Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1535183
28 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2025 stacks, and 3D models are correct. You must also create detailed drawings of how the board will be made and assembled. e layer stack- ups, drill tables, and tolerances should all be listed. You must use design checks to find and fix problems and follow company rules and industry standards. Keep your files neat and well-organized, using version control, and writing clear notes helps others understand your work. ese are the skill sets that every PCB designer should develop, and they come in handy in your Circle of Control. en there is the pesky Circle of Influence, where you have some influence but no direct control. Your design data package falls firmly into this circle because much of the data is beyond your control. For instance, let's look at fabrication capabilities. You can be the great- est designer ever, with what you consider to be the perfect board, the perfect data package, and everything verified, but if your fabricator can't build it, what's the point? Each fabrica- tor has different tools and machines to handle specific designs better than others, with vary- ing tolerances. Talk to your fabricator. I can hear you ask- ing, "When?" It's every time. You should talk to the fab folks before, during, and aer the project. Stay so close to your fabricator that people think you are a single person. Know your fabricator's capabilities and, more importantly, follow them. Fabricators have their own specific abilities, usually on three levels: standard, intermediate, and advanced. But beyond that, any fabricator worthy of your business will also provide you with DFM guidelines. ese rules make it easier for them to build your PCB. ey can tell you things like how far apart traces should be or how big the holes should be for components. ese guide- lines will help you change this area from a Cir- cle of Influence to a Circle of Control. Component availability is another area that will fall into the Circle of Influence when cre- ating your data packages. It is probably one of the most significant problems you'll face. It's