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Question: What information is needed for PCB design budget quotation? When should I request a quotation?
Flexibility and rigid flexibility are the fast-growing parts of the PCB board market. As we face the challenge of putting increasingly complex electronic devices into smaller and smaller packages, flexible structures are a solution that many people are beginning to explore. It fully illustrates the advantages of space, weight and packaging. However, it is usually necessary to worry about costs and due diligence to ensure that it makes economic sense to use the product.
This requires the PCB board designer to provide early suggestions for working with the manufacturer to ensure that the product you want to design can be manufactured and solve any problems related to material availability. It also makes sense to request a budget quotation early in the process to ensure that the content you are designing fits the total budget of the project.
The following are the most critical things in budget pricing:
Proposed material stacking
Whether you have specific material restrictions or material flexibility, it is best to ask your preferred manufacturer for stacking. This is a good time to learn about materials that are "common" or "usually in stock" to use with your manufacturer. It is also time to understand which materials (if any) in the stack have long lead times and need to be included in the project schedule. Obviously, common materials will reduce delivery time and eliminate any lowest bulk charge prices. However, if a longer delivery time is required for materials, after the stack is secured, "pre-order" materials when the design is completed can help reduce the total delivery time of the project.
What is the PCB size of the part do you expect?
The price of each piece depends on the number of pieces that can be nested on the production panel. The complexity of the design usually determines the size of the panels used. The typical panel size is 12 inches x 18 inches and 18 inches x 24 inches, with at least a 1-inch frame around the panel for specimens, tool holes, etc., effectively reducing the available space to 10 inches x 12 inches Or 16" x 22". Generally, flexible and rigid flexible PCB boards have unusual shapes and can economically fit these panel sizes, or creatively nest parts to help improve panel utilization, which can have a significant impact on costs.
Another factor that affects the price is whether it will be delivered in a single sheet or an array. If you really want to assemble the parts into an array, it is best to include them during the budget quotation stage. Work with your manufacturer, unless they have developed an array, please advise them to find a cost-effective array; if an array has been developed, make sure to maximize the use of the larger array Production panels.
What are the quality requirements?
IPC Type 2, IPC Type 3, MIL-31032 has different requirements and different price points, which are very important for your estimation. Do you need to perform the third part of the test? This also has an impact on the total cost.
What is the minimum drilling size?
The minimum drilling size may affect the price. Mechanical drilling is usually cheaper than laser drilling, and mechanical drilling smaller than 0.008" may affect the cost. The added cost of smaller mechanical drilling depends largely on the manufacturer’s equipment and processes, so be sure Learn about these functions.
What is a through-hole structure?
Do you think the design is a standard design of through-hole structure? Will there be blind and buried vias? Will there be micro-vias? If there are micro-vias, will these vias be filled, stacked or staggered? How many layers are there? The number of lamination cycles required to make flexibility or rigid flexibility has a significant impact on cost.
What is the preferred surface finish?
Flexible and rigid flexible design can use the same surface treatment options as rigid boards. Do you need HASL? Lead-free HASL? OSP? Silver? Tin? ENIG? ENEPIG? ENIG? These have different price points, and the price and delivery time will be affected by the manufacturer's internal and most frequently run surface finishes.
To answer the original question:
Requiring pricing early in the design cycle can help determine whether the design fits the product budget. This is particularly important when using flexibility and rigid flexibility, because factors such as flexibility and rigid flexibility and through-hole structure may affect the cost. have a huge impact. After estimating the material and the number of layers based on the structure and quality requirements, please contact your manufacturer to obtain a stacking and budget quotation. This is a great time to start a conversation and ask questions to ensure that you don’t inadvertently increase unnecessary design costs.
The above are the issues that should be considered in the initial budget cost of PCB board design. For more PCB prices, please search PCB factories in detail.
