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Your design is finally finished. The schematic is clean, the layout is complete, and you're ready to order parts. Then a key component comes back as backordered, unavailable, or far more expensive than expected. What looked like a stable design suddenly requires substitutions, rework, or tradeoffs—changes that ripple back through layout, validation, and mechanical constraints.

This happens because most EDA tools treat sourcing as an afterthought. Parts are selected early, a BOM is generated, and supply conditions are only checked once the design is locked. When availability or pricing shifts, the BOM becomes brittle, and changes become expensive.

Flux takes a different approach. Instead of treating pricing and availability as a post-design concern, Flux keeps live supply data connected to your project as you work. Your project becomes a living document that stays aligned with the supply chain, surfacing constraints early—when decisions are still flexible and changes are cheap.

See pricing and availability in part search

When you browse and select parts in the part library, Flux shows pricing and availability so you can spot sourcing constraints early. The Part Library panel is collapsed by default—expand it to see full pricing and availability details. You can also filter by stock status using the cart icon to show only available components.

Ask AI to find in-stock parts

Ask Flux AI to find parts that are in stock—it searches real-time supply chain data and understands your full project context. Instead of manually checking distributor websites, you get parts from the library that match your requirements and constraints.

Example prompt:

"I need a 16-bit ADC with at least 1 MSPS sampling rate for a battery monitoring application. Find what’s available within 2 weeks?"

Try this prompt now

Ask AI to find replacements quickly

Ask Flux AI to find a replacement that's in stock. It understands your full project context, including what the part connects to, how you're using it, and your design requirements and constraints, and suggests parts with similar packages and specifications.

It prioritizes availability over minor price differences and recommends parts already in the library, so you don't have to build them from scratch. Once you select a replacement, Flux AI can automatically drop it onto the canvas and wire it up for you.

Example prompt:

"Can you find me a cheaper replacement for U2?"

Check real-time distributor stock for any part

To check availability for a part, click on it in your design to open the inspector panel on the right. Scroll to the bottom, and you'll see real-time stock levels across multiple distributors—Arrow, Mouser, DigiKey, LCSC, Verical, and TME. This gives you a clear picture of whether a part is widely available or at risk of supply chain issues. If the part isn't in Flux's library, the system can search the broader internet to find availability data.

Note: You'll need a manufacturer part number (MPN) defined in the MPN property for generic parts.

Design with the supply chain in mind

Supply chain constraints don't go away once you've finalized your design—they just become more expensive to fix. The earlier you catch them, the more options you have.

Start treating sourcing as a design constraint, not a procurement problem. Check availability when you select parts. Let Flux AI flag risky components before you commit to a layout. And when something goes out of stock, find alternatives while you still have room to adjust.

The tools are already in your workflow. Use them before the BOM forces your hand.

{{try-it-in-flux}}

Flux takes a different approach. Instead of treating pricing and availability as a post-design concern, Flux keeps live supply data connected to your project as you work. Your project becomes a living document that stays aligned with the supply chain, surfacing constraints early—when decisions are still flexible and changes are cheap.

See pricing and availability in part search

When you browse and select parts in the part library, Flux shows pricing and availability so you can spot sourcing constraints early. The Part Library panel is collapsed by default—expand it to see full pricing and availability details. You can also filter by stock status using the cart icon to show only available components.

Ask AI to find in-stock parts

Ask Flux AI to find parts that are in stock—it searches real-time supply chain data and understands your full project context. Instead of manually checking distributor websites, you get parts from the library that match your requirements and constraints.

Example prompt:

"I need a 16-bit ADC with at least 1 MSPS sampling rate for a battery monitoring application. Find what’s available within 2 weeks?"

Try this prompt now

Ask AI to find replacements quickly

Ask Flux AI to find a replacement that's in stock. It understands your full project context, including what the part connects to, how you're using it, and your design requirements and constraints, and suggests parts with similar packages and specifications.

It prioritizes availability over minor price differences and recommends parts already in the library, so you don't have to build them from scratch. Once you select a replacement, Flux AI can automatically drop it onto the canvas and wire it up for you.

Example prompt:

"Can you find me a cheaper replacement for U2?"

Check real-time distributor stock for any part

To check availability for a part, click on it in your design to open the inspector panel on the right. Scroll to the bottom, and you'll see real-time stock levels across multiple distributors—Arrow, Mouser, DigiKey, LCSC, Verical, and TME. This gives you a clear picture of whether a part is widely available or at risk of supply chain issues. If the part isn't in Flux's library, the system can search the broader internet to find availability data.

Note: You'll need a manufacturer part number (MPN) defined in the MPN property for generic parts.

Design with the supply chain in mind

Supply chain constraints don't go away once you've finalized your design—they just become more expensive to fix. The earlier you catch them, the more options you have.

Start treating sourcing as a design constraint, not a procurement problem. Check availability when you select parts. Let Flux AI flag risky components before you commit to a layout. And when something goes out of stock, find alternatives while you still have room to adjust.

The tools are already in your workflow. Use them before the BOM forces your hand.

{{try-it-in-flux}}

Profile avatar of the blog author

Lance Cassidy

Lance is Co-Founder & CDO of Flux, a hardware design platform that’s revolutionizing how teams create and iterate on circuits. Find him on Flux @lwcassid

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Illustration of sub-layout. Several groups of parts and traces hover above a layout.
Illustration of sub-layout. Several groups of parts and traces hover above a layout.
Design PCBs with AI
Introducing a new way to work: Give Flux a job and it plans, explains, and executes workflows inside a full browser-based eCAD you can edit anytime.
Screenshot of the Flux app showing a PCB in 3D mode with collaborative cursors, a comment thread pinned on the canvas, and live pricing and availability for a part on the board.
Design PCBs with AI
Introducing a new way to work: Give Flux a job and it plans, explains, and executes workflows inside a full browser-based eCAD you can edit anytime.
Screenshot of the Flux app showing a PCB in 3D mode with collaborative cursors, a comment thread pinned on the canvas, and live pricing and availability for a part on the board.
Design PCBs with AI
Introducing a new way to work: Give Flux a job and it plans, explains, and executes workflows inside a full browser-based eCAD you can edit anytime.
Screenshot of the Flux app showing a PCB in 3D mode with collaborative cursors, a comment thread pinned on the canvas, and live pricing and availability for a part on the board.
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