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PCB Assembly Cost Composition
As you know, material, specification and the delivery time are the main factors of price. Here, we are going to discuss some other factors that affect cost composition.
Material
The ordinary double panel, such as the sheet that has FR-4, CEM-3, the thickness of board 0.6mm – 3.0mm, and copper weight 0.5oz – 4oz, all become a cause of big price difference. There is a definite price difference between conventional thermosetting oil, LPI, and solder mask ink.
The Production Process
Different production processes may result in additional costs, like HAL and Gold-plated, dry film, silk-screen, and routing and punching.
The difficulty of PCB
The PCB difficulty also causes different costs, even if the material and process are the same. If two PCB types are 1000 holes, the hole diameter is up to 0.6mm for one type of PCB, and the other is less than 0.6mm, it becomes a cause of different drilling costs. If two PCBs are the same, but the line trace and width are. Further, this will also cause additional charges.
Customer Requirements
Customer requirement level will affect the manufacturer’s yield directly. According to the IPC-A-600E class 1, the PCB’s First pass yield is 98%, but according to class 3, it is only 90%, resulting in a different cost for the manufacturer.
PCB Manufacturer
Even if the product is the same, it will also result in different costs using different technology and equipment.
Quantity of PCB Assembly:
Most manufacturers may not have just a minimum requirement of numbers, but they have a fixed amount to precede an order because the quantity is exceptionally crucial. If you place a large order, then most of the manufacturers will offer you a significant discount. If you purchase a higher number of PCBs, you will be charged for the lower cost of each PCB.
The higher purchase will allow manufacturers to make up for the resources they are utilizing them. In this way, the manufacturer can achieve manufacturing efficiency, and the buyer can achieve an efficiency of cash, followed by getting more in tiny amounts.
The Lead Time:
The price also depends on the lead time; it means how fast you get your PCBs. If there is no dealing, the manufacturer will perform their work at their own pace and utilize the resources in different ways that will not cause the extra cost for them to manufacture PCBs. For the priority order, the manufacturer needs to complete the task within the given deadline. They need to put their other project on hold because they need to charge extra manufacturing costs urgently.
PCB Assembly Cost Breakdown
It is the most crucial point most engineers want to know. Here, we are going to tell you about the most effective ways help to cut the cost of PCB assembly Cost by giving you quality insurance:
Size of the Board:
A panel is one of the essential parts that are used to produce a PCB. The size of the board is another critical factor that affects the cost of PCB. If the board is more extensive, the manufacturer will need more material to build it. This point might straightforward and straightforward for you, but it is not as simple as that.
Depending on specified dimensions, it is probably possible that a board may take less estate area, but it is higher in its cost. It will happen due to the overall size of the PCB panel used in the board’s manufacturing.
Sometimes one dimension fits the panel better as compared to the other one. Here, we will consider two parts with the exact total square inches per board. The first board is 2sq.in x 6sq in, and the second board is 3sq.in x 4sq in a variety of the board. Here, the single board’s cost will be reduced for the 3sq.in x 4sq.in.
The Number of Layers:
A printed circuit board for both single and double-sided may cost the manufacturer probably the same to produce. However, the PCBs that are contained in multilayers are different because they add some additional cost to their material and manufacturing process.
Moreover, moving from single to double layer and double to quadruple layers will automatically increase and double up the original price. The price will start to vary when you add more layers to the mix. For example, going from 4 to six layers will increase the overall cost by 25%, but if you are going from 6 layers to eight layers, the rate might increase by 100%. It will depend on the additional material that is needed to create more layers.
