Is your printed circuit board ready for production? There are several design factors to consider before finalizing and submitting your PCB design for production.
The checklist below represents common issues our engineers have identified over decades of reviewing PCB design submissions. This is not an exhaustive list, but it will help ensure the manufacturability of your design and properly prepare the CAD for review by your fabricator.
Before Submitting Your PCB Design to a Fabricator
- Perform a complete netlist check to be sure all nets are routed accurately.
- Confirm your plane pour areas are all connected. (no floating planes).
- Check that the board has a complete silkscreen and that none of the nomenclature falls on solder pads.
- Check that the board outline appears on a mechanical layer that will go to the fabricator.
- Complete a detailed drill drawing that clearly defines all pertinent dimensions, tolerances, panel layouts with fiducials and rails and layer stack ups.
Additional Design Considerations
Printed circuit boards often have customizations such as coloring or printed intensification markers. It is important to note these items on your original design to prevent costly rework after production. Does your company require any of the items below?
- Company name or log printed on the board
- Space for serial numbers in the silkscreen
- Bar or QR code
- Different color solder mask for prototypes or production
Review and Submit Your Files
Avoid unnecessary production delays by making sure you include everything the fabricator requires for production. After running through the checklist above and updating your drawing, perform a final check.
- Do you have an up-to-date Bill of Materials (BOM)?
- Is there any data missing from the production files?
- Do you have clearly labeled files for all circuit layers?
- Did you note any applicable testing requirements?
Are you submitting a design for long printed circuits? Please also reference our Guide to Designing Long Flexible Printed Circuits
Preparing Your PCB Design for Fabrication: The Final Word
Fabricators should conduct a design for manufacturing (DFM) review to identify possible issues before moving into prototyping or production. At Tramonto Circuits, DFM is part of our multi-step review process to ensure quality from design submission through the final phases of production.
This checklist serves as a general guide for design reviews by your team. Each design and application is unique, and it is important to familiarize yourself with standard manufacturing limitations before submitting designs to your fabricator.
If you have questions about your PCB design, the engineers at Tramonto are always available to answer your questions. Contact us today to discuss your application!