Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1533085
MARCH 2025 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 15 say, "I can handle the spacing," but in reality, how long is that area across the board? How long are those fine segments that we're asking them to control? Dack: at's brilliant. e design checklist is good up front, and for auditing as well. We provide our customers a document that gives a sample set of notes that's dynamic and can be modified. We have examples of a solder mask note, an impedance control note, intended shorts, a fabrication note, and a fabrication drawing example. A checklist helps us get to the root source of the problem faster. Kolar: at's a benefit of having access to dif- ferent checklists. What information do I need from my customer? What are my checkpoints where I need to have my customer give me feedback? It's a huge problem. Are they look- ing at the correct projection of their drawing? ere's a lot of communication that needs to take place between the designer and the engi- neer, and that can be hard if you have multiple layers in the middle. What about communicating too much specific information? Fabricators hate when designers overspecify materials, for instance. They say, "Let your fabricators be the experts in manufacturing." Kolar: I agree about overspecifying. It is important to use a documentation approach that ensures that the fabricator can use their best processes. We tell them what we want, then iterate. Typically, we get an initial data set at the time of quoting that may or may not be complete. It may just be a verbal descrip- tion or, a few lines that say, "It'll have about 5,000 components, a BGA about this size, and memor y like this." If you don't know the form factor and you don't know some of the other requirements, your quotes are just guessing. But then you get the real data, and you ask your customer, "Can I get a DXF of where all the mounting holes are, and where you care about connectors and interconnects?" e review is a big one. We put a lot of emphasis on peer review and doing good solid reviews before something goes out to fabrication. I think that in the review, I would rather not have a note than have an incorrect one or a non-applicable note. Dack: I agree. Remember that the board shops love EQs. ey seem to love to stop; they have other stuff to work on. If they can stop to ask a question, they will ask that question. Kolar: Sometimes it feels like fab vendors must get paid by the number of EQs that they come up with. Dack: at's funny, and perhaps true. Some- times, the notes and the drawings are different; they conflict with each other. at should be