Design Guides
Six steps our engineering desk runs on every new handover — the same DFM review that runs before a single board is cut.
The DFM path, six steps.
Footprints & DFM audit
Pads, rings, clearances, copper balance and tooling checked against the process window before layout gets comfortable.
Component selection & lead time
Cross to parts with real lanes, pick approved alternates, flag EOL risk — the quote carries the suppliers we will actually buy from.
Test-point plan
ICT and FCT points, probe keep-outs and through-hole access agreed before layout freeze — adding test points after layout costs weeks.
Process window
We confirm your design fits the network: footprints from 01005 to 0.3 mm BGA, boards to 58 layers HDI, or the PCB desk tells you what to change.
Prototype
A 1–100 piece real build with first-article inspection and test data — you validate the product, not a polished sample.
Production file package
The deliverable set below, versioned and archived. The same package that drives the prototype drives the ramp.
The production package, itemized.
Send these nine items and the DFM desk can quote, review and build — without a single clarifying email round-trip.
Engineering Q&A.
Which file formats do you accept?
Gerber (RS-274-X) plus aperture files, native EDA projects from the common tools, and a netlist to keep the checks honest. If we can open it, we can review it — and we always confirm what we received.
Do you review files before full production?
Yes — every quotation includes a written DFM checklist, returned inside 24–48 hours, with the call-out noted. It is the same review that runs before every prototype.
What happens when a part is EOL or long-lead?
The sourcing desk proposes approved alternates with verified availability, buys original-only via verified channels, and confirms the swap with you before ramp. Price is locked per quotation.
Can you build to Class 3 or automotive requirements?
IPC-A-610 Class 3 acceptance is the network default, and automotive programs run under the IATF 16949 framework — from PPAP-style documentation to the audit trail.
Can you take box build from mechanical CAD?
Yes. RackForge does the enclosure and sheet metal, the box-build team handles cables, kitting, firmware loading and labels — we quote the system, not just the board.
Send the files, get the audit.
One email, one package, one written response inside 24–48 hours — with the mistakes found before they cost you a prototype run.