Anatomy of a PCB Design > Projects > The PCB

PCB Keepout Regions are specific areas on a printed circuit board (PCB) layout where no components, traces, or other features are allowed to be placed. These regions are essential for ensuring proper function, manufacturing processes, and safety in electronic designs.

Purpose of Keepout Regions

•PCB Keepout Regionsare specific areas on a printed circuit board (PCB) layout where no components, traces, or other features are allowed to be placed. These regions are essential for ensuring proper function, manufacturing processes, and safety in electronic designs.

•Manufacturing Requirements: Some areas of the PCB may need to be kept clear for mechanical reasons, such as for mounting holes, edge connectors, or assembly processes that require space.

•Component Clearance: Keepout regions help maintain clearance around components to avoid interference or damage during assembly and soldering. This is particularly important for components that generate heat or have large physical footprints.

•Mechanical Constraints: These regions may be defined to accommodate mechanical constraints such as screws, brackets, or enclosures that the PCB must fit into.

•Thermal Management: Areas around high-power components may need to be kept clear to allow for proper heat dissipation and airflow.

•Signal Integrity: To prevent signal interference or crosstalk, keep-out regions can help maintain spacing between critical signal paths or between sensitive components.

•Test Points: Some areas may need to be reserved for test points or probing, where access is necessary during testing and debugging.

Types of Keepout Regions

•Component Keep-outs: Areas where no components can be placed. This can include regions around connectors or parts that require specific spacing.

•Trace Keep-outs: Areas where no traces or routing are allowed. This may be necessary to prevent interference with mechanical parts or to maintain signal integrity.

•Mechanical Keep-outs: Regions reserved for mechanical features, such as mounting holes or connectors, where components or traces cannot be placed.

•Thermal Keep-outs: Areas around heat-generating components where additional spacing is required for thermal management.

Design Considerations for Keepout Regions

•Layer Assignments: Keepout regions can be defined for specific layers of the PCB (e.g., top layer, bottom layer) to manage different requirements for each layer.

•Clearance Specifications: Define the clearance distance for keep-out regions based on the specific requirements of the design and the manufacturing process.

•Symbol and Marking: Use appropriate symbols or markings in the PCB design software to indicate keep-out regions clearly, ensuring that designers and manufacturers understand the restrictions.

•Consistency Across Layers: Ensure that keep-out regions are consistently applied across all relevant layers, especially in multilayer PCBs.

Tools for Defining Keepout Regions

Most PCB design software provides tools to create and manage keep-out regions. Common functionalities include:

•Polygon Creation: Users can create polygons to define keep-out areas.

•Net Assignment: Users can set keep-outs to specific nets or types (e.g., GND, VCC) to maintain clearances from those connections.

•DRC Settings: Design rule checks (DRC) can be configured to enforce the keep-out areas, alerting designers if components or traces infringe on these regions.

Best Practices for Using Keepout Regions

•Plan Early in Design: Define keep-out regions during the initial design phase to avoid issues later in the design process.

•Review Mechanical Specifications: Always consider the mechanical specifications of the final product to ensure adequate spacing and access for assembly.

•Use Clear Documentation: Clearly document keep-out areas in the design files and provide additional notes to assist fabricators in understanding the requirements.

•Verify DRC Compliance: Regularly check design rule compliance to ensure that the keep-out areas are respected throughout the design process.

•Simulate Thermal Performance: In designs where thermal management is critical, simulate heat dissipation and airflow to verify that keep-out regions are effectively maintained.

Summary

PCB keep-out regions are critical for ensuring the functionality, reliability, and manufacturability of printed circuit boards. By clearly defining these areas, designers can avoid placement issues, improve signal integrity, and facilitate proper thermal management, resulting in more robust electronic designs.