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106 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2021 one of the various fill types, capping it and, finally, plating over it. Via-in-pad is typically a 10- to 12-step process that requires specialized equipment and skilled technicians. Via-in-pad is oen an optimum choice for HDI PCBs because it can simplify thermal management, reduce space requirements, and provide one of the shortest ways to bypass capacitors for high-frequency designs (Figure 4). Understanding the cost drivers in PCB fab- rication and early engagement between the designer and the fabricator are crucial ele- ments that lead to cost-effective design suc- cess. Following your fabricator's DFM guide- lines is the first place to start. DESIGN007 Anaya Vardya is president and CEO of American Standard Circuits; co-author of The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to… Fundamentals of RF/ Microwave PCBs and Flex and Rigid-Flex Funda- mentals; and author of Thermal Management: A Fabricator's Perspective. Visit I-007eBooks. com to download these and other free, educational titles. He also co-authored "Funda- mentals of Printed Circuit Board Technologies," and is an I-Connect007 columnist. To read past columns, or contact Vardya, click here. Figure 3: Staggered and stacked microvias. Figure 4: Via-in-pad.