An object-oriented information model for manufacturability analysis of printed circuit board fabrication

Assessing the manufacturability of a design is important for lowering the printed circuit board (PCB) cost, increasing process yield, and reducing the time-to-market. Many have recognized the need for a neutral information model for sharing product information, however, the modeling and exchange of manufacturing information is equally important to the successful manufacturability evaluation. Modeling the manufacturing information for PCBs is fraught with difficulty. The reasons are that the PCB industry experiences frequent technical advances, design knowledge is separated from process knowledge, and a great variation exists among companies in processes and capabilities. To address these issues an EXPRESS object-oriented manufacturing model of the manufacturing equipment and manufacturing process capabilities is proposed. The model is developed by considering PCB design and fabrication separately and then identifying the couplings between design decisions and the realization of those features in manufacturing. The data model captures equipment imposed limitations on designs and the couplings between design parameters and their impact on the manufacturing system. The model forms the basis of a manufacturability evaluation system for PCB fabrication and is illustrated through an example.