A netlist records each net in a design and the component pins on it, exported from the schematic into layout. The layout tool uses it to draw the rat's nest and check connectivity, and fabricators compare an IPC-D-356 netlist from the design against the bare board during electrical test, so opens and shorts in the copper are caught against what was intended rather than against another board.
Send the IPC-356 netlist with the Gerbers so electrical test compares against design, not against a golden board.
Also heard as
- net list
Related terms
Rat's nest
Tangle of straight unrouted connection lines a layout tool draws between pads that belong to the same net.
ODB++
Structured CAD-to-fabrication data format that packs layers, drills, netlist and part data into one package.
Bed of nails
Test fixture with an array of spring-loaded pins that touch every test point on a board at once.
DRC
Design rule check: automated scan of a layout for spacing, width, drill and connectivity violations.