Shorted components

[jdm2008]

I have no circuit design experience and have a manufacturing/mechanical background, so this question may sound stupid. Is it common practice(or done at all) to design a board so that two components are shorted(on purpose)? Or is this most definitely a manufacturing error?
The components on the board are positioned so close together it leads me to believe that this might be intentional.
Also we returned the board to the vendor for a functional issue(we determined the board caused our system to malfunction) and the vendor returned the board to us,saying no problem found. If this was an error, it would seem this would be the first thing the vendor would check if the design was for no short(since the components are placed so close, it seems that this has to happen all the time).

 

[jdm2008]

I wish to add, that I don't have the print for the circuit.

 

[Sparweb]

Any sign of damage to the components due to shorting (heat/melt/black/smell)?
Did you point out this potential fault to them? In person? With the board in your hand?
Did you try to get the guy to admit "gee they ARE close together"?
Do you know what the components are? Shorting a resistor has a different effect from shorting a diode or capacitor.
Just because they can do one test that finds no fault, doesn't mean that you won't put in service that can't cause a fault.


STF

 

[LiteYear]

Might need to clarify what you mean by "shorted". The way you describe it, the components just sound like they're connected in parallel. Are they side-by-side, both two-terminal components? That would be a parallel connection which is very common between a resistor and capacitor, for example. Maybe post a photo - as far as you've described it, it doesn't seem unusual.

If a board were returned to us with a functional error, we'd test for that function. Hunting for shorts would be less reliable. Components can happily live very close together, if they were designed to operate that way.

 

[jdm2008]

I will post a photo when I have the board in front of me.

 

[mcgyvr]

So... do you have a schematic/netlist to check against?
Did this "vendor" design/layout the board for you? or are they just a board assembly house?
Why are you involved in this?
Where is the EE/board designer?

 

[OperaHouse]

Resistors may be shorted on some boards. This is a cheap way to adjust some boards or have multiple uses. A trace between the two components can then be cut when added resistance is needed.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

If you are shorting them by placing them close together (i.e., the leads are touching), this is most definitely a board design or manufacturing issue. Shorted traces that are later cut have already been mentioned, and these are "legal"... but poor component placement can be a problem for a few reasons. One would be an overworked PCB design guy and an overworked QA department... another might be EOL component replacement with larger/differently-shaped components.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[DRWeig]

We should wait and see the photo, but as OperaHouse mentioned --

It's old technology, but some of the products I deal with still have traces that are to be cut or bridged to configure a permanent parameter.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

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