Advanced PCB auto-router
Installers for Windows and Linux can be downloaded here.
This software can be used together with all host PCB design software systems containing a standard Specctra or Electra DSN interface. It imports .DSN files generated by the Specctra interface of the host system and exports .SES Specctra session files.
Although the software can be used for manual routing in 90 degree, 45 degree and free angle modes, it's main focus is on autorouting.
You can run Freerouting as a standalone application.
After launching freerouting.jar, a window appears prompting you to select your exported .DSN design file.
After opening a design you can start the autorouter with the button in the toolbar on top of the board window.
While autorouter is running you can follow the progress both visually in the board editor and numerically in the footer.
You are going to have a short summary when it is finished.
You can now save your routed board as a .SES file in the File / Export Specctra Session File menu.
If you use KiCad, Autodesk EAGLE, Target3001! or pcb-rnd, click here for their integrations.
Freerouter was designed as a GUI program, but it also can function as a command line tool. Typically you would have an input file (e.g. Specctra DSN) that you exported from you EDA (e.g. KiCad). If this file has unconnected routes, you would want to wire those with autorouter, and save the result in a format that you can then import back into your EDA.
The following command line arguments are supported by freerouter:
-oit 0
means to continue improving until it is interrupted by the user or it runs out of options to test.-inc GND,VCC
will not try to wire components that are either in the "GND" or in the "VCC" net class.A complete command line looks something like this if your are using PowerShell on Windows:
java.exe -jar freerouting-1.9.0.jar -de MyBoard.dsn -do MyBoard.ses -mp 100 -dr MyBoard.rules
This would read the MyBoard.dsn file, do the auto-routing with the parameters defined in MyBoard.rules for the maximum of 100 passes, and then save the result into the MyBoard.ses file.
There are only installers for Windows x64 and Linux x64. Fortunatelly though the platform independent .JAR files can be run on the other systems, if the matching Java runtime is installed.
You will need the following steps to make it work:
JRE
as package type21
as versionjava -jar freerouting-1.9.0.jar
(macOS: please note that you can't start Freerouting from the Mac Finder, you must use the Mac Terminal instead!)
We ❤️ all our contributors; this project wouldn’t be what it is without you!
If you want to help out, please consider replying to issues, creating new ones, or even send your fixes and improvements as pull requests. Our developer documentation can help you with the technicalities.