Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538269
44 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2025 Boards fail for various reasons, and because I've been part of the PCB industry for a long time, I've seen most of the reasons for failure. My experience also tells me that while some issues are out of left field and unforeseeable, most board failures are the result of common issues with design. As part of my ongoing crusade to help designers design for the reality of manufacturing, here are five common causes for board failure and how to avoid them: Ensure You Have a Clean Schematic Designers don't read minds; they read sche- matics. Design and manufacturing processes run smoothly when engineers make the document as C O N N ECT T H E D OTS functional as possible. It seems straightforward: Place the required components and connect the wires/traces to the appropriate point on the com- ponents. Other factors to consider before a sche- matic magically becomes a PCB design include physical and environmental design constraints, electrical interaction between signals, heat dissipa- tion, and signal loss through the wires/traces. This is why the designer needs as much help from the engineer as possible. If a PCB designer has to interpret the schematic there is potential for trouble down the line. To ensure nothing is lost in translation from schematic to design, adhere to these best practices: 1 How to Avoid Five Common Causes of Board Failure by Mat t Stevenson, ASC Sunstone C ircuits