A fair score.
A very unfair roast.
Astra’s scorecard covers five parts of a board. Each carries the same weight, and the board’s score out of 100 is their average, rounded to the nearest five. Astra first identifies the board’s likely category and complexity, then applies the engineering standards that matter for that kind of design. Complexity sets context, not points.
Routing
Signal and interconnect geometry: topology, widths, clearances, vias, directness, congestion, unrouted copper, and return-path continuity.
Power integrity
Power architecture and delivery: regulation, protection, decoupling, grounding, current capacity, rail distribution, and power-related thermal risk.
Circuit design & placement
Non-power circuit design and component arrangement: logical connectivity, interfaces, topology, part use, functional grouping, proximity, orientation, mechanical alignment, and assembly access.
Manufacturability
Fabrication, assembly, and testability: board-edge, drill, mask, courtyard, pad and footprint constraints, process fit, and production access.
Clarity & silkscreen
On-board and project clarity: readable references, polarity and connector markings, naming, schematic organization, and useful build documentation.
What a score means
Exceptional execution with no meaningful weakness. Rare.
Excellent execution with only minor issues.
Solid execution with notable improvements still needed.
Mixed execution with important weaknesses.
Poor execution with serious defects or confused choices.
Fundamentally broken or unsafe in this area.