Bring your own software

Flux is an AI hardware engineer. Flux installs, runs, and tests your engineering software on its own cloud computer, next to your design, and your team uses each setup in every project.

Ask Flux to install your software

Flux can install and run any software on its cloud computer. Ask Flux to set up the analysis tools, the vendor tools, and the in-house programs that your team uses. Flux installs each program, runs it, and tests it. Flux can also write a new program for your team.

Install OpenFOAM on a Linux computer and run the airflow study for this enclosure.
Set up a Windows computer with LTspice, run the power-stage simulation, and give me the efficiency at full load.
Install Verilator, write a smoke test for our FPGA module, and run it.
Set up a Windows computer with Altium Designer. Ask me for our license, open the board that we exported from Altium, and compare its rules with this project.
Install SOLIDWORKS on a Windows computer with our license. Open our gearbox assembly and export each part as a STEP file.
Install Altair HyperWorks with our license server and run the stiffness study of this bracket at the new motor load.
Set up Ansys HFSS with our license and simulate the antenna on this board in its enclosure.
Install Siemens NX and our company templates, then run the interference check of this robot arm assembly.
Write a command-line tool that reads our test-station logs and flags boards that fail the current limits.

Flux can use a Linux computer or a Windows computer. Use Windows for engineering programs that run only on Windows.

Save a computer for your team

When you want to use a setup again, ask Flux to save the computer as a custom image. Flux shows a Save Computer Image card in the chat. The card shows the image name, the computer, the base image, the installed software, and the internet access of the image.

Save this computer as an image, so that we can use this setup in the next projects.

  1. Read the card.

  2. Select Save Image. Flux saves the computer as a custom image.

  3. To keep the computer as it is without an image, select Decline.

In the next chats, ask Flux to use the image. Flux starts a computer with the software already installed.

Use our openfoam-cfd image and run the airflow study again with the new vent layout.

Use license keys and API keys on a computer

When the software on a computer needs a license key, an account, or an API key, Flux asks you for it in the chat. Flux sees only a placeholder. Flux sends the key only to the websites that you allow.

Install our analysis tool and sign in to our license server. Ask me for the license key in chat.

  1. Select Provide secrets on the card in the chat.

  2. Enter the values or select a saved secret.

  3. Review Allowed websites.

  4. Under Make available to, choose This chat, This project, All my projects, or Everyone in [organization name].

Your key is never on the computer. The computer and its saved image hold only the placeholder. See Integrations and secrets.

Manage computer images

Open Settings → Computers to manage your computer images. In an organization, open the organization settings. Organization admins manage the images, and all members can use them.

  • The Custom images tab shows the images that Flux saved for you. Use the switch to turn an image on or off. Select Edit to change the name or the internet access. Select Delete to delete the image.

  • The Built-in images tab shows the images that Flux supplies. Use the switch to turn an image on or off.

Each custom image has its own internet access:

  • Full internet: the computer can connect to all sites.

  • Only listed domains: the computer can connect only to the domains in the list.

  • No internet: the computer cannot connect to the internet.

Flux sets the internet access of a new image when it saves the image. Tell Flux which access the image needs, and Flux shows it on the Save Computer Image card.

Save this computer as an image. Let it connect only to our license server and the vendor update site.

You can change the internet access at any time in Settings → Computers. The Edit dialog shows Set by the agent or Changed by you. Select Reset to agent setting to use the value that Flux set.

When you turn off an image or change its internet access, Flux knows it. Flux tells you why it cannot use the image or why a download does not work.

Next to read:
Project files and interactive pages
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Bring your own softwareAsk Flux to install your softwareSave a computer for your teamUse license keys and API keys on a computerManage computer images