Manual panel layout still consuming engineering time? That’s usually where production efficiency gets lost before the first board is even built.

PCB-Investigator’s Panel Builder is designed to turn panelization into a controlled, repeatable process. You can combine multiple PCB designs into one panel, add or import steps from other data formats, place them with defined spacing, rotate individual boards or the full array, and use drag-and-drop or transform functions to optimize the arrangement.

What makes this especially useful in practice is the mix of flexibility and manufacturing control. The plugin supports simple and intelligent nesting workflows, lets you set minimum distances, define fiducials, and add routing information directly in the panel context. That means fewer manual corrections, less risk of spacing or origin issues, and a cleaner handoff to fabrication.

For teams working with ODB++, GenCAD, or IPC2581 data, the ability to import steps from different sources into one panel can streamline data preparation significantly. And because the process is built around production needs, it helps reduce iteration time while keeping panel logic transparent for engineering and manufacturing teams alike.

If panelization is still one of those tasks that gets handled differently by each engineer, it may be worth standardizing the workflow. Take a look at Panel Builder and see how much time you can save in your own process.