PCB Power Case Study: DFM & Manufacturing for IoT Product Introduction
PCB Power is an established supplier of PCB manufacturing services in the USA, known for its precision engineering, rapid turnarounds, and high-reliability production capabilities. Over the years, we’ve worked closely with early adopters in the U.S. electronics industry—particularly in the Internet of Things (IoT) space. Our ability to deliver high-performing, scalable products—where form factor, energy efficiency, and reliability matter—has earned us a strong reputation.
Recently, we partnered with an IoT firm specializing in smart industrial monitoring solutions. Their latest project was a compact sensor hub with edge-computing capabilities, designed to perform real-time diagnostics of heavy manufacturing equipment in remote plants. Because this device was intended for mission-critical applications, the company needed more than just PCB fabrication—they needed a full DFM (Design for Manufacturing) partnership to ensure thermal stability, RF performance, and manufacturability from day one.
Initial Challenges
Before teaming with PCB Power, the IoT company faced several recurring issues:
Thermal Hotspots:
High-density components such as microcontrollers and RF transceivers were causing localised heat build-up, leading to unstable readings during extended operation.Layer Stack-up Inconsistencies:
Their initial 6-layer configuration suffered from signal reflection in high-speed differential pairs, partly due to inconsistent dielectric thickness and lack of impedance-controlled routing.Via and Trace Impedance Conflicts:
Blind and buried via configurations weren’t optimised for manufacturing yield, and impedance mismatches were degrading performance at the 2.4 GHz band used for wireless data transmission.Prototyping Bottlenecks:
Frequent design revisions meant every change required a new prototype cycle, adding weeks to the timeline.
PCB Power’s Approach
Our team began with a comprehensive DFM audit of the Gerber files, BOM, and mechanical drawings. From there, we collaborated directly with the client’s hardware engineers to iterate on designs for manufacturability.
Key steps included:
Layer Stack-up Redesign:
Shifted from a generic FR-4 stack to a low-loss, stable Dk material for improved RF stability. Adjusted prepreg thickness to achieve ±10% impedance tolerance on critical differential pairs.Thermal Dissipation Enhancements:
Introduced via-in-pad with epoxy fill for key heat-generating ICs, combined with copper pour adjustments and thermal relief patterns to manage heat flow without impacting signal integrity.Via Strategy Optimisation:
Reduced unnecessary via transitions on high-speed lines to minimise signal stubs. Converted certain blind vias to through-hole microvias for better manufacturability at volume.Solder Mask Optimisation:
Modified solder mask clearances to improve solder joint reliability on 0.4 mm pitch BGA packages, avoiding solder bridging during reflow.Panelisation for Automated Assembly:
Designed a custom breakaway tab panel layout that maximised pick-and-place throughput while reducing handling damage during depanelisation.
Simulation & Rapid Prototyping
Stack-up & Impedance Simulation: Ran pre-production simulations to validate signal performance before cutting copper.
Quick-Turn Prototypes: Delivered working prototypes in under 5 business days, enabling the client to run firmware validation in parallel with mechanical housing tests.
Continuous Feedback Loops: Each revision cycle included side-by-side evaluation of design alternatives, accelerating decision-making.
Results
Prototyping Lead Time: The transition from initial design to functional prototypes was significantly shortened, allowing the client to validate both hardware and firmware earlier in the development cycle.
Manufacturing Efficiency: Material choices and optimised panel layouts improved production flow and reduced unnecessary handling, leading to smoother volume scaling.
Signal Integrity Improvements: Careful impedance control and via strategy refinements ensured stable performance across analogue-digital interfaces, minimising data errors during wireless transmission.
Seamless Scale-Up: The product moved from pilot run to mass production without any PCB-related engineering change orders, enabling a confident market launch ahead of the original schedule.
Takeaway
This collaboration demonstrates how an experienced DFM partner can dramatically influence NPI success. For fast-moving industries like IoT, where millimetres in form factor and nanoseconds in signal timing can make or break performance, having a PCB partner who understands both design intent and manufacturing realities is essential.
With PCB Power, companies gain not just a manufacturer, but a technical ally who can help bridge the gap between your concept and scalable production.
Choose PCB Power for your next PCB manufacturing project.
