DFM & Valor Services

Automated & Manual DFM Services

Freedom CAD has the capability to perform DFM & Valor services on all FCS designed products, as well as designs done by customers or outside agencies. These reviews are done primarily through the use of Valor’s Enterprise 3000 software (now owned by Mentor). As a supplement to the automated analysis, a visual check is done to review the items not automatically checked.

Every Freedom CAD design goes through our Valor/QA process a minimum of two times to ensure that your design is error free.
Standard Deliverables

Automated Valor Checks

The automated Valor checks fall into the categories below. The primary checks performed are listed in each category. The checks done are predominantly fab checks. The Enterprise 3000 tool has limited automatic checks for potential assembly issues. The rules used for these checks have been developed by Freedom CAD based on industry standards, along with experience and feedback from suppliers. FCS has the ability to use unique customer or supplier specific rules if desired.

Netlist analysis

All shorts and opens identified by net name
Intentional shorts or opens need to be specified

Drill Checks

Note : Checks are based on finished hole sizes

Minimum drill size
Duplicate holes
Touching holes
Hole spacing
Missing or extra holes
Hole to board edge spacing

Signal Layer Checks

Note : Checks for inner and outer layers are separate. Line width and spacing values are unique to each job

Line width and spacing
Line/pad and pad/pad spacing
Non-plated hole to copper spacing
Copper to board edge spacing
Via and plated hole annular ring
Trace stubs

Power/Ground Plane Checks

Non-plated hole to copper spacing
Via/plated hole pad to plane spacing
Thermal relief connections (negative planes only)
Plane spacing
Copper to board edge clearance

Soldermask checks

Consistent clearance on pads (cleared or 1:1)
Tented vias (unless specified as intentional)
Mask coverage of adjacent features
Board edge mask clearance
Mask web/sliver width
Missing mask openings

Solderpaste Checks

Presence of paste on all SMT pads
Size of paste matches SMT pad (1:1)

Silkscreen checks

Silkscreen on via pads, SMT pad, PTH pads (especially text)
Silkscreen to board edge
Silkscreen line width
Silkscreen text height
Silkscreen text overlapping

Manual Checks

To supplement the automatic Valor checks, we perform a manual review of the data provided. This allows us to provide feedback for the types of issues that Valor cannot find.