52 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2024
process shis from designing a PCB in a com-
puter to the practical work of manufacturing
it. is ensures that what was designed can be
precisely made into a physical product with
actual, working boards.
Designing for Manufacturability (DFM)
Realistic designs should prioritize manufac-
turability and reliability of the PCB as well as
meet the other design requirements. To do so,
one must account for the production variables
associated with individual manufacturing part-
ners.
DFM is a great approach for vetting your
design and making sure that it will be manufac-
turable before moving to the quote stage. DFM
I have been working with Nolan Johnson on
a podcast series about designing PCBs for the
reality of manufacturing. By sharing lessons
learned over a long career in the PCB industry,
we hope to shorten learning curves and help
designers produce better boards with less has-
sle and rework. Episode 2 deals with the elec-
tronic pre-manufacturing process. (Access the
podcast series here.)
Moving from CAD (computer-aided design)
to CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) is
a key step in PCB manufacturing. CAM turns
digital designs into instructions that machines
can use to actually build the PCB. is involves
exporting files in a specific format, such as Ger-
ber files. Essentially, the pre-manufacturing
Designing for Reality:
The Pre-Manufacturing Process
Connect the Dots
by Matt Stevenson, SUNSTONE CIRCUITS
