{"id":13046,"date":"2025-10-07T17:18:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T17:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/summitinterconnect.ca\/article\/from-cad-to-pcb-the-data-you-provide-and-what-pcb-manufacturers-actually-do-with-it\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T10:09:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T10:09:53","slug":"from-cad-to-pcb-the-data-you-provide-and-what-pcb-manufacturers-actually-do-with-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/summitinterconnect.ca\/fr\/blog\/article\/from-cad-to-pcb-the-data-you-provide-and-what-pcb-manufacturers-actually-do-with-it\/","title":{"rendered":"From CAD to PCB: The Data You Provide and What PCB Manufacturers Actually Do with It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Designers often assume that once their layout is complete and exported, a manufacturer can simply \u201chit print\u201d and start fabricating boards. In reality, the path from CAD to PCB involves a complex translation of digital intent into physical instructions. Every gap, conflict, or assumption in the data package can slow the process, add cost, or result in boards that don\u2019t match the design intent. <\/p>\n

From Design Files to Manufacturing Instructions<\/h2>\n

A typical data package includes Gerber or ODB++ files, drill charts, stackups, fabrication notes, and sometimes a netlist. The manufacturer imports these into CAM software and prepares the job for the production floor. This is where missing or contradictory details surface such as a drill chart that doesn\u2019t match the stackup; fabrication notes copied from an older design;, or solder mask openings that don\u2019t align with pads. <\/p>\n

Each of these discrepancies forces the fabricator to either pause and request clarification or make internal corrections. Both options come at a cost to either your schedule or to the circuit board accuracy. <\/p>\n

The Gap Between CAD and Manufacturability<\/h2>\n

Just because a feature can be drawn in CAD doesn\u2019t mean it can be produced reliably. Fine lines, tight spacing, or aggressive via structures often fall outside proven manufacturing limits. Manufacturability is about yield and repeatability, not just geometry. <\/p>\n

Good design-for-manufacturability (DFM) practice accounts for:<\/p>\n