3 Major HDI PCB Design Mistakes to Avoid

For those new to the world of designing printed circuit boards, there's certainly a lot to learn. However, with some practice and dedication, designing circuit boards to complete any number of tasks in various electronic devices is easier than one may think. And once one has the basics down, the possibilities are truly endless. Still, for those just getting started, there are some big design mistakes to avoid when it comes to HDI PCB.

Not Considering Future Components

An all-too-common mistake, especially among beginner PCB designers, is not thinking to the future when creating a circuit board. More often than not, different components will need to be added to a board over time in order to enhance its performance.

When failing to consider future components, designers often don't leave enough space to add various components. As a result, they end up having to redesign the entire board when the time comes, which is a waste of resources, time, and money. By leaving extra space for these components ahead of time, this hassle can be easily avoided.

Failure to Ask for Design Reviews

Throughout the design process, it's easy to make small mistakes that are overlooked, even upon reviewing one's own work. This is why it's so important to ask for design reviews at various points throughout the process. Often times, it's easy to find professionals who are willing to review designs for an nominal fee; doing so can save designers a great deal of time and hassle down the road by helping them to spot and remedy mistakes before they turn into major problems or derail the entire design.

Not Backing Up Designs Regularly

When working in PCB design software, there are few things more important than taking the time to save often. This will help to ensure that one doesn't lose hours of work in the event that there's a computer crash. Some design programs have an auto-save feature that can be set, but it's recommended that designers also take the time to save their work manually at least every half hour or so. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry.

These are just a few of the most commonly made mistakes in HDI PCB design. Fortunately, these are also easily avoidable with just a bit of foresight, so all designers should keep these in mind as they work.