Questions engineers ask.
If you don’t find your answer here, email us at [email protected] — a senior EE replies, not a bot.
Services
What is your typical turnaround time?
Design complexity drives schedule. Straightforward 4-layer DDR4: 3–5 weeks. Complex 14-layer high-speed (DDR5/PCIe Gen 5) with TRM thermal signoff: 8–12 weeks. We quote a schedule before starting — not after.
Do you require an NDA?
We sign yours, or use ours. Every engagement is covered. Proprietary boards never leave our local machines — we don’t use cloud tools for design work. This is why ITAR and defense teams hire us instead of firms that use Altium 365 AI.
What file formats do you deliver?
Altium Designer project files (native), Gerber RS-274X, ODB++, STEP/IDF mechanical, BOM (Excel + Altium-native), schematics (PDF + native). You get everything needed to manufacture without us.
Can you take over a failing design?
Yes — this is a third of our work. We start with a design audit (stackup, SI, PI, thermal), identify root causes, and re-spin from there. You get a written findings report before we touch the layout.
TRM Thermal Simulation
What is TRM’s accuracy?
±3 °C typical against thermocouple measurement on real boards. Better than Icepak on most SMD configurations because TRM’s mesh adapts to copper pour geometry, not volumetric approximations.
Do I need Altium to use TRM?
No. TRM imports ODB++, IDF, and its own format. Most EDA tools export one of these. The browser trial requires no software install at all — start a simulation in 5 minutes.
How long does a simulation take?
First sim: 3–5 minutes (no meshing step). Parameter sweeps — varying power, ambient, copper weight — run in seconds after that. No overnight queue, no meshing wizard.
AI Tools
Is my design data safe with your AI tools?
Yes — architecturally, not just by policy. BYOK tools (DFM, Datasheet, Gerber, Lab) call AI APIs directly from your browser. PhyCircuit’s servers never see your files. Phi Altium runs entirely on your own machine through a local MCP server — no data leaves your computer at any step.
Do I need an API key?
Tools work in demo mode without a key. For real AI results: paste a free Groq key (gsk_…) or Google Gemini key (AIza…) — both free, no credit card. Your own Anthropic key (sk-ant-…) works too.
What is Phi Altium?
Phi Altium is an AI agent that reads your live Altium design through a local MCP server, classifies nets, audits power delivery, and generates a scored AI Design Review with an orderable decap BOM. Proven on 2 boards (audio + Xilinx FPGA). 50 live MCP tools. 54/54 net classifier tests passing. It is in early access: join the waitlist.
Pricing & Process
How do you price projects?
Fixed-fee bands, quoted upfront. Use our RFQ Scoper — tell us layer count, signal mix (DDR5/RF/power), thermal requirements, and deadline. You get a fee band within 24 hours. No hidden change orders; if scope changes, we discuss it before starting the new work.
Who do I talk to?
Ulisses — directly. 20+ years, 300+ boards: DDR5, PCIe Gen 5, 100G SerDes, 0.1–28 GHz RF, 200A power, rigid-flex. No SDR, no discovery call theater, no project manager buffer. If you email, a senior EE replies.