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  9. Design for Assembly (DFA)

Design for Assembly (DFA)

DFA review is part of every NPI engagement. Key design principles that reduce cost and improve yield:

Component Selection

  • Prefer standard package sizes: 0402, 0603, 0805 for passives (avoid 0201 unless density requires it)
  • Select components with multiple qualified sources — single-source parts create supply chain risk
  • Avoid obsolete or end-of-life components; cross-reference Octopart or SiliconExpert during design
  • Standardize passive values across your BOM where possible (reduces component changeovers)
  • For BGAs and QFPs, confirm pad design matches IPC-7351 land pattern recommendations

Thermal Design

  • Place high-dissipation components (MOSFETs, drivers, LDOs) near board edges for thermal management
  • Include thermal reliefs on PTH pads in power planes — prevents cold solder joints
  • Define copper pours and thermal vias explicitly; do not rely on default EDA settings

Panelization

  • Amtech will work with you to develop a panel the effectively produce your product in our manufacturing process.