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The Shaughnessy Report: Solving the Data Package Puzzle

If you ask fabricators about their biggest challenges, they’ll often point at PCB designers—the readers of this magazine. Yes, you!

Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? It’s a fairly straightforward task. But this part of the design process keeps tripping up designers, even those who started in the industry before Pink Floyd split up.

I get it—this is the least favorite part of the process for many PCB designers. The fun part is earlier, when you’re putting the puzzle together, making everything fit onto the board. Post-processing is the “housekeeping” part of the design cycle. By this time, many designers are already thinking about solving their next puzzle.

CAM departments cite data errors and missing data as among the most prevalent miscues and missteps they encounter. Missing drill files seem to be the biggest snafu. If your fab drawing info contradicts your layout, your job might get put on hold (or CAM may fix the discrepancy and not even tell you about it). But designers can also give fabricators too much information; as our contributors explain this month, instead of naming a specific type of laminate, designers are better off letting fabricators “do their job” and select the right material for the job.

Outputting multiple file formats presents another CAM headache. Over 90% of designs are still output in Gerber format, despite the availability of the digital ODB++ and IPC-2581 data formats. On top of this, some PCB designers generate both Gerbers and ODB++ files, often because their company rules demand it. But we’ve reported on nightmare scenarios where the data in the two formats does not match. Don’t output two types of data formats unless you absolutely have to.

There are also issues with version control, especially change visibility. Are you certain that you output the final version?

Simple errors like this can be alleviated by paying attention to detail—and knowing what issues to look out for. So, in this month's issue of Design007 Magazine, our experts weigh in on the best practices for creating the ideal design data package for your design. Our featured contributors include Dana Korf, Kris Moyer, Stephen V. Chavez, John Watson, and Kelly Dack. We also have columns from Matt Stevenson and Barry Olney, and articles from Anaya Vardya and Karen Burnham.

And we’re excited to unveil a new feature: “In-depth with… .” This exclusive, ongoing series delves deep into the most innovative technologies and processes in the industry. In this issue, we’re spotlighting our conversation with Ebad Rehman and Beth Turner of MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, who detail the company’s latest developments in high-reliability allows for the automotive industry. Don’t miss it.

It was great seeing some of you at SMTA Atlanta and PCB East. I’ll see you next month.

This column originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine.