Considering the manufacturing capabilities and limitations is crucial for the PCB design and layout process. Engineers often make DFM (Design for Manufacturing) adjustments to ensure designs are both manufacturable and reliable. When the design is sent to the factory, the manufacturer may adjust tolerances based on their process capabilities to ensure the final PCB functions correctly and reduce the risk of defects during fabrication and assembly.
Manufacturers don’t want to deal with issues when designs don’t meet manufacturing requirements. On the other hand, the cost of having to re-spin design at a post-design check or even after discovering initial product build is faulty, is much higher than making adjustments in the initial design to ensure it can be manufactured right-first-time。
Therefore, the best practice is to incorporate the DFM standards early in design to improve design efficiency and avoid extra cost downstream. This can extend to optimizing the component library based on DFM requirements, such as modifying tolerances and precision levels for via sizes, pad stack parameters, and no-probe area boundaries, etc.
“In working with numerous top-tier OEM/ODM companies, one of the more common DFM issues we saw directly tied to CAD libraries”, according YC Hwang, Founder of Footprintku AI, which is the world’s only provider of customized EDA library solutions, specializing in DFM compliance and technologies, and delivering production-ready, high-quality EDA libraries.
Here are a few examples of how DFM challenges in EDA libraries can be addressed:
1. Avoiding DFM-associated errors
For instance, misaligned pad sizes or spacing can cause assembly issues and weak solder connections. DRC errors may arise when copper pads are too close to potentially cause electrical interference, noise, or short circuits. To fix this, pad spacing must be adjusted for safety and functionality.
The traditional way is to fix errors one by one as they appear. However, the most efficient solution is to embed a complete set of DFM (Design for Manufacturing) guidelines into the library files. This method proactively prevents errors thus saves time of fixing. To learn more about DFM embedding techniques, contact us at support@footprintku.com
2. Fixing inconsistent library standards
DFM rules varies for different parts categories or pin types, etc. It’s challenging to manage all the rules, as well as to make sure library files built by different engineers strictly adhere to same DFM standards. For example, different pad types require varying safety distances — Plated Through Hole (PTH) pads need more clearance than Non-Plated Through Hole (NPTH) pads to ensure proper component fit. Thus, a larger expansion ratio is needed for the place-bound top shape around PTH pads.
Inconsistent library standards can cause rework or delays. Using the DFM embedding technology allows engineer to specify different expansion ratios for various pad types, like PTH, SMD, and NPTH, then the place-bound top shapes are expanded automatically based on the preset ratios.
3. Batch-updating outdated component models
If a library contains outdated or inaccurate data, it can disrupt production and require updates. Manually opening and editing each library file one by one can take weeks or even months to update hundreds of libraries at once.
Is there a better solution? Absolutely. For example, manually drawing an DFA_Bound layer for 300 library files would take about 75 minutes per component, totaling 375 hours. However, using a script to automate the process takes only 5 seconds per component, reducing the total time to just 25 minutes.
In summary, whether you’re a decision-maker at a system company or an OEM/ODM, adopting a systematic, efficient, and reliable solution to integrate DFM into EDA libraries is critical. The optimal strategy involves implementing a DFM rule management system capable of handling complex DFM rules systematically, and have a library-building engine that works with the DFM rule management system to create library files with built-in DFM rules and efficiently update library files in bulk whenever DFM rules are changed. This approach offers key benefits:
Eliminates downstream delays: DFM-compliant libraries prevent unexpected modifications, reducing costly re-spins.
Boosts manufacturing confidence: Ensures designs meet manufacturing requirements with no last-minute surprises.
Simplifies team collaboration: Standardized EDA libraries streamline communication between design, layout, and manufacturing teams.
The traditional method of manually creating EDA libraries is changing, catching up with the automated DFM-embedded method will ensure your organization better quality control early in design process, and significantly improve product development efficiency.
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