Ensuring Electromagnetic Compliance in Printed Circuit Boards Through Design for Assembly Guidelines

The aim of this work is to provide the embodiment of sample PCB design for manufacturing and assembly rules for fine-pitch devices in a commercially PCB design application. Most commercially used PCB design applications provide for PCB design rule-checking to an extent, particularly in setting geometric constraints for laying out components on the substrate. For example, in automatic placement of connectors and components within a PCB design file. The role of the design rule checker within PCB design software is a fundamentally important in ensuring process yield in PCB fabrication as well as ensuring functional acceptance in test whilst maintaining accurate placement of components. The design rules implemented in this paper emanate from a wider programme of research that focusses on design for manufacturing and assembly issues in Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Fine-Pitch Technology (FPT) and Flat Pack Ball-Grid Array (FPBGA). This work explores the methodology of decision support in the design of electronic products with specific regard to design for manufacturing and assembly. The design for manufacturing rules used in this implementation scenario is for the precise location and placement of Fine-pitch components.