flux connects directly with leading suppliers of electronic and mechanical hardware. The AI engineer selects in-stock silicon, connectors, screws, and standoffs, checks pricing among vendors, and substitutes parts nearing end of life before board assembly starts. - ![Digi-Key](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/digikey.svg) Digi-Key - ![LCSC](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/lcsc.svg) LCSC - ![Mouser](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/mouser.svg) Mouser - ![Arrow](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/arrow.svg) Arrow - ![Verical](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/verical.svg) Verical - ![TME](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/tme-wordmark.svg) TME - ![HQonline](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/hqonline.svg) HQonline - ![McMaster-Carr](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/mcmaster.svg) McMaster-Carr - ![MISUMI](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/misumi-wordmark.webp) MISUMI - ![JLCMC](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/jlcmc.svg) JLCMC Manufacturing ## Fetches quotes from your fabricators whenever the design changes. Flux pulls quotes directly from fabricators for boards and assembly, plastic and metal 3D printing, CNC machining, sheet metal, laser cutting, injection molding, casting, and wire assemblies. The AI engineer compares price and lead time, validates the design against rules from each fabricator, and updates quotes as the design changes. ### Circuit boards and assembly - ![JLCPCB](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/jlcpcb.webp) JLCPCB - ![PCBWay](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/pcbway.svg) PCBWay - ![OSH Park](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/oshpark.webp) OSH Park - ![AISLER](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/aisler.webp) AISLER ### Mechanical parts - ![Craftcloud](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/craftcloud.svg) Craftcloud - ![JLC 3D printing](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/jlcpcb.webp) JLC 3D printing - ![PCBWay 3D printing](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/pcbway.svg) PCBWay 3D printing - ![Shapeways](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/shapeways.svg) Shapeways - ![OSH Cut](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/oshcut.svg) OSH Cut - ![SendCutSend](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/sendcutsend.svg) SendCutSend ### Cables and wiring harnesses - ![MiniProto](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-logos/miniproto.webp) MiniProto ## Why teams switch from desktop tools ### A single tool for the whole design The board, mechanical parts, and firmware stay in one project. The agent can update the board and mechanical parts together. You do not transfer files between electronics software, mechanical tools, and a code editor. ### Runs inside your browser You do not install software or manage license servers. Flux runs on any computer using a modern web browser. ### One current copy per project Distribute any project through a URL. Teammates can make edits simultaneously. No one emails attachments or wonders which revision is current. ### No updates Fresh capabilities and new AI models deploy automatically. You avoid installing software updates or migrating project archives. ### Parts ready to use The Flux library includes 734,000+ public parts. You do not need to build a parts library before starting. ### Your team starts in minutes Add collaborators via URL. Single sign-on and project-level permissions determine user access. One platform ## Along with mechanical parts and firmware too. Flux replaces disparate CAD programs with one unified AI-native platform. Every technical field references the same project, identical engineering data, and one AI engineer. 1. ![Boards, enclosure, and mounts in one model](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-device-cutaway.webp) ### [Mechanical design](https://www.flux.ai/p/mcad) Design parametric enclosures, brackets, and mounts matched to the board's actual mounting holes and connectors. Import your own STEP models. Use one parts library for the complete product: chips and connectors, off-board devices, and mechanical hardware like screws and standoffs. 2. ![STM32 current-loop firmware that Flux wrote and compiled, in a syntax-highlighted code block](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/teams-stm32-current-loop-firmware.webp) ### Firmware Firmware created for the board Flux designed, targeting Arm Cortex-M, RISC-V, AVR, or Pico, then compiled, analyzed, and unit tested. ![Boards and 3D-printed enclosures made with Flux on a workbench](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/compare-photo-1008550.webp) Actual boards and enclosures built using Flux. Model-agnostic AI ## Your trusted AI models. Built-in engineering capabilities. Flux connects frontier AI models to advanced engineering infrastructure built for CAD and EDA. Models deliver logic. Flux contributes the specialized tools, project context, and workflows that transform that reasoning into physical hardware. - OpenAI - Anthropic - Google Gemini - More as they ship Adaptive model routing ### Frontier model performance at 30% lower cost. Adaptive divides each engineering job into tasks and assigns each task to the model that runs it most efficiently for the price. Complex design decisions route to frontier models. Routine work routes to fast, low-cost models. Independent tasks run in parallel, so complete hardware comes together faster. Your team interacts with a single AI engineer, while Flux coordinates the work behind the scenes. ### Frontier AI models - Reasoning - Planning - Language ### Flux engineering harness - CAD and EDA tools - Project context - Simulation - Design rules ### Working hardware - Schematics - Boards - Enclosures - Firmware - Fab files - Product videos ### Every frontier model on one platform Use the frontier models your team already trusts, directly inside Flux. ### Built-in engineering superpowers Each model uses Flux's dedicated engineering tools, project context, and specialized workflows. ### Upgrade without project migration When a better model is released, your team can use it without moving to a different engineering platform. ### Zero single-vendor lock-in Avoid dependence on a single model provider for your engineering capacity. ### The right model for each step Adaptive pairs each engineering step with the most effective model, from core design decisions to routine checks. ## Your designs belong to you. - SOC 2-aligned cloud infrastructure - Single sign-on (SSO) - Project-level permissions - All inputs and outputs remain your IP - No model training on customer data ## Flux pricing - ### Explore See current pricing Trial terms depend on your current offer. - ### Build See current pricing Trial terms depend on your current offer. - ### Pro See current pricing Trial terms depend on your current offer. - ### Teams See current pricing Teams subscriptions start paid. Eligible individual plans include a free trial. Teams subscriptions start paid; trial and pricing terms depend on your current offer. [See all plans](https://www.flux.ai/p/pricing) ## When to use which Choose Allegro or OrCAD when your engineers prefer to design every board by hand. Choose Flux when you want an AI engineer to handle the design work while your engineers review it. ## Questions ### Can I import my OrCAD and Allegro projects into Flux? Yes. Flux imports OrCAD schematics, OrCAD projects, and Allegro boards. Schematics, parts, connections, board outlines, and placement all transfer over. From there, Flux can route the board. ### How good is the routing? Flux places parts and routes the board like a seasoned designer. It follows your design intent and layout rules. Your engineers inspect the result and can modify any trace. ### Can Flux simulate my circuit? Yes. Flux runs full-wave electromagnetic and circuit simulations on the routed board. It also verifies the design against each datasheet. ### Can Flux export manufacturing files? Yes. Flux generates Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, IPC-D-356 test netlists, bill of materials, and pick-and-place files. ### Do my engineers lose control of the design? No. Flux organizes the work, designs it, verifies it, and delivers results that your engineers can review and edit. ### Do I have to install any software? No. Flux executes entirely within your browser. New tools and upgraded AI models appear automatically, leaving nothing to update manually. ### Can my team collaborate on the same project? Yes. Send coworkers a project link. Several engineers can edit simultaneously. Single sign-on and project-level permissions manage access rights. ### Does Flux train on my designs? No. Flux never trains on customer data. All inputs and outputs remain your IP. ![](https://www.flux.ai/p/assets/homepage-v2/compare-photo-1008291.webp) ## Send your next requirement to Flux. Explore individual plans, or schedule a demo with our team. [Start Free Trial](https://www.flux.ai/signup) [Book a Demo](https://www.flux.ai/p/demo) ## Sources 1. OrCAD (Wikipedia): company and products: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OrCAD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OrCAD)