Minimum trace width and spacing in PCB Design - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a PCB design engineer at an electronics manufacturing company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants you to analyze the PCB layout data to ensure all trace widths and spacings meet the minimum manufacturing requirements to avoid defects.

📊 Data: You have a dataset listing PCB traces with their widths and the spacing between adjacent traces in micrometers (µm). The manufacturing minimum trace width is 100 µm and minimum spacing is 150 µm.

🎯 Deliverable: Produce a report showing which traces violate the minimum width or spacing rules, and a summary dashboard highlighting compliance status.

Sample Data

Trace ID	Trace Width (µm)	Spacing to Next Trace (µm)
T1	120	160
T2	90	140
T3	100	150
T4	110	130
T5	95	170
T6	130	180
T7	105	145
T8	100	155

1

Step 1: Load the PCB trace data into your BI tool.

Import the sample data table with columns: Trace ID, Trace Width (µm), Spacing to Next Trace (µm).

Expected Result

Data table with 8 rows loaded correctly.

2

Step 2: Create a calculated column 'Width Compliance' to check if trace width meets minimum 100 µm.

Width Compliance = IF([Trace Width (µm)] >= 100, "Pass", "Fail")

Expected Result

Rows with Trace Width >= 100 show 'Pass', others 'Fail'.

3

Step 3: Create a calculated column 'Spacing Compliance' to check if spacing meets minimum 150 µm.

Spacing Compliance = IF([Spacing to Next Trace (µm)] >= 150, "Pass", "Fail")

Expected Result

Rows with Spacing >= 150 show 'Pass', others 'Fail'.

4

Step 4: Create a summary measure 'Total Violations' counting traces failing width or spacing.

Total Violations = COUNTROWS(FILTER(Table, [Width Compliance] = "Fail" || [Spacing Compliance] = "Fail"))

Expected Result

Total Violations = 5

5

Step 5: Build a dashboard table showing Trace ID, Trace Width, Spacing, Width Compliance, and Spacing Compliance.

Configure table visual with columns: Trace ID, Trace Width (µm), Spacing to Next Trace (µm), Width Compliance, Spacing Compliance.

Expected Result

Table clearly shows which traces pass or fail compliance.

6

Step 6: Add a card visual showing 'Total Violations' count.

Display the measure 'Total Violations' as a single number card.

Expected Result

Card shows number 5 indicating total non-compliant traces.

7

Step 7: Add a pie chart visual showing proportion of 'Pass' vs 'Fail' for Width Compliance.

Pie chart with legend 'Width Compliance' and values as count of traces per category.

Expected Result

Pie chart shows 6 Pass and 2 Fail for width compliance.

8

Step 8: Add a pie chart visual showing proportion of 'Pass' vs 'Fail' for Spacing Compliance.

Pie chart with legend 'Spacing Compliance' and values as count of traces per category.

Expected Result

Pie chart shows 5 Pass and 3 Fail for spacing compliance.

Final Result

---------------------------------------------
| Trace Compliance Dashboard                 |
|-------------------------------------------|
| Trace ID | Width (µm) | Spacing (µm) | W.C | S.C |
|-------------------------------------------|
| T1       | 120        | 160          | Pass| Pass|
| T2       | 90         | 140          | Fail| Fail|
| T3       | 100        | 150          | Pass| Pass|
| T4       | 110        | 130          | Pass| Fail|
| T5       | 95         | 170          | Fail| Pass|
| T6       | 130        | 180          | Pass| Pass|
| T7       | 105        | 145          | Pass| Fail|
| T8       | 100        | 155          | Pass| Pass|
|-------------------------------------------|
| Total Violations: 5                        |
| Width Compliance: Pass=6, Fail=2          |
| Spacing Compliance: Pass=5, Fail=3        |
---------------------------------------------

✓Five traces violate minimum width or spacing requirements.

✓Two traces have width less than 100 µm.

✓Three traces have spacing less than 150 µm.

✓Trace T2 fails both width and spacing compliance.

✓Ensuring all traces meet minimums will reduce manufacturing defects.

Bonus Challenge

Create a heatmap visualization showing trace widths and spacings with color coding for compliance status.

Show Hint

Use conditional formatting to color cells red for 'Fail' and green for 'Pass' to quickly spot problem areas.