Documentation / PCB
Measure the board outline and inspect layers, origins, footprints, zones, and rule sources before layout work.
Outcome
Execution record
| Step | Required role | Starting state | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 / Check and measure the outline | PCB/mechanical reviewer with board read access and authority to interpret the source drawing | The exact saved board, approved mechanical source/revision, datum, units, required features, dimensions, and tolerances are frozen; no geometry edit is authorized. | Board/source identities, ordered endpoint and arc table, closure result, width/height/radii/hole measurements with units/tolerances, feature captures, and dispositions |
| 02 / Review the layer plan | PCB or fabrication reviewer with access to the approved stackup | Step 1 identifies the board and source; the approved copper count, ordered functions, and fabrication requirements are recorded separately. | Used-layer/object-count table, Layer Stackup capture/transcription, required-versus-represented matrix, source citations, and owners for external controls |
| 03 / Inspect coordinate origins | PCB/release reviewer authorized to inspect coordinate conventions | A physical datum and expected coordinate convention are approved; board units and source revision are recorded; output generation is out of scope. | Datum identity and coordinates, each origin label/value/unit, source requirement, availability state, offset calculation, captures, and blocked rows |
| 04 / Sample critical footprints | PCB/component reviewer authorized to qualify footprint geometry | The sample register names every external/mechanical interface and at least one fine-pitch, through-hole, polarized, and bottom-side reference with cited sources. | Per-reference Properties captures, package source/revision, pad/pitch comparison, side/orientation/pin-one result, courtyard/mechanical check, and issue IDs |
| 05 / Review zones and rule sources | PCB reviewer authorized to interpret connectivity and fabrication constraints | Critical nets/zones/interfaces and approved width/clearance/via requirements are listed; the board remains on the saved state from Step 1. | Zone reference or location, net/layer, fill/keepout disposition when shown, sampled track/via properties, controlling rule/net-class identity, requirement comparison, and gaps |
| 06 / Save the board-setup record | Independent PCB/mechanical/fabrication reviewer | Steps 1-5 are complete or blocked and every observation links to the same saved board and approved source set. | Signed record with project/board identity, numeric tables, captures, source revisions, unavailable/external-control rows, issues, owner dates, and permitted downstream scope |
Procedure
Fit the board, isolate the board-edge layer, and inspect every segment, arc, cutout, and corner. Measure width, height, critical radii, and mounting-hole positions against the mechanical source.
Resin PCB Editor and approved mechanical source / PCB Editor > board canvas > Layers > Edge.Cuts/board-edge layer; selected outline object > Properties; PCB Editor > Measure: Fit the board, isolate the edge layer, inventory ordered segments/arcs/cutouts, inspect Properties, and measure from the approved datum
The ordered outer boundary closes and all required dimensions/features are recorded as within tolerance, failed, or unavailable against the approved source.
Stop ifStop setup acceptance when the source is provisional, datum/units are unknown, the loop is open/duplicated, a critical feature is absent, or any required dimension exceeds tolerance.
Record every copper and technical layer that contains objects, then compare the copper count and intended use with the approved stackup. Color alone is not layer identity.
Resin PCB Layers and Layer Stackup / PCB Editor > Layers/object visibility; PCB Editor > Project > Board Setup > Stackup > Layer Stackup: Inventory objects by named layer, transcribe enabled copper order and displayed Layer/Material/Thickness/Type/Copper Weight/Layer Function values without changing them
Every used layer maps to one approved stackup or documentation purpose, and every required but unrepresented fabrication parameter has an external owner and check.
Stop ifStop when copper count/order differs, a used layer has no approved purpose, a required value is unknown, or an unsupported release-critical parameter lacks a controlled external check.
Identify the board, drill, and placement origins where available, and record their coordinates against one physical datum such as the lower-left tooling hole.
Resin PCB coordinate display and Output & Export origin controls when available / PCB Editor > named datum/object coordinates; Project > Output & Export > relevant drill and placement origin settings: Read the datum object's coordinates and each exposed board/drill/placement origin without generating files or changing settings
Each required downstream origin is either reproducible from the named physical datum or explicitly blocked as not exposed or not approved.
Stop ifStop downstream coordinate acceptance when the datum is ambiguous, units differ, a required origin is not exposed or approved, opening the surface changes a setting, or verification would require generating an output.
Inspect every external connector and mounting feature plus at least one fine-pitch, through-hole, polarized, and bottom-side footprint. Compare pad count, pitch, orientation, side, and courtyard with authoritative data.
Resin PCB footprint Properties plus authoritative package/mechanical drawings / PCB Editor > each external connector and mounting feature; sampled footprint > Properties: Inspect reference, footprint identity, pad count/pitch, Position, Rotation, board side, pin-one/polarity, courtyard, and mounting geometry
Every mechanical interface and the required assembly-class samples have source-backed pad, orientation, side, and courtyard dispositions.
Stop ifStop the row when footprint identity or source is ambiguous, pad count/pitch differs, side/orientation cannot be proven, a mechanical interface misses tolerance, or a required sample class is absent.
Identify every copper zone's net and layer, then record the net class or rule source that controls clearance, width, and via geometry for power and high-risk interfaces.
