-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Master the Art of Communication With Manufacturers
June 30, 2022 | Kyle Burk, KBJ EngineeringEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Design with manufacturing (DWM) emphasizes the important aspect of the true intent of design for manufacturing (DFM). The intent of DFM is to consider the manufacturing process during the entire printed circuit design process starting at the earliest stages of the design cycle, when the project first begins, and continuing to the end of the product lifecycle.
As mentioned in the May issue of Design007 Magazine, design is performed, at times, in a vacuum. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Whenever circumstances allow, design should be performed by communicating with all stakeholders throughout the design process, hence the emphasis on the word with in DWM. Communication can occur through personal correspondence such as email and voice conversations or through more formal design meetings—in person or through videoconferencing. No matter which means of communication you prefer, it’s important to communicate early and often with stakeholders involved in the downstream processes as you bring your project to realization.
There’s No ‘I’ in Team
Unlike the word “team,” there is an “I” in design with manufacturing, but that doesn’t make it a singular process. Rather, DWM requires involvement of a cross-functional team with the designer as the key stakeholder who communicates regularly with the team throughout the design process. This communication includes receiving feedback early from other stakeholders and implementing any improvements they suggest.
The higher-level structure of DWM takes effort but yields superior results because it helps the designer avoid delays while lowering manufacturing costs and maintaining a high-quality finished product. For example, deadlines are more likely to be met by communicating early with the assembly team on bill of materials component availability. For those designers using revision control, communicating early can help avoid the costly process of rolling a revision for minor last-minute design changes. Communicating with the fabrication team before beginning assembly can help lower manufacturing costs and turn times by discovering cost reduction opportunities, such as combining similar drill sizes.
DWM seeks to unify all stakeholders of the circuit board design and development process, including the designer, fabricator, and assembler. For components with specific requirements, DWM may also include involving the component manufacturer. The final complete data package sent to the assembler includes drawings, specifications, requirements, ratings, a bill of materials, Gerber, and drill data, etc.
DWM thus requires contributions and feedback from members of the team most familiar with the different documents of the data package. The designer should review preliminary Gerber and drill data with the fabricator to ensure the design is manufacturable. They should also discuss the bill of materials with the assembler to make certain that all components are available for purchase. Each document of the data package should be reviewed by an expert in the corresponding process.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the June 2022 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
GlobalFoundries Commits to Achieving Net Zero Emissions and Carbon-Neutral Power by 2050
04/23/2024 | GlobalFoundriesGlobalFoundries (GF) is furthering its commitment to sustainable operations and fighting climate change with the announcement of two new long-term goals to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 100% carbon-neutral power by 2050.
ROHM Group Company SiCrystal and STMicroelectronics Expand Silicon Carbide Wafer Supply Agreement
04/23/2024 | ROHMROHM and STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announced today the expansion of the existing multi-year, long-term 150mm silicon carbide (SiC) substrate wafers supply agreement with SiCrystal, a ROHM group company.
IDTechEx Report Unveils 3D Electronics Status and Opportunities
04/22/2024 | PRNewswire3D electronics is an emerging manufacturing approach that enables electronics to be integrated within or onto the surface of objects. 3D electronic manufacturing techniques empower new features, including mass customizability, greater integration, and improved sustainability in the electronics industry.
Altus Group Helps BitBox Unlock Productivity and Efficiency Gains with New Reflow Oven
04/22/2024 | Altus GroupAltus Group, a leading provider of capital equipment, has recently assisted BitBox, a UK-based electronics design, engineering and manufacturing company in upgrading its operations with the implementation of a new reflow oven from Heller Industries.
Growth Potential: Electronics Manufacturing Driving Massive Surge in Manufacturing Investment
04/22/2024 | Shawn DuBravac, IPCIn the early months of the pandemic, investment in manufacturing infrastructure, such as plants and production facilities, declined sharply. Real investment dropped over 11%, before finally recovering to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2022. Over the past two years, however, several factors have combined to drive manufacturing investment to record levels.