What It Does
Use Trace's checks and assistant to examine a defined design scope and summarize actual findings. ERC, DRC, behavioral simulation, and manufacturer review have different coverage; none replaces an engineering review of the intended product.
When It Runs
Request a review when a circuit path is complete, after a significant board change, or before export/order. Do not assume every edit or manufacturing submission runs every check automatically.
In a supported session, ask “Review this saved design for ERC, PCB DRC, and the listed manufacturer requirements. Report findings and unevaluated items without editing.” Available checks depend on the build, host, and active document.
What It Checks
Electrical Rule Check (ERC)
ERC checks the configured schematic rules, including pin-type conflicts, dangling connections, driver declarations, and hierarchy mismatches. It does not determine that selected values or supply conditions make the circuit function.
Design Rule Check (DRC)
DRC checks board geometry against configured rules, including clearances, widths, holes, courtyards, board edges, and unconnected items. Refill zones and use the intended rule set before interpreting findings.
Signal Integrity
Ask for a bounded review of critical nets, return paths, pair geometry, and length requirements. Distinguish measured geometry from estimates and unevaluated electrical behavior. No automatic universal impedance, EMI, timing, or thermal approval is implied.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
Compare the board with the selected manufacturer's current process requirements. Presets represent only encoded constraints; stackup, materials, panelization, assembly access, stencil design, and process exceptions may need direct manufacturer review.
Component & BOM
Check exact package/pin mapping, fitted variant, quantities, ratings, and orderable part numbers. Stock and lifecycle data can be unavailable or stale. A catalog hit is not confirmation of a footprint or reserved inventory.
Using Design Review
From the Desktop App
- Open the intended project/document, select the fitted variant, and save intended work.
- Run schematic ERC and PCB DRC in the appropriate editors. Check the active manufacturer preset and refill zones.
- Ask for a review with explicit scope and requirements.
- Inspect the actual tool findings, affected items, and unavailable checks—not only the assistant's summary.
- Approve specific edits separately if needed. Save, rerun the affected checks, and inspect the changes.
- Review the final exported artifacts before submitting an order.
From the CLI
Use trace-cli bundled with the Trace app. Install Trace and sign in to the desktop first, then follow the CLI reference for supported checks. Do not assume a desktop review action implies a separate review command or identical flags.
Severity Levels
Severity expresses the check's concern, not a certain prediction of physical failure. Address errors and warnings, investigate informational findings, and record intentional exceptions with their rationale and any required manufacturer approval.
Example Output
An illustrative summary might state:
- DRC found a clearance below the configured minimum.
- The BOM lacks an exact package suffix for one component.
- Thermal performance was not evaluated.
- Simulation observed a response, but no acceptance assertion was evaluated.
Each statement should identify its evidence or gap. Avoid replacing missing checks with “design verified.”
Integration with TraceRules
Written preferences can guide the assistant, but the active board rules control DRC. A note in .trace/rules.md does not change .kicad_dru, suppress a violation, or grant an engineering exception. Inspect the actual rule configuration.
Continuous Design Review
Repeat relevant checks after meaningful changes. With Automatic simulation review On, a compatible native schematic session considers model feasibility early and reviews behavior near completion—not after every edit. Missing conditions/models remain gaps; simulation Off does not disable ERC.
If Review Is Incomplete
A failed or unavailable check is not an empty finding list. Resolve the specific file, model, condition, permission, or tool error and rerun the affected review. After an uncertain edit, reconcile saved files and the editor before repeating writes.
Keep unreviewed items explicit, including current versus historical simulation evidence. Do not proceed on the basis of a clean-looking summary when required evidence is missing.