OpenROAD Automation Platform → Cloud ASIC PnR & Signoff Studio
Execute autonomous digital ASIC physical design from Verilog RTL to tapeout-ready GDSII polygons. Author SDC and MMMC on vlsi.ace-seek.com, run containerized OpenLane PnR (Max), export Pro script packs, and—when your design has hard macros—optionally run Ace-AutoMacro during floorplan. Harvest DEF/GDS and stage reports in Studio. Formal EQY is export/local only (not a fake in-browser proof).
1 · Project & Design
Upload constraints.sdc, corners.tcl, Verilog RTL, and configure process parameters for Sky130 or GF180.
2 · Script Generation (Pro)
Automated Makefile, Yosys synthesis, OpenSTA timing scripts, OpenROAD Tcl commands, and container runners.
3 · Cloud PnR Studio (Max)
OpenLane container jobs: Yosys → Floorplan (+ optional Ace-AutoMacro) → Place → CTS → Route → Magic/KLayout signoff.
VLSI → OpenROAD Automation Workflow
Project
Drop the OpenROAD-format zip or files from VLSI OpenROAD Export.
Design
Edit RTL, testbench, SDC, and ace-seek-flow.json before running stages.
PnR Studio
Stage inputs, sanity checks, live OpenLane log, real metrics & GDS.
Scripts
Full flow pack: synth.ys, opensta.tcl, openroad.tcl, Makefile, docker-run.sh.
What is OpenROAD Automation?
OpenROAD Automation refers to the fully autonomous, script-driven execution of digital Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) physical design. Traditionally, Place and Route (PnR) required hundreds of manual human-in-the-loop interventions to adjust floorplan boundaries, legalise macro placements, resolve congestion hotspots, tune clock tree skew, and eliminate Design Rule Check (DRC) violations.
The Ace-Seek OpenROAD Platform eliminates these friction points by uniting open-source EDA engines (including Yosys, RePlAce, OpenDP, TritonCTS, FastRoute, TritonRoute, Magic, Netgen, and OpenSTA) into a unified cloud-native environment. Designers can submit standard synthesizable Verilog RTL accompanied by Synopsys Design Constraints (SDC) and achieve a clean RTL-to-GDS signoff in hours instead of weeks.
Logic Synthesis
RTL elaboration, logic optimization, technology mapping to standard cell target library, and area/gate-count reporting.
Auto Floorplan & PDN
Die boundary sizing, IO pin placement (random or configuration-constrained), and multi-layer power ring and rail strap generation.
Macro Placement
When hard macros exist, OpenLane floorplan can invoke Ace-AutoMacro (flightline affinity, halos). Toggle in Studio → Engines. Stdcell-only designs skip it.
Global & Detailed Placement
Flat analytical electrostatic placement followed by legalisation, cell padding, and diode insertion for antenna rule mitigation.
Clock Tree Synthesis
Balanced H-tree / mesh synthesis, clock inverter and buffer insertion, skew minimization, and multi-corner latency optimization.
Global & Detailed Route
Grid-based global routing followed by multi-threaded detailed routing across all metal layers with pin-access DRC avoidance.
Signoff STA & IR Drop
Multi-corner multi-mode (min/nom/max) static timing verification with full SPEF parasitic extraction and static power rail IR drop.
Physical Signoff (DRC/LVS)
GDSII mask generation, Magic design rule verification, SPICE netlist extraction, and Netgen Layout Versus Schematic (LVS) proof.
Supported Process Technologies
SkyWater sky130A / sky130B
Full high-density standard cell libraries (sky130_fd_sc_hd), 5 metal layer interconnect stack (met1 to met5), IO pads, embedded SRAM compilers, and experimental ReRAM non-volatile memories for IoT and edge microcontrollers.
GF180MCU Node
Open-source 3.3V / 5V microcontroller process ideal for analog/mixed-signal, power management, and rugged industrial controllers. Supports both 7-track and 9-track digital standard cells with thick top metal routing.
Arizona State 7nm Node
Predictive sub-10nm FinFET technology library for high-performance computing research, multi-GHz pipelined RISC-V processors, and cutting-edge congestion and timing closure experimentation.
Traditional Physical Design vs. Ace-Seek OpenROAD Automation
| Design Dimension | Traditional ASIC Implementation | Ace-Seek OpenROAD Cloud Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Tool Infrastructure | Requires local multi-gigabyte EDA installs, Linux workstation licensing, and complex Volare setup. | Zero-install browser execution. Fully containerized Docker runners with pre-activated PDKs. |
| Macro Placement | Manual floorplan coordinate calculations, manual halo spacing, and trial-and-error routability. | Autonomous flightline attraction, aspect-ratio matching, edge orientation, and automatic halo synthesis. |
| Turnaround Cycle | Days or weeks spent modifying floorplan scripts and investigating manual routing congestion. | Hours from RTL to GDS. Continuous stage checkpoints (Synthesis → Floorplan → Place → CTS → Route). |
| Layout Verification | Separate license checkouts for Calibre/Pegasus and cumbersome DEF-to-GDS stream-out workflows. | Integrated Magic DRC, Netgen LVS, and OpenSTA multi-corner timing reports generated automatically. |
| Deliverable Export | Scattered directory structures across compute nodes and NFS shares. | Single-click download of GDSII, gate-level netlists (.v), DEF, SDC, and signoff summary reports. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is OpenROAD and how does automation change chip design?
OpenROAD is an open-source DARPA-funded initiative that delivers complete, autonomous RTL-to-GDSII physical design tools without human-in-the-loop dependencies. By automating floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis, routing, and signoff timing, designers can tape out production-ready chips with unprecedented speed and zero commercial EDA license overhead.
Q: Can I run OpenROAD automation directly in my web browser?
Yes. Ace-Seek provides a complete web-based interface and cloud orchestration layer for OpenROAD. You can upload your RTL and SDC constraints, trigger containerized execution on our high-performance runners, observe real-time log outputs, visualize intermediate DEF layouts, and download tapeout deliverables without touching a local terminal.
Q: How does Ace-Seek handle macro floorplanning with 100+ SRAM blocks?
Ace-AutoMacro is an optional floorplan hook inside Max OpenLane jobs when the DEF contains hard macros (SRAM/IP). It uses flightline/RUDY heuristics for macro legalization and halos. It is not a separate always-on Studio solver — enable/disable it under Studio → Engines (ACE_AUTOMACRO). Stdcell-only designs bypass it automatically.
Q: Are the GDSII files produced by Ace-Seek OpenROAD tapeout-ready?
Yes. The flow utilizes Magic for geometric Design Rule Checks (DRC) against foundry rule decks, Netgen for Layout Versus Schematic (LVS) formal equivalence, and OpenSTA for setup/hold timing closure across multi-corner operating temperatures and voltages (min, nom, max PVT).
Q: What design file formats can I upload and export?
You can upload synthesizable Verilog (.v, .sv), Synopsys Design Constraints (.sdc), multi-corner Tcl scripts (.tcl), LEF physical libraries, and DEF floorplan templates. Exportable deliverables include industry-standard GDSII (.gds), DEF layout (.def), gate-level netlists (.nl.v), parasitic SPEF (.spef), and SDF delay files.