sales@ipcb.com
At iPCB, we have provided manufacturing services for thousands of PCB projects worldwide. Our experience shows that the design phase determines 70-80% of the final manufacturing costs (source: Boothroyd Dewhurst and multiple industry reports). Ignoring DFM can cause modification costs to skyrocket by 20-50% in later stages, or even delay projects by months.
Effective implementation of DFM can reduce manufacturing costs by 15-50% while improving product quality and time-to-market. In 2025, with the rise of AI-assisted reviews, high-density interconnects, and sustainable materials, DFM has become more critical than ever.
This article, based on iPCB’s real-world project experience, shares the 10 core principles, optimization case studies, and a practical checklist to help you better optimize your PCB designs.
By merging functions or integrating components, you can reduce the total number of parts, cutting assembly time and inventory costs by more than 50%. In PCB design, properly integrating multilayer functions can significantly reduce the use of connectors and avoid unnecessary stacking or external components.
Prioritize simple geometric shapes and avoid unnecessary features or complex structures to reduce processing difficulty and potential defect risks. In PCBs, this means minimizing sharp corners, narrow slots, or excessive vias.
Prioritize industry-standard components and materials (such as standard FR-4 substrates and common surface finishes) to reduce costs by 10-20% and ensure supply chain stability. At iPCB, we often recommend these standard options to avoid delays caused by customization.
Use tight tolerances only in critical areas and relax them elsewhere. Excessively tight tolerances can increase manufacturing costs by more than 30%, especially for drilling and trace widths.
Determine the appropriate process (e.g., standard multilayer, HDI, or flex boards) as early as possible based on volume and performance requirements to avoid rework due to process mismatches later. We recommend consulting manufacturing capabilities as early as the schematic stage.
Consider cost, performance, supply stability, and sustainability comprehensively. We often recommend the most suitable substrates (such as high-frequency materials, aluminum substrates, or lead-free process materials) based on the application scenario to help customers balance performance and cost.
Incorporate self-aligning features and reduce the number of fasteners to ensure efficient and smooth subsequent SMT and assembly. In PCBs, this includes proper pad design and component spacing.
Prioritize recyclable materials and minimize waste. We actively promote lead-free processes and environmentally friendly materials to help customers achieve green manufacturing and reduce waste by more than 20%.
Reserve sufficient test points and flying probe/E-test features during the design phase to significantly improve subsequent electrical testing efficiency and first-pass yield.
This is the most critical principle. Many customers submit Gerber files only after completion, resulting in hundreds of issues discovered later and rework costs increasing by 25-50%. Collaborating with us early allows you to receive a free professional DFM review report (covering trace width/spacing, drilling, solder mask, and hundreds of other checkpoints), helping avoid common problems, improve yield, and shorten the timeline.
Real-world cases: One consumer electronics customer had overly thin traces and insufficient spacing in their initial design, resulting in a yield of only 70%. After our DFM optimization (adjusting width/spacing and adding teardrops), the yield rose to 98%, costs dropped by 28%, and time-to-market was advanced by one month. Another automotive electronics project avoided material failure risks in high-temperature environments through early review.
The following is a typical DFM implementation process. We strongly recommend collaborating with iPCB at step 3:
1．Concept design
2．Preliminary layout and schematic
3．Free DFM review with iPCB (key milestone)
4．Optimize design based on feedback
5．Prototype validation
6．Mass production preparation
The following checklist is compiled by us based on thousands of projects, covering both general and PCB-specific items. You can copy it directly for use or review it with us when submitting your design.
Checklist Item | Yes/No | Notes/Potential Risks (iPCB Experience) |
Has the number of parts been minimized? | Can reduce assembly costs by 20-50% | |
Are standard components and materials prioritized? | Avoids supply chain delays | |
Are tolerances appropriate (relaxed where unnecessary)? | Excessively tight tolerances increase costs by 30%+ | |
Do trace width/spacing meet process capabilities (≥0.1mm recommended)? | Prevents shorts/open circuits | |
Does solder mask avoid covering pads? | Common cause of soldering defects | |
Is drill-to-board-edge distance sufficient (≥0.25mm)? | Prevents board edge damage | |
Are sufficient test points and flying probe features reserved? | Improves testing efficiency by 95% | |
Is copper-to-board-edge spacing ≥0.3mm? | Avoids V-Cut or routing damage | |
Are acid traps avoided? | Prevents uneven etching and open circuits | |
Is thermal pad/heat dissipation design adequate? | Common failure point for high-power devices | |
Is silkscreen clear and not covering pads/test points? | Prevents assembly confusion | |
Are sharp corners or narrow slots avoided? | Reduces stress concentration and processing difficulty | |
Are alignment marks considered for interlayer registration? | Critical for multilayer lamination | |
Does material selection match application temperature/frequency requirements? | Prevents high-temperature or high-frequency failure | |
Is lead-free process compatibility considered? | Required for RoHS compliance | |
Is the design suitable for automated SMT placement? | Reduces manual intervention | |
Are version number and date markings added? | Facilitates traceability | |
Is a DFM review with iPCB planned during the design phase? | Avoids more than 90% of potential issues |
The following are the most common DFM errors in PCB projects:
Traces too thin/spacing insufficient → Low yield and high rework costs
Solder mask covering pads → Significantly increased solder joint failures
Missing test points → Doubled electrical testing time
Drills too close to board edge → Edge cracking during panel separation
Review only at the end → 3-5 design revisions, delaying launch
Case studies: One medical device customer had improper solder mask design initially, causing rework costs to account for 15% of the total project cost. Through our early DFM optimization, they passed certification in one go with significant overall savings. Another consumer electronics project started with yield below 80%; after optimization, it exceeded 98%.
What is Design for Manufacturing (DFM)?
DFM is a set of principles that considers manufacturing processes, costs, and quality during the product design phase to help avoid issues later.
How does DFM help reduce costs in PCB projects?
By optimizing the design, it reduces rework, scrap, and revisions, typically saving 15-50% in manufacturing costs.
What does iPCB’s free DFM review include?
It covers hundreds of checks, including trace width/spacing, drill placement, solder mask coverage, acid traps, thermal design, test points, etc., with detailed reports and optimization suggestions.
What actual benefits does early collaboration with iPCB provide?
Customer feedback shows: yield improvement of 20-30%, cost reduction of 15-50%, and time-to-market shortened by 1-3 months.
By mastering and applying these 10 core principles, along with our practical checklist, you will significantly reduce manufacturing costs, improve product quality, and increase yield. Upload your Gerber files for a free review from the early design stage—you’ll achieve a more reliable and efficient PCB manufacturing experience, just like our many satisfied customers.
Welcome to contact the iPCB team at any time. We look forward to working with you!