Throughout the design process for printed circuit assemblies (PCAs), and especially at key or critical points in the process, specific procedures and activities should be undertaken to verify the correctness and quality of the design. These activities include performing design reviews, checking the accuracy of the design and its associated data and documentation, and evaluating the producibility, testability, and projected reliability of the product.

Frequently, budget and schedule constraints put pressure on the designer to minimize design quality verification efforts. Unfortunately, the complexity of today s PCAs almost guarantees that a less than scrupulous review, check, and analysis will result in a deficient or defective design and in many cases require that the PCA be redesigned.

It is important that PCA quality verification procedures are standardized and the procedures documented. Doing so establishes a disciplined methodology that ensures that the proper things were assessed in the correct sequence using the right procedure.

Documenting standardized verification procedures and following them provide many benefits. One of the main advantages is that the standard process can be evaluated and improved through lessons learned from its prior use. It also enables designers and engineers to assess and verify each other s work using a common set of standards and requirements. Evolving from standard procedures can be a common set of tools that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the verification activity. These could include use of checklists, checking and analysis using computer-based routines and computer-aided design (CAD) tools, templates, and other methods.