PCB DFM

Design for Manufacturing: ensures PCB trace, vias, and pads have followed manufacturing rules to prevent via damage, shorts, etc.

Common Check list

• Copper Spacing: Good air gaps are the one thing you can implement that helps the fabrication vendor the most. Narrow air gaps require thinner copper while wider air gaps provide latitude to dial in more precise impedance geometry.
  • trace to trace spacing
  • via to via spacing
  • pad to pad spacing
  • trace to via, trace to pad, pad to via , etc. spacing.
• Drill check
  • Size
  • power and ground shorts
  • Annular ring
  • Thermal relief
• Soldermask
  • soldermask exposes NSMD pads