Want, want, want - that's all he engineers ever do.  Next time the tell you they want reference designators, tell then YOU want a schematic that doesn't change every 10 minutes!

;-)

In a perfect world, they have a valid "want".  But as a large lipped stick of a man taught us, you can't always get what you want.

If you are working with parts so small and placement so tight that you need reference designators that small, you really need is the space those ref des take up.  Since you can't put silk on vias, do you use via in pad so there are ref des for debugging prototypes?  So for convenience for a few weeks of protoyping, you produce an expensive board for years.

OK, that's extreme, but I'm making a point.  As a PCB designer, it's your job to take the circuit design from the EE, add your knowledge of PCB fabrication and assembly processes, and make a cost effective, reliable product.  It's 2 diifferent thought processes.  EEs are focused on design and debug, you are focused on production.  You should be suggesting to them ways to make a better product, not a test board.  I'm not suggesting arguments, but cooperative discussion.  You'll both learn something.  And there will be compromises for all aspects of the product cycle.

OK, so reference designators aren't going to ruin a product.  Unless you are violating design rules to make them fit.   But you may be spending a lot of time on useless silkscreen.  And, if I read into your "because they said so" exasperation, it's probably more than silkscreen they are asking for, to make their jobs easier.

Pete

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