PCB Specifications and DRC
Last Updated: March 20, 2020PCB Specifications offered by MacroFab
These are what MacroFab currently offers for PCB options though the online interface. See this knowledge base article for how to customize your PCB options.
| Property | Options Offered |
|---|---|
| Layers | 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 32 |
| PCB Substrate | FR4-TG175, Rogers 4003C, Rogers 4350B, Rogers 4450B |
| Thickness | 0.062” (1.6mm) standard, 0.008″-0.248″ (0.2mm – 6.3mm) custom |
| PCB Thickness Increment | 0.0004″ (0.1016mm) |
| Max Dimensions | 14.9” x 14.9” (378.46mm x 378.46mm) |
| Minimum Billable Area | 1 square inch (25.4mm²) |
| Finish | ENIG, ENIPIG, Lead Free HASL |
| Solder Resist | Top and Bottom Standard |
| Silkscreen | Top and Bottom Standard |
| Copper Weight | 1/2 ounce (18μm), 1 ounce (35μm), 2 ounce (70μm) |
| Silkscreen Color | Red, green, blue, yellow, black, white |
| Soldermask Color | Red, green, light green, matte green, blue, yellow, black, matte black, white, dark brown, transparent |
| Plated Slots | Supported |
| Hard Gold / Edge Fingers | Supported |
| Castellations | Supported |
| Impedance Control | Supported |
| Blind and Buried Vias | Supported |
| Back Drilled Vias | Supported |
| Micro Drill Vias | Supported |
| Epoxy Filled and Capped Vias | Supported |
Design Rules for PCBs
MacroFab has 4 different sets of Design Rule Checks (DRC) for PCBs. Standard, Extended Manufacturing, Extended Drill, and Extended Manufacturing and Drill. Most PCBs fall under our Standard DRC.
DRC for 1oz (35μm) copper PCBs
| Property | Standard Manufacturing | Extended Manufacturing | Extended Drill | Extended MFG & Drill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum trace width | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) |
| Minimum spacing | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) |
| Minimum annular ring | 4 mil (0.1016mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) | 4 mil (0.1016mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) |
| Clearances from edge of board | 10 mil (0.254mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) | 10 mil (0.254mm) | 3 mil (0.0762mm) |
| Minimum drill size | 10 mil (0.254mm) | 10 mil (0.254mm) | 4 mil (0.1016mm) | 4 mil (0.1016mm) |
| Minimum paste aperture |
12 mil (0.3048mm) | 12 mil (0.3048mm) | 12 mil (0.3048mm) | 12 mil (0.3048mm) |
| Minimum Silkscreen Size |
5 mil (0.127mm) | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 5 mil (0.127mm) | 5 mil (0.127mm) |
| Minimum Route Size |
39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) |
DRC for 2oz (70μm) copper PCBs
| Property | Standard Manufacturing | Extended Manufacturing | Extended Drill | Extended MFG & Drill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum trace width | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A |
| Minimum spacing | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A |
| Minimum annular ring | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A | 6 mil (0.1524mm) | N/A |
| Clearances from edge of board | 10 mil (0.254mm) | N/A | 10 mil (0.254mm) | N/A |
| Minimum drill size | 10 mil (0.254mm) | N/A | 4 mil (0.1016mm) | N/A |
| Minimum paste aperture |
12 mil (0.3048mm) | N/A | 12 mil (0.3048mm) | N/A |
| Minimum Silkscreen Size |
5 mil (0.127mm) | N/A | 5 mil (0.127mm) | N/A |
| Minimum Route Size |
39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) | 39.37 mil (1.0mm) |
For PCBs with 2oz (35μm) copper the minimal trace width, spacing, and annular ring need to be larger to account for the thicker plating of copper. Because of this, 2oz Copper disables the extended manufacturing option.
Board Edge Routing
Our PCB Board Edge (Routing) Tolerance is ± 6mil (0.15mm).
Finished Drill Sizing
The MacroFab platform interprets drill hits as the finished size. This is the final diameter after plating and the surface finish applied. No plating tolerance is required in specifying drill sizes.
Drill Ratios and Laser Vias
The drill aspect ratio is the relationship between the depth of the drill hit and the width. For example, if the drill hit goes all the way through a 62 mil (1.6mm) thick PCB (standard PCB thickness) and the drill hit is 4 mil (0.1016mm) in diameter the ratio would be 62 ÷ 4 = 15.5.
| Drill Option | Max Drill Ratio |
|---|---|
| Standard Drills | 10 |
| Extended Drills | 16 |
Standard mechanical drills are used all the way down to 4 mil (0.1016mm) diameter vias. Laser drilling techniques are used for blind and buried vias.
Paste Layer Specifications
Paste layers for PCB designs should be supplied with zero paste mask shrink.
PCB Layer Stack Ups
MacroFab has a standard set of PCB layer stack ups and supports custom stackups and PCB substrate materials for PCB Assemblies. For more information on PCB layer stack ups check out the knowledge base article PCB Layer Stack Ups.
MacroFab PCB stack up datasheet
PCB and Material Datasheets
Below you can find the datasheets for the materials that are used to create your PCB.
PCB Manufacturing Standards
FR4 datasheet
R-500 GHB Soldermask Datasheet
Assembly Capabilities
MacroFab’s assembly capabilities can be found in this knowledge base article.
Additional Questions?
Our support and engineering staff is here to help! If you have any questions about your PCB design and what set of DRC to use, contact our support team! Does your PCB assembly need different specifications, material, or stack up other then what we offer? Contact our sales team today.