Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards has become an essential requirement in foremost applications today. In recent times, due to accelerated demand for automation and high-tech products in numerous applications & products, PCBs have played critical roles. It is now unimaginable to configure a product, with smart features, without integrating a PCB into it. To fulfil this critical demand for the users, PCB manufacturing and assembly has grown to be a key business. Similar to any business or industrial aim, PCBs are being manufactured and assembled following standard and industrial procedures to make sufficient money. A suitable PCB manufacturing cost is always beneficial for both users and manufacturers.
Key Factors in PCB Manufacturing Cost
End-to-end PCB manufacturing involves several steps from requirement generation to product delivery. Each step has a contribution to the end product cost according to the severity of them. Any decision taken during any step needs to be considered carefully with all the technical and non-technical parameters. Because all these factors would affect the final PCB fabrication cost.
- PCB Features and Design – Each product and PCB has its own unique features. These features further decide the project planning and other activities, resulting in a specific PCB fabrication cost. Any product or application having a PCB has a technical configuration to comply with the required features either given by the user or declared by the product owner. The initial price category starts with this factor. After finalising the required features, the design layout of the PCB further decides the product manufacturing process and correlated tasks. A more complex design results in a higher PCB manufacturing cost.
- Raw Material Selection – Printed Circuit Boards are basically the integration of various components on a common platform. The raw material cost has a major part in final PCB fabrication costs. The choice of the raw material completely depends on the PCB designer and manufacturer jointly. The BOM (Bill Of Material) is always prepared by the PCB designers which is later followed during the manufacturing and assembly process. For a defined component, many versions and make are available for procurement. This decision is taken by considering component specifications, lead time, price, lot quantity and mode of transport. So raw material selection has a direct influence on the overall PCB fabrication cost.
- Order Volume and Time-line – From a business point of view, the manufacturing and assembly solution providers want to produce the maximum possible product output. However, the order quantity is given by the end user for their respective applications. In some cases, the PCB manufacturers produce bulk quantities and sell as per order requirements. The unit PCB manufacturing cost varies with output volume. For large order quantities, the unit PCB fabrication cost is lower compared to the unit price for smaller orders. For completing a project, a dedicated timeline is followed. To get the order fulfilled in less time, additional resources are required at PCB assembly solution providers, which results in additional PCB fabrication costs. However, the basic requirement of time for critical tasks is not changed to maintain the product quality and reliability.
- Manufacturing Cost – When the overall price details are prepared, the PCB manufacturing cost is also added by suppliers. The PCB fabrication cost includes the operational cost of PCB manufacturing & assembly at the manufacturer’s end. Machine cost, workforce payments, consumable materials, packing and dispatch expenses are included with the product price. A margin for profit is also added to PCB manufacturing costs.
- Testing and Compliance Requirement – The PCBs are manufactured and assembled as per the defined specifications and criteria. In order to ensure the product quality and reliability of the PCB, quality checks and functional tests are done at the manufacturer’s end. The PCB manufacturing and assembly are carried out as per the standard procedures, but still, there is little chance of defects. Adequate tests and quality checks help to ensure the proper functioning of the product. Testing and validation are important in any PCB manufacturing & assembly process which requires dedicated resources. This cost is indirectly added to the PCB fabrication cost. In addition, the end PCB may require some technical or regulatory compliance for the end application. This requires third-party testing and audits for product and process verification. The PCB manufacturing cost varies according to the compliance requirements.
Cost Management Methods in PCB Manufacturing & Assembly
It can be clearly seen that PCB manufacturing cost depends on numerous factors. PCB designers and assembly solution providers always try to control the product price to make it more competitive for the users and for self-profit. Some statistical and analytical approaches are followed for effective PCB fabrication cost management.
- Design Optimisation – The PCB manufacturing starts with the initial design and layout preparation. The electrical and electronic circuit is prepared as per the application requirement, which is further transformed into PCB versions for users. The overall product dimensions, components, packages, layer count and material grade are defined along the PCB design. By optimising the PCB layout and design techniques, a compact and compressed version can be finalised which further decreases the PCB manufacturing cost.
- Material Selection – All through the design phase, the whole BOM is prepared with the component details. For a component requirement, there are many alternatives available. Selecting a perfect component with the required specification and competitive PCB manufacturing cost saves lots of money in manufacturing and assembly. PCB assembly solution providers typically procure raw materials in bulk to minimise the purchase value from nearby vendors. Imported material always costs greater, however, in critical situations, the imported material is preferred.
- Effective Production Plan and Resource Management – PCB manufacturing and assembly is a systematic process which requires solid planning for project completion. The PCB