Is Your PCB Design Ready for Manufacture?

When you finally get to the end of your PCB design project, it can be very exciting to hand over the files to the manufacturer. Of course, you need to make sure that your design is ready for the next stage and check that you have included the right documentation.

Here, we are going to help you to figure out whether your PCB design is ready for manufacture or not. Keep reading to find out more about what to consider.

The BOM

The first thing that you need to check before you send your PCB design off for manufacture is the Bill Of Materials. You need to be able to provide your manufacturer with all of the necessary documentation if you want to be sure that your project is completed just how you want it to be. You should be able to find a list of the things that should go on your BOM online and if you use Altium software, you can create it as you go.

File Formats

When you are sending your PCB design off for manufacture, you need to make sure that your files are in the right format. Your manufacturer will likely have certain specifications that you need to follow in order for them to complete the job correctly. Most manufacturers will request the files in Gerber format so you might have to convert them if they haven’t already been saved this way.

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Clear Specifications

Another thing that you need to consider when you are sending your PCB design off for manufacture is the way in which you have laid it out. If you haven’t created a clear design, then you will find that it might be hard to understand. Having any sort of issues with the layout or the labelling will only cause your project to take longer with the manufacturer having to get feedback throughout the entire process. Try to be as clear as possible and this will help out a lot.

Available Parts

Finally, you need to check if the parts that you are going to be using for your printed circuit board are available. It is possible that you have chosen parts that are not as easily accessible, and this can cause delays in getting the project completed. If you really need to use the rare parts, then you should consider having some alternatives should something go wrong. This way, your manufacturer will know what to do and won’t have to get in touch.

Conclusion

If you are planning on sending your PCB design off to a manufacturer then you should make sure that it is ready. Consider everything that we have discussed in this article and ensure that you have been clear in your instructions. When you do this, you can be sure that everything will go smoothly and that your project will be completed in the time scale that you have originally set out for it.