PLDpiireissä

PLDpiireissä is a Finnish network of hobbyists, students, and professionals who share a common interest in programmable logic devices (PLDs). The term “PLD” refers to programmable logic components such as CPLDs, FPGAs, and other devices that enable custom digital logic design. “Piireissä” literally means “in circles” or “within circles,” and the name conveys the community’s collaborative, workshop‑style ethos.

The group was founded in the early 1990s by a handful of electronics enthusiasts in Helsinki. Over the following decades it expanded to chapters in Tampere, Turku, and other Finnish towns, drawing members from academia, industry, and makers. Each chapter hosts regular meet‑ups that include hands‑on labs, design challenges, and guest lectures from engineers who work in fields such as automotive electronics, telecommunications, and robotics.

PLDpiireissä focuses on three core activities. First, it provides education through tutorials, design kits, and online materials, making it easier for newcomers to learn how to program and prototype with PLDs. Second, it encourages collaboration on open‑source projects, many of which are hosted on public repositories and have been used by local startups to develop sensors and control systems. Third, it organizes annual hackathons where participants build functional prototypes—examples include a low‑cost solar‑charged charging station and a home automation controller based on a Xilinx Spartan‑6 FPGA.

The community has also worked closely with university research labs, offering volunteers to assist on graduate projects. As a result, several regional companies have adopted PLDs into production lines, citing the community’s early exposure to modern design flows as a key factor. Membership is informal, but about 200 people actively participate in discussions, workshops, or project work. Through mentorship, resource sharing, and a culture of open experimentation, PLDpiireissä continues to nurture talent in Finland’s digital hardware ecosystem.