How to Enhance PCB Layouts?

By Embedded Advisor | Thursday, March 05, 2020

Attention to detail and a meticulous approach can make PCB layout development a much-improved process.

FREMONT, CA: Preparing the PCB layout is one of the crucial steps in the PCB fabrication process. Done properly, it can help PCB designers prevent errors in chip design. However, the ideal amount of expertise required for PCB layout is sometimes missing since PCB designers are assigned the task. Nuanced aspects of PCB layouts are thus left wanting. But it is still possible to deliver PCB layouts that are up to the mark. By following the right process without skipping any step and maintaining drafting and validation, one can come up with layouts that satisfy quality standards. The following list mentions some ways of making PCB layouts better.

• Preparation of Schematics

The placement and routing of components should ideally follow the preparation of a detailed schematic. It is common to find PCB designers jumping straight into subsequent steps without getting a good schematic ready. Without a proper layout schematic, the chances of errors increase significantly since the checks are not run in the first place. With a schematic at hand, avoidable errors are eliminated, and it is easy to prevent wastage of time over accommodating corrections.

• A Checklist of Information

Keeping all the required information ready can enhance the PCB layout significantly and prevent the need for modifications later on. Details like board layer stack up that can be difficult to delete later should be finalized before starting. Even board dimensions should be finalized before-hand so that carefully placed components do not have to be moved around later on. Apart from that, information about placement and routing should be accurate, and keep-out zones should be provided from the start itself.

• Consolidate the Manufacturing Document

Being the final step in the process, designers sometimes try to rush through it. However, proper documentation and compiling of information regarding the board are crucial. Thus, designers should standardize and consolidate files containing board details and review everything properly before dispatching them.

The right approach upfront can give PCB layout the required shape and rule out the need for messy modifications later on.