Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1114420
64 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2019 naming convention, text on silkscreen layer showing up on the copper layer, tolerance is- sues with traces, and misaligned drill holes. Perform A Design Rule Check Before You Convert You can prevent many issues by using the design rule check (DRC) tool in your CAD soft- ware. If you've properly configured the DRC tool, questions that often send a quote request back for more information can be answered. Are the layers all there? Are the spaces big enough? Do you have more drill files than cop- per layers? How are your tolerances? These answers provide a good foundation for manufacturability, but you still have one very critical job with regard to the DRC. Ask yourself, "Can my fabricator make this de- sign?" Remember, just because your software will let you design a board in a certain way, that doesn't mean we can build it. Think about manufacturability as you perform your DRC before converting to Gerber. Check Your Gerber Files Once you've converted to Gerber format, you'll gain a more holistic, simplified view of what's really going on with your design (Figure 2). Here are some categorized items you can more eas- ily check for and make changes where needed when viewing Gerber files. Minimum Feature Size When you carefully scrutinize minimum fea- tures size and question what the DRC permits, you can: • Find unintentional neckdowns • Locate places where traces just barely touch pins • Discover breaks in traces or where ends just barely touch • See where pads are too small • Eliminate small traces or features that can be a needless and major cost drivers • Validate minimum drill size, more easily locating unnecessarily small drill holes that can also significantly drive up costs Feature Spacing Solve clearance problems before they oc- cur. Upon viewing the Gerber file, you'll have a sharper view of spacing types and be better able to recognize clearance problems for: • Trace/trace • Pad/pad Figure 2: Many Gerber viewers are available online.