Catch short-circuit risks before they reach fabrication
In PCB design, the most dangerous issues are often not the obvious ones. Narrow clearances, exposed copper, uncoated drill holes, board-edge geometries, and contamination-sensitive areas can create short-circuit risks that are easy to miss during a manual review. That is exactly what Hazard Analysis in PCB-Investigator is designed to uncover.
The plug-in performs a fast and systematic risk assessment of your layout, helping engineers identify critical locations in seconds. For safety-relevant electronics and dense designs, that kind of early visibility can save significant review time and reduce the chance of expensive rework later in the process.
How the analysis works
Hazard Analysis automatically calculates the shortest distances between conductive structures and the PCB edge. It also includes features that are frequently overlooked in visual inspection, such as:
- exposed copper pads and traces
- uncoated holes and cutouts
- distance to the board outline
- possible short-circuit paths caused by contamination or moisture
The result is a more complete view of the real electrical risk in the layout, not just a check of nominal geometry.
Precision and speed, depending on the task
PCB-Investigator supports different evaluation modes so you can choose the right balance between precision and speed. Exposed Copper provides a highly accurate comparison of conductive areas, while Solder Mask Opening offers a faster screening method for broader checks.
In addition, minimum distances, filter rules, and ignore options can be tailored to your project. You can focus on specific nets or components, suppress irrelevant cases, and exclude coated areas where short circuits are not expected. That keeps the results relevant and actionable.
Good analysis does not just find more warnings. It finds the right warnings, early enough to matter.
Built for engineering workflows
Another practical advantage is reporting. After the analysis, critical findings can be transferred into the extended design report, where they can be filtered, commented on, and linked to result images and details. That makes the review process easier for design teams, quality engineers, and decision-makers alike.
If your work involves clearance-controlled layouts, fine-pitch routing, or safety-focused PCB development, Hazard Analysis is worth a look. Try it in PCB-Investigator and see how quickly potential short-circuit risks become visible in your own designs.
