DRC, design rule check, runs a layout against a rule set covering trace widths, clearances, annular rings, drill sizes, mask slivers and unrouted connections, and lists every violation. The rules come from the fabricator's capabilities, electrical requirements and company standards. A clean DRC is the minimum entry ticket for release, and any waived violations should be documented so the fabricator does not have to guess.
DRC shows 214 errors, but 200 are silkscreen over pads, fix the other 14 before we send Gerbers.
Also heard as
- design rule check
- rule check
Related terms
Clearance
Minimum spacing between copper features of different nets, or between copper and the board edge or holes.
DFM
Design for manufacturability: checking and adjusting a design so it can be built reliably at sensible cost.
Keepout
Region of a board where copper, parts, vias or routing are forbidden by a design rule.
Gerber
Standard file format describing each board layer as a 2D image, sent to the fabricator to build the board.