SPECBUILDR
Custom electronics · PCB fabrication

Write a build-ready PCB fabrication spec — for fab and assembly.

You have a schematic and a board. SpecBuildr asks a short set of plain-English questions and turns your answers into a complete PCB specification a fab and assembly house can quote and build — stackup, copper weight, impedance and all.

Start your board spec → Free · no account · ~5 minutes

The problem with speccing a PCB

A board can pass DRC and still be wrong for the fab: the stackup, copper weight, impedance control, and finish are a separate spec from the layout — and the assembly house needs its own set of answers.

Miss them and you get a board that fabs fine but fails signal integrity, or can't be assembled at your volume. SpecBuildr asks the fab-and-assembly questions in plain language and turns your answers into a spec both houses can quote from.

How to specify a PCB: what the spec needs

A fab-ready spec comes down to six things beyond the Gerbers. Here's what each means in plain terms.

01 Board & program

What the board does and how many you need.

In plain terms: a prototype run vs. production changes the fab class.

02 Size & components

Board dimensions and the key or critical parts.

In plain terms: how big, and what's the hardest thing to place.

03 Layer stackup

Layer count and the arrangement of copper and dielectric.

In plain terms: how many layers, and how they're stacked.

04 Copper & impedance

Copper weight and any controlled-impedance signals.

In plain terms: current capacity and high-speed signal control.

05 Finish & fab class

Surface finish (ENIG / HASL), soldermask, and IPC class.

In plain terms: how pads are plated and how strict the fab is.

06 Assembly & environment

SMT or through-hole, one or both sides, and operating conditions.

In plain terms: how it's built and where it runs.

How it works

1
Answer a short interview
Describe your application in your own words. The tool asks follow-ups only where they matter and skips what it can safely infer.
2
It fills the gaps
Where you're unsure, it proposes a sensible default and explains the trade-off, so you're never blocked on a number you don't know.
3
Leave with a real spec
Download a clean, build-ready specification — reviewed for major physics and manufacturability violations — ready to send to fab and assembly houses for a quote.

Built for the engineer, not the fab expert

  • EEs and embedded engineers handing off a board for the first time.
  • Hardware teams moving from prototype to a production fab.
  • Anyone who wants fab and assembly to quote without a dozen clarifying emails.

Questions

How do I specify a PCB for a fab house?

You answer questions about the board, its size and key parts, and how it's used; the tool builds the fab-and-assembly spec around them — layer stackup, copper weight, controlled impedance, surface finish and IPC class, and assembly notes — the parameters a fab needs beyond your Gerbers.

What do I actually get at the end?

A complete, downloadable PCB specification: board and program, size and components, stackup, copper and impedance, finish and fab class, and assembly and environment — formatted to IPC standards so fab and assembly can quote it.

Is the spec trustworthy?

It's generated from your answers and reviewed for major physics and manufacturability violations. Treat it as a strong, quote-ready starting point, not a substitute for the fab's final DFM and impedance review.

How much does it cost?

The tool is free to use and needs no account. You keep the spec.

Ready to spec your board?

Five minutes of plain questions. A fab-ready specification at the end.

Start your board spec →