PCB Services
Free DFM Review
Design for Manufacturability review included with every order.
Every PCB order from AstroPCB includes a free Design for Manufacturability (DFM) review before fabrication begins. The engineering team examines your Gerber files, drill data and fabrication notes against the manufacturing capabilities and process tolerances of the actual production line — not a generic set of rules. When issues are found, the team communicates specific, actionable recommendations so you can decide whether to revise the design or accept the noted condition.
What the DFM review examines
The review covers the physical construction feasibility of the design: drill-to-copper clearances, annular ring adequacy for the specified drill size and registration tolerance, minimum trace width and space compliance, solder mask dam feasibility between closely spaced pads, board edge clearances for routing and V-score, via structure manufacturability (blind, buried, stacked, filled), copper balance and distribution for lamination flatness, impedance achievability on the proposed stackup, and any non-standard features that require special tooling or process steps.
For complex builds — HDI with sequential lamination, rigid-flex, RF boards on specialty laminates — the DFM review also verifies the stackup construction sequence, confirms material availability for the specified laminate and prepreg combinations, and validates that the sequential build order is feasible with the number of lamination cycles implied by the via structure.
How DFM feedback is communicated
The DFM report lists each finding with its location in the design (layer, coordinates, reference designator where applicable), a description of the issue, the manufacturing risk it presents and a recommended resolution. Findings are categorized by severity: critical issues that must be resolved before fabrication can proceed, advisory items that the engineer recommends addressing but that can be accepted at the designer’s discretion, and informational notes about construction choices that will be made during fabrication (such as etch compensation values or copper reduction percentages).
The report is delivered by email alongside the quotation. For designs with critical findings, the engineering team is available to discuss resolution options by email or phone.
DFM before you order
You do not need to place an order to receive a DFM review. Upload your design files with a note requesting DFM feedback, and the engineering team will review the design and provide a report. This is useful during the design phase — before the layout is finalized — when there is still flexibility to adjust the construction for better manufacturability. Early DFM review is the single most effective way to avoid fabrication delays, yield losses and costly board re-spins.
Upload your files for DFM review
Provide Gerber files, drill data, a fabrication drawing or README with layer count, stackup, material and impedance requirements. The engineering team will return DFM feedback within one business day.