DFM
DFM (Design for Manufacturing)
In plain English
A reality check that makes sure a design can actually be built by a specific factory — like a builder reviewing house plans before construction to catch problems early.
The technical version
Design for Manufacturing is the practice of verifying that a PCB layout can be etched, drilled, plated, and assembled with acceptable yield at a specific fabricator. DFM catches issues a design-rule check misses, such as insufficient annular ring, acute slivers, and hanging copper. It is run against fab-specific rule decks, not generic rules.