Do you know the inspection process of PCB design?

In PCB manufacturing industry, does PCB process designer need to inspect the design results after completing the design through EDA software? The answer is yes, and there is more than one test.

The first is DRC test. DRC check, also known as PCB design rule check, is a design used in PCB design software (EDA) to check in real time and find out that it does not conform to the predetermined design specification during PCB layout. It is an indispensable part of PCB design to ensure the correctness of design and meet the conventional design specifications. Based on the role and purpose of DRC, its inspection items generally do not exceed 100 inspection items.

The second is DFM test. DFM inspection, also known as manufacturability design analysis, is to conduct simulation based on PCB design data through real 3D component models and actual manufacturing processes, conduct a comprehensive manufacturability design review on PCB and PCBA before manufacturing, find out design defects or deficiencies, process difficulties, manufacturing risks, PCB design and process mismatch factors at the first time, ensure that the design and process capabilities are fully matched, and substantially reduce the number of trial production of products, Save costs and improve product reliability.

These two tests are different tests of design at different stages, and neither of them is dispensable.

PCB design

DRC is a PCB design software used to ensure that it does not violate its own design specifications (constraints). Meeting DRC inspection is the most basic requirement for PCB design. Meeting DRC does not necessarily mean meeting the manufacturability requirements.

DFM is a bridge between PCB design and PCB manufacturing process, which belongs to the category of process design. Through it, we can find out the mismatching factors between design and manufacturing process, evaluate manufacturing difficulty, manufacturing risk, etc. These are not covered by DRC in PCB design software.

There is no conflict between DFM itself and DRC inspection. The two solve different problems, at different stages, and with different final purposes. Therefore, the difference is also very obvious.

Differences between DRC and DFM

Meta library differences

EDA Catalog=Pad Package Library

DFM component library=3D physical model

DFM: PCB+component model+process=assembly simulation

DFM: Real 3D Simulation Assembly Simulation Analysis

DFM: Comprehensive analysis rules