DFM review
DFM review. Before you pay for boards.
An assembler's eye on your design before it goes to fab: fabrication limits, assembly problems, footprint and BOM mismatches, and test access, all checked and written up with fixes.
// What this is
The checks a fab house won't do for you.
A fab's automated check tells you whether it can make the bare board. It won't tell you that a part is rotated, a paste aperture will bridge, or a connector sits where nobody can reach it. We assemble and rework boards every week, and we review yours the same way.
Squidtronic reviews designs from Austin, Texas, for teams anywhere in the US. Send files; nothing physical needs to ship.
You get a written report: each issue with its location, why it matters, how severe it is, and the fix. Review it with us on a call, fix it yourself, or have us make the changes as layout work.
Want the fixes made too? We can apply the review's changes and hand back updated files, quoted as PCB layout work.
See PCB Layout// Capabilities
What we check.
| Fabrication | Trace and space, drill and annular ring, solder-mask slivers, copper to edge, against your fab's published limits |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Component spacing, courtyards, paste apertures, fiducials, polarity and pin-1 markings |
| BOM and footprints | Footprints against datasheets, BOM against the board, parts at end of life or out of stock |
| Test and rework | Test-point access, programming headers, room to rework BGAs and fine-pitch parts |
| Panelization | Panel layout, breakaway tabs and V-score for assembly |
| Files accepted | Gerber RS-274X, ODB++ or IPC-2581, BOM as CSV or XLSX, pick-and-place file, or native KiCad, Altium or Eagle |
| Deliverable | Written report with every issue located, rated and given a fix |
// Process
From files to a clean release.
Send the package
Gerbers or native CAD, BOM, pick-and-place file, and the fab and assembler you plan to use.
We review
Fabrication, assembly, BOM and test checks against those suppliers' rules.
You get the report
Every issue with its location, severity and recommended fix.
Fix and re-check
Fix it yourself or have us do it. Either way we re-check the revised files before you order.
// Pricing
Quote-only.
DFM reviews are fixed-price, quoted up front from the size and complexity of the board.
// FAQ
Common questions.
What do I need to send?
Will you check against my manufacturer's rules?
Do you fix the problems you find?
Is my design kept confidential?
About to order boards?
Send the files first. A review now costs far less than a respin later.
Request a Quote →