Bare PCB’s Schematic Design Optimization depending on Low-Cost Concern:
The actual manufacturing of the first step, checking whether your circuit can adequately be implemented (called DFM check), is very important. Most of the PCB assemblers provide a free DFM check service that helps reduce the cost without compromising on quality. Four critical factors affect the price of Bare PCBs:
- Layout Count
- Via Tech
- Shape and size
- Surface finish
Prepare a Complete and Effective BOM:
BOM stands for a bill of materials; it is a comprehensive list of items, raw materials, components, assemblies, sub-assemblies, etc. Preparing a complete BOM to include some essential details for PCBs such as the manufacturer’s name, Part number, Reference designator, Description, Quantity, the Case/Package, Top/Bottom, SMT method, Comment/Note, Points/Footprint, BOM level. It is recommended to add your BOM components’ replacement because the electronics are developing fast, and the parts upgrade rapidly with the old items eliminated.
Complete BOM will allow the manufacturer to quote in two or three days and start production after your confirmation.
Make the Component Sourcing Clear:
If you are a small company, it is challenging for you to schedule your project and control your budget. Here, relying on the PCB assembler will make more sense. The Record assembler should have a friendly relationship with the franchised distributors for their long-term cooperation. They can get your demanded components at the wholesale price to help you make a low-cost but high-quality SMT). This will make it easy for a pick-and-place machine to easily pick and place the components on the PCB (PCB Assembly.
Adjust the Order Volume and Lead Time:
Keep your company condition in mind, and according to the volume of your order, select the PCB assembler that can provide services as per your requirements.
However, Different Assemblers have different calculation ways for lead time. So make sure that you know about your assembler lead time.
Balance the PCB Assembly Cost with the quality
Reliability of Thermal:
Can the Board perform under a temperature range that is expected for the tasks in question? Some boards required material of a higher thermal rating as compared to the standard panel.
Reliability of Temperature:
Within a controlled setting, can a material withstand expected atmospheric conditions ignoring the overheating? The PCB is intended for effective high temperatures and requires a material that can pass these tests easily.
Transfer of Heat:
Will the board withstand high intensity without passing an excessive heating level to the adjacent and attached components? The suitable Material needs to pass this test for the uses in question.
The Single Performance:
It concerns the performance of the PCB. Throughout each operating cycle o the given machine, will the material is facilitating uninterrupted electrical signals? Will these signals face a critical temperature range and some critical environmental factors?
The Mechanical Properties:
Does this material contain a tremendous physical composition to face a possible range of physical stresses? Can the board drop several feet without any breakage?
Choose Best PCB Assembler:
Almost all service providers give you a surety to provide a cost-effective service, but it is not enough to get good quality at a reasonable price. First, you should get complete awareness of your project’s requirements and budget; then, you have to search for the best PCB assembler. For this, you have to cover the following aspects:
Certificated:
Ensure that the assembler you are going to choose is certified to provide you with surety for their work. Some necessary certifications include RoHS, ISO9001, UL, etc.
Equipment Uses:
The assemblers should have up-to-date equipment that will contribute to the high quality and high efficiency of SMT). This will make it easy for a pick-and-place machine to easily pick and place the components on the PCB (PCB assembly.
Component Procurement:
Based on our years of experience in the PCB industry, We can notice that lots of time and money are lost in the manufacturing stage of PC Boards just because of the disjoint relationship between the phases of the process. To save time and money, we recommend cooperating with the PCB assemblers who offer component sourcing services to their clients. In this way, you can focus on improving and engineering your project and allowing the assembler to do what he is good at buy cheap but high-quality components and then assemble them onto your circuit board.
Test:
It may increase some costs but don’t forget that we aim to reduce the price without compromising quality. Testing plays a vital role in contributing to your project’s high quality, telling us about issues or mistakes in advance.
Conclusion
It is imperative to choose an excellent one-stop PCB manufacturer. The trade-off between quality and cost budget is the most significant issue you should keep in mind.
WellPCB has been quality-certified for the selection and procurement of components. Our principle is to be responsible for the products of each customer. Thus, we are here to meet your needs efficiently and quickly by creating excellent work suitable for your project and design. We prefer quality instead of choosing to save money by producing a low-quality product. If you have any needs, please feel free to contact us.
