Bridging the Gap Between PCB Designers and Fabricators

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

With today’s advanced EDA tools, designing complex PCBs in the virtual world does not necessarily mean they can be built in the real world. This makes the relationship between a PCB designer and a fabricator pivotal to the success of a project. In keeping with solid design for manufacturing (DFM) practices, clear and frequent communication is needed to dial and lock in design constraints that meet expectations while addressing manufacturing concerns.

If there isn’t early and continued collaboration between engineering and fabrication, the potential for downstream issues in manufacturing can come back to haunt you at the worst possible time. Issues can be catastrophic to the point where a total redesign is required, costing additional unaccounted for project time and expense. In the worst-case scenario, you may miss the window of opportunity to get your product to market.

Insufficient communications can also lead to unnecessary delays in the form of technical queries (TQs). Many may say that a TQ is a manufacturing issue, but it’s not. It’s an engineering issue or concern in the design that has either been overlooked, ignored or simply missed and that has been passed on to manufacturing. TQs range from incomplete and incorrect data, conflicting and missing build instructions, and ambiguity in master drawings, to design structure concerns and impossible deliverables and expectations. Then when work comes to a halt, or worse, a PCB is built that does not meet engineering expectations, the finger pointing begins. Ensuring both parties speak the same language is not just a metaphor. It’s a critical factor in achieving quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

To read this entire article, which appeared in the March 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.