Resin PCB zone Properties and Board Setup rule/net-class surfaces / PCB Editor > each critical copper zone > Properties; PCB Editor > Project > Board Setup > applicable rules/net classes: Read zone net/layer and trace each sampled power/high-risk route to its displayed clearance, width, and via-geometry source without editing
Every critical zone and sampled route has an exact net, layer, and controlling rule source or is blocked with an owner.
Stop ifStop when a zone net/layer is wrong or unnamed, rule precedence/source cannot be established, observed geometry violates the approved value, or inspection would require changing/refilling the board.
Capture dimensions, layer use, origin coordinates, sampled footprints, zones, and unresolved differences before routing or output generation.
Controlled board-setup review record / Outside Resin > revision-bound board setup record: Finalize source, boundary, layer, origin, footprint, zone, rule, exception, owner, and reviewer rows; do not infer unavailable values
The setup record contains numeric, source-linked dispositions for every critical row and explicitly permits or blocks the next board activity.
Stop ifDo not mark setup accepted when a critical row lacks source/evidence/disposition, a tolerance fails, an origin/rule is unknown, a model substitutes for package data, or the conclusion exceeds the inspected scope.
Verification
Evidence and exercise files
KiCad PCB · 101 KB / GPL-3.0-only
Provenance: Generated by Resin's committed Altium PCB parser and KiCad writer from the pinned Digispark source.
Current limit: A 100% importer count score does not establish visual, electrical, or manufacturing fidelity; the board has no 3D model references.
Download fileEvidence boundary
Failure recovery
The outline appears closed but endpoint, output, or dimension checks reveal a gap, overlap, duplicate, zero-length segment, or tolerance failure.
Diagnosis: Transcribe ordered segment/arc endpoints and IDs from Properties, compare each end to the next at maximum practical zoom, and record all loops, units, datum, extents, and failed measurements.
Recovery: Preserve the original table and edit only the affected endpoint/segment in a separately authorized disposable copy against the approved source, then repeat closure and all dependent dimensions.
Stop or escalate: Escalate when more than one loop may be intentional, the authoritative boundary is ambiguous, or a repair changes a critical dimension/feature beyond tolerance.
Evidence: Source revision, before/after endpoint tables and captures, exact edit, closure result, full repeated measurement set, board IDs, and owner approval
Recheck: One intended outer loop closes exactly, no duplicate/zero-length/overlap remains, and every critical boundary/feature measurement meets its original tolerance.
A layer, origin, stack parameter, or controlling rule required for downstream work is absent, unclear, or cannot be represented in Resin.
Diagnosis: List the exact requirement, value/unit/source, inspected Resin path/fields, observed availability/value, affected layer/output/net/object, and release consequence.
Recovery: Leave Resin values unchanged, add the requirement to a controlled external table with owner and exact downstream CAM/fabricator/assembly verification, and keep affected work blocked until approved.
Stop or escalate: Escalate when the gap affects copper order, material, finished thickness, impedance, drill/placement datum, clearance, width, via geometry, or another release-critical assumption.
Evidence: Required-versus-exposed matrix, UI captures, source requirement, external-control record, owner, receiver check, and blocking decision
Recheck: Every required value is either observed in a semantically matching Resin control or has an approved external control and release check; none is described as configured when it is not.
A critical footprint or zone conflicts with authoritative package, mechanical, connectivity, or rule intent.
Diagnosis: Record reference/zone, footprint identity, pad/pitch/side/orientation or net/layer values, source revision, expected value, observed value, controlling rule, coordinates, and affected interfaces.
Recovery: Keep the row Failed, preserve the board state, and route the mapping, schematic connectivity, zone, or rule question to its owning engineer before any geometry change or refill.
Stop or escalate: Block placement/routing when a mechanical interface, pin-one/polarity, zone net/layer, or rule source is unresolved, or when correction ownership spans schematic and PCB states.
Evidence: Properties and source captures, comparison row, governing rule/requirement, issue ID, owner decision, controlled correction delta, and affected-object list
Recheck: The corrected saved state matches the cited package/mechanical/connectivity/rule source, and every affected dimension, net, zone, and DRC criterion is repeated before the row can pass.
Task-specific troubleshooting
Inspect for overlapping, duplicate, reversed, zero-length, or near-coincident board-edge segments at each join.
Stop layout work, record both values and units, and resolve the authoritative outline before moving footprints.
Do not infer it from color; inspect the layer name and every object assigned to it, then compare the approved stackup.
Record the gap and do not generate placement, drill, or DXF files until a named datum is approved.
Complete the pad, courtyard, and drawing checks independently and record the missing model for the 3D review.
Do not fill or release it. Confirm schematic connectivity and the intended plane assignment before changing zone properties.
Decision gate
Approved mechanical/stack/fabrication sources, ordered outline and measurement tables, used-layer and stackup record, datum/origin table, critical-footprint samples, zone/rule trace, external-control rows, issues, and signed setup disposition
The source is provisional, outline closure/tolerance fails, layer order or origin is unknown, a critical footprint/zone/rule is unresolved, or a required external parameter lacks an owner and downstream check.
Next decision
Use the evaluation kit to choose a representative input and define the result your team needs.
ExecuteRun the task in ResinUse an approved project or disposable copy and preserve the actual result separately from this guide.
ContinueRun and triage DRCAdvance only within the scope permitted by the completed decision gate.