With this definition in mind, we have several clear goals to reach by adopting the design practices within this guidebook:
You might have heard of DFM in the past, but what exactly does it mean? Design for manufacturing (DFM) is the process of designing a PCB that is both manufacturable, functional, and reliable. And the applied methodology for doing this is dfm-resources (DFM). The goal for this guidebook is simple - get a good board back, every time. Would you like more information? Watch our webinar on DFM Tips and Tricks What is Design for Manufacturing? The collective years of experience in the electronics industry have allowed us at Altium to soak up knowledge from PCB designers all around the world, and this knowledge we now pass on to you. You can think of this guidebook as an accumulation of knowledge that has been set down from those before you. And when you design it for manufacturability, you will start seeing your boards get back right the first time. Here’s the good news - there’s a way to design your PCB not just for the digital domain, but for the manufacturing world as well. This goal can be a challenge for most PCB designers, who commonly have to deal with a myriad of unique requirements that each manufacturer sets forth, only to get lost in the details as design projects run off their intended course.
The reality is, the process of designing better doesn't end the minute you ship off your documentation to manufacturing, it ends when you get your board back in its physical form and it works as intended. However, your designs exist beyond the digital domain, and to successfully produce a manufacturable board there are a number of additional guidelines to carefully consider throughout your entire design process. Whether it’s seasoned electrical engineers or those fresh out of university, the same question is always asked: how do I design better? We are all dealing with the complexities of denser boards, higher clock rates, and smaller mechanical enclosures, and designing for those requirements alone can be a challenge.