Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1536171
JUNE 2025 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 47 Fabricators want clean, manufacturable designs. Assembly houses want reliable lay- outs that pass inspection. Test engineers want accessibility and signal integrity. None of them benefit just because a designer saved a few hours by clicking "autoroute." If the result is a clean, working layout, great. If it isn't, you'll be the one fixing it, not them. So, while autorouting tools are improving— and AI is pushing them even further—their role remains narrow: ey can be a time-saver for the designer, but not a quality assurance tool. e best designers I know use automation selectively. ey lean on interactive routing for control and clarity, and they keep autorouting in its lane for grunt work, not guidance. Used with care, autorouting can help clear out low- priority traces or validate feasibility. But in the short term (before many of us retire), it just can't replace the skill, judgment, and hands-on finesse required for complex or performance- critical designs. When it comes to autorouting, much like with the week-old fish taco, you don't want to take a bite unless you've given it a good, hard look first. DESIGN007 Kelly Dack, CIT, CID+, provides DFx centered PCB design and manufacturing liaison expertise for a dynamic EMS provider in the Pacific Northwest while also serving as an IPC design certification instructor (CID) for EPTAC. To read past columns, click here. The Companion Guide to... DFM Essentials: Tips for Designing for Manufacturing is a comprehen- sive reference for PCB designers aiming to optimize their designs for manufacturability. It covers essen- tial topics including preferred manufacturing data formats (like ODB++), fabrication notes, material specifications, layer stackups, controlled imped- ance, solder mask and surface finishes, and special requirements such as via fills and back-drilling. This guidebook also outlines common CAM issues and emphasizes early collaboration with fabricators to avoid costly design errors. Authored by Ameri-can Standard Circuits and ASC Sunstone Circuits, readers will find this book reflects decades of expertise in delivering high-performance, reliable printed circuit boards. Download the original book, The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to DFM Essentials and the com- panion guide, Tips for Designing and Manufac- turing, today! Level Up Your DFM Game: Companion Guide to Popular Book Now Available