PCB design services
Fabrication and assembly turnaround alone can run one to several weeks — a mistake that forces a second spin costs that entire cycle again, usually right when a team is under the most schedule pressure. We treat the checklist below as a floor, not a substitute for engineering judgment on the specific design.
- Schematic capture & PCB layout
- Power architecture & regulator margin review
- Signal integrity & differential pair routing
- Component & footprint verification
- DFM review (trace/space, panelization, stencil apertures)
- Component sourcing & BOM optimization
- EMC / regulatory pre-compliance (FCC/CE/UL)
Where AI accelerates
- Component selection
- First-pass schematic checks
- BOM cross-checks against datasheets
- Footprint/library generation
Where it stays human
- Final schematic sign-off
- Manual DFM review pass, separate from the original layout engineer
- Antenna keep-out and RF layout decisions
- Thermal & mechanical tradeoffs
The checks that most often get missed on a first board.
Power architecture
Decoupling capacitors placed close to every IC power pin, voltage regulator thermal/current margins checked against worst-case load, power sequencing verified for radios/memory/multi-rail SoCs, and ground/power plane continuity checked for accidental splits under high-current paths.
Signal integrity and layout
Differential pairs length-matched and consistently spaced, crystal/oscillator traces kept short with correct load capacitance, antenna keep-out zones respected per the vendor's reference layout, and sensitive analog traces routed away from switching regulators and clock lines.
Component and footprint verification
Footprints checked against the actual datasheet package variant — pin-1 orientation, pad pitch, thermal pad dimensions — component availability and lead time confirmed before layout is finalized, and test points added for key power rails, reset lines and debug interfaces.
Manufacturability (DFM) review
Minimum trace/space and via sizes confirmed against the fab house's actual capabilities, silkscreen legibility checked on densely populated boards, panelization and tab placement reviewed, and solder mask/paste stencil apertures reviewed for fine-pitch parts.
Industries we've designed PCBs for
What people ask before sending a board to fab.
What does your PCB design process check before a board goes to fab?
Power architecture (decoupling placement, regulator margins, power sequencing, plane continuity), signal integrity (differential pair matching, crystal placement, antenna keep-outs), component/footprint verification against actual datasheets, and a manufacturability review against the fab house's real capabilities — not generic assumptions.
Is a clean DRC enough before ordering a board?
No. A design-rule check catches electrical and spacing violations, not architectural mistakes like a missing decoupling cap or a misrouted antenna feed. We run a manual review pass, ideally by someone who didn't do the original layout, against a structured checklist before any board goes to fab.
Can you take over a board someone else started?
Yes. We audit the existing schematic/layout, flag the risks, and either harden it or re-spin the sections that need it — we don't force a full restart by default.
Do you handle component sourcing and BOM optimization too?
Yes — BOM optimization and sourcing, including lifecycle/obsolescence risk, is part of the PCB design engagement, not a separate line item.
PCB design rarely ships alone.
Embedded Hardware
The full hardware engagement — schematic through bring-up.
Embedded Firmware Development
Hardware and firmware scoped together, in one combined overview.
Hardware Product Development Company
What to look for in a hardware engineering partner, before you sign anything.
What we've written about PCB design and DFM.
A PCB Design Checklist Before Your First Prototype Run
What to verify before sending a board to fab, so the first spin is the one you actually build on.
Read the article →DFM and DFT: Designing for Manufacturability and Test
The design decisions that determine whether a board is easy or painful to build and test at volume.
Read the article →Choosing an MCU for a Battery-Powered IoT Device
The tradeoffs that actually decide this call — sleep-current budgets, peripheral fit and toolchain maturity — before a single line of firmware gets written.
Read the article →