PCB Layout

Printed Circuit Board layout is a necessary stage to turn an approved electrical schematic into a producible physical layout: component placement, trace routing, stack-up definition and verification of mechanical and electrical constraints. It is a delicate step of the whole development process, because the choices made at this stage directly affect signal integrity, electromagnetic compatibility, cost and manufacturability.

At Protech we use professional CAD tools such as Altium Designer and Cadence OrCAD/Allegro to manage projects ranging from a single prototype to series production, on single/double-sided, multilayer and rigid-flex boards.

Single/double-sided and multilayer

Stack-up and controlled impedance

Rigid-flex boards

ECAD-MCAD co-design

Complete production output

Every layout goes through DRC (Design Rule Check) and DFM (Design for Manufacturability) checks before release to production, to minimize rework, scrap and delays during industrialization.

We support you through every stage of mastering, from schematic to production file

Stack-up and signal integrity

We define the stack-up best suited to the application, balancing layer count, dielectric thicknesses and reference planes to guarantee controlled impedance on critical lines. We assess crosstalk, return current paths and electromagnetic compatibility already at the layout stage, to reduce the risk of issues during EMC validation.

Placement and routing

Component placement takes into account mechanical, thermal and manufacturability constraints, as well as electrical requirements. Trace routing follows the design rules (DRC) defined for the chosen production process, with attention to thermal vias, ground/power planes and the management of interference between analog, digital and power circuits on the same board.

DFM verification and production output

Before release we verify the manufacturability of the design (DFM/DFA) together with PCB fabricators and assemblers, to align the layout with their processes. The production package includes Gerber RS-274X files, NC drill files, pick and place files, bill of materials (BOM) and assembly documentation.

Advantages

Lower risk of signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility issues, thanks to optimized stack-up and ground planes from the earliest layout stages.
Accurate thermal management, with dedicated thermal vias and heat-spreading planes for power components.
Rigid-flex circuits for applications with tight mechanical constraints.
Electronic/mechanical co-design for a better fit inside the final enclosure.

Benefits

Reduced time-to-market, thanks to DRC/DFM checks built into the mastering process.
Less rework and scrap during production and assembly.
Complete, traceable documentation for every revision of the design.
Direct compatibility with our network of Italian and international PCB and assembly suppliers.

The stages of our mastering service, from data acquisition to the production file

Data import and comparison

We import the netlist supplied by the customer, or generate it from the electrical schematic, checking its consistency with the design and matching the chosen components to their footprints.

Libraries and mechanical references

We build and maintain component libraries to the customer's specifications, acquiring the board outline or the mechanical drawing in DXF format as a reference for the layout.

Design rules and stack-up

We set the layout design rules and define the stack-up best suited to the application, based on layer count, dielectric thicknesses and impedance constraints.

Component placement

We place components on the board taking into account electrical, thermal, mechanical and manufacturability constraints, in preparation for the following routing stages.

Routing and testing

We define the electrical parameters of power and high-speed signal lines, using routing techniques for differential pairs, length-matching and crosstalk protection; we complete the routing and place the in-circuit test points requested by the customer.

Production output

We generate Gerber files, pick and place files and all the documentation needed for production, together with 3D mechanical files in STEP format to check the fit with the mechanical design.

3D render of a mastered PCB, showing components in 3D view

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