Glossary

Every PCB term, in plain English.

Each term gets a jargon-free explanation first, then the engineering detail.

DFM

The ring of copper surrounding a drilled hole in a pad.

Checking a design against a fab's real capabilities to ensure yield.

The PCB interface between an automated tester and the device under test.

A standard netlist format used for bare-board electrical testing.

Designing traces to a defined characteristic impedance for high-speed signals.

The thickness of a copper layer, expressed in ounces per square foot.

Electroless nickel immersion gold, a flat solderable PCB surface finish.

Hot air solder leveling, a low-cost tin-based PCB surface finish.

The protective coating that insulates copper and defines solderable pads.

The universal image format describing each PCB layer as draws and flashes.

The list of electrical connections defining which pads and pins share a net.

An intelligent PCB database bundling copper, netlist, stackup, and components.

Hard-gold-plated edge contacts built to survive repeated insertions.

A small laser-drilled via connecting adjacent HDI layers.

Arranging multiple boards on a fabrication panel for efficient production.

Placing a via directly inside an SMD pad, filled and capped for assembly.