Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1533085
and rework add unnecessary complexity and expense, while product reliability and time-to- market suffer. To avoid these challenges, collab- oration needs to occur earlier in the design cycle, where issues can be proactively addressed. Bridging the Knowledge Gap PCB designers oen focus on functionality, performance, and compliance with end-use requirements. Meanwhile, fabricators look at manufacturability, process efficiency, and cost optimization. Proactive collaboration between the OEM and the manufacturer ensures that requirements and capabilities are aligned from the outset, minimizing potential conflicts between design intent and fabrication results. Avoiding Costly Redesigns Redesigns can be one of the most expensive and time-consuming hurdles in PCB manufac- turing. Issues such as improper pad and drill size, drill-to-copper violations, incompatible materials, or unbalanced stackup requirements oen surface during fabrication. When these problems are brought to a designer's attention, the typical first reaction is to push forward as is or to make only minor, quick changes in the hopes that the manufacturing issues will go away. is approach is oen prompted by bud- get constraints and looming deadlines, leaving little room to fully address root causes. is reactive cycle has far-reaching conse- quences. Rushed redesigns may lead to: • Compromised product performance • Reduced field reliability • Damaged reputations for both the designer and the fabricator • Increased financial costs from wasted materials and delayed schedules • Missed market opportunities, eroding a company's competitive advantage To break free from this cycle, we must shi the focus from simply "fixing the problem" to preventing it altogether through early col- laboration. is proactive mindset creates opportunities to design for manufacturability (DFM) from the outset, leveraging the fabrica- tor's expertise to identify potential risks before they become roadblocks. By working together, designers and fabricators can optimize key parameters such as layer count, via configurations, material choices, and toler- ances. ese optimizations lead to higher yields, particularly for first-pass production, which saves time and reduces overall manufacturing costs. " By working together, designers and fabricators can optimize key parameters such as layer count... " 24 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2025