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CAD tips

Separating PCB development from manufacturing means that communication between the two areas plays a key role. Passing on accurate and complete data can make the PCB manufacturer's work easier—and save the client time and money.

When creating a PCB layout based on a netlist or circuit diagram, the layout designer has many points to consider. The PCB is routed based on:

the selected components—e.g., housing type, connection grid, cost, and availability of components
the electrical function—e.g., HF, EMC, current density,
mechanical requirements – e.g., mounting holes, installation space in the housing, arrangement of control and display elements, flexibility
thermal requirements of the printed circuit board itself – e.g., thermal expansion of the base material.


In order to have the printed circuit board manufactured, all relevant information must be sent to the manufacturer. And this is where the first problem often arises for the employee in the work preparation or CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) department.