Efficient electronics manufacturing services and well-planned PCBA circuit board design play a critical role in controlling production costs and ensuring high-quality outcomes. However, when it comes to PCB design, small mistakes can lead to significant increases in manufacturing costs, delays, and even functionality issues. A well-designed PCB ensures not only the product’s performance but also cost-efficiency during the manufacturing process. In this article, we will explore some of the most common mistakes in PCB design that can drive up manufacturing costs and how to avoid them to ensure a smooth transition from design to production.
Poor Component Selection
Selecting the wrong components can have a substantial impact on both cost and manufacturability. While opting for cheaper or readily available components might seem like a good idea initially, it can lead to issues down the line. Common mistakes include:
Over-specifying components: Choosing unnecessarily high-spec components that increase the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost without providing significant benefits.
Under-specifying components: Choosing components that don’t meet the long-term requirements for performance, reliability, or environmental standards.
Component Availability: Opting for parts that have limited availability or long lead times, which can delay production and increase sourcing costs.
How to Avoid It
The key to avoiding this mistake is balancing performance and cost by selecting components that are suitable for the project’s requirements. Circad Design takes a strategic approach to component selection, working closely with clients to ensure the components are cost-effective, readily available, and meet all performance and regulatory requirements.
Incorrect Trace Width and Spacing
Another common mistake in PCB design is not correctly calculating the trace width and spacing. Trace width plays a crucial role in the overall performance and reliability of the PCB. If the traces are too narrow, they can overheat, causing damage or failure. If they are too wide, you’re wasting valuable space on the board, leading to an increase in production costs.
In addition, improper trace spacing can cause short circuits or signal interference, particularly in high-frequency designs. This can lead to significant design revisions, testing failures, and manufacturing delays.
How to Avoid It
Proper trace width calculation is crucial, and it depends on factors such as current, voltage, and material used. We use advanced PCB design software and perform thorough signal integrity simulations to optimise trace widths and spacing, ensuring the design meets electrical and thermal requirements while minimising costs.
Not Considering the Manufacturing Process Early Enough
Many designers fail to consider the manufacturing process during the early stages of the design, which can lead to significant cost increases. Some mistakes in this area include:
Complex geometries: Excessively complicated designs, including intricate pads, vias, or traces that are difficult or expensive to produce.
Excessive layers: Using too many layers in a PCB design without justification, which increases both the manufacturing cost and complexity.
Incompatible hole sizes or plating requirements: Choosing hole sizes or surface finishes that are not aligned with the manufacturer’s capabilities.
How to Avoid It
It is essential to work closely with the PCB manufacturer from the start, understanding their capabilities and limitations. By designing for manufacturability, Circad Design ensures that our PCBs can be produced at the lowest possible cost while meeting all performance and functional requirements.
Lack of Test Points and Design for Testability (DfT)
Design for Testability (DfT) can be a critical aspect of PCB design, as it ensures that the board can be easily tested during and after production for specific parameters that are agreed with the client.
Conducting functional testing in manufacturing or designing additional test points each have their costs and benefits. The testing and validation phases may become inefficient and more expensive if necessary test points are omitted or if the PCB is designed in a way that makes testing challenging.
How to Avoid It
Before the PCB is put into production, it can be tested and verified more effectively by including design-for-testability principles for important parameters that the client specifies. To lower the possibility of expensive delays, we at Circad make sure that our PCB designs include predetermined test locations and are suited for both automated and manual testing processes.
Overcomplicating the PCB Design
While it’s tempting to add additional features to a PCB design to improve performance, overcomplicating the design can lead to increased manufacturing complexity and costs. This includes:
Adding unnecessary layers: More layers mean more expensive manufacturing processes and higher material costs.
Excessive component density: Fitting too many components into a limited area increases the difficulty of assembly and can lead to higher costs in terms of labour and equipment usage.
Unnecessary features: Including features that are not needed for the final product, leading to increased costs for no added benefit.
How to Avoid It
The key to avoiding unnecessary complexity is designing with a focus on simplicity and functionality. We work with our clients to determine the core features that will be needed in production and optimise the design to be as simple as possible, reducing both cost and time to market.
How Electronics Manufacturing Services Impact PCB Costs
Partnering with experienced electronics manufacturing services providers helps avoid common pitfalls in PCB design. These experts ensure that PCBA circuit board designs are optimised for manufacturability and cost-efficiency. Whether you're working on prototype development or PCB board fabrication at scale, collaboration with a manufacturing partner can lead to faster production cycles and reduced waste.
How Circad Uses This Approach
At Circad Design, we take a holistic approach to PCB design and manufacturing, integrating all of the best practices discussed above. From the very beginning, our engineers work closely with clients to ensure that component selection is cost-effective and that designs are optimised for manufacturability.
We use advanced tools and simulation techniques to optimise trace width, spacing, and layer count, while ensuring that all design elements align with the manufacturing processes. Design for testability is a core principle at Circad, ensuring that each PCB can be easily tested and validated, which helps catch potential issues before they become costly problems in production.
By integrating advanced electronics manufacturing services and focusing on PCBA circuit board optimisation, we help clients lower production costs and improve time-to-market. Whether it's through prototype development or large-scale PCB board fabrication, Circad Design ensures every project achieves the highest quality and efficiency.
Our commitment to design excellence helps our clients achieve faster time-to-market and increased profitability.
Explore more of our insights and capabilities at our Knowledge Base or get in touch to see how we can support your next design.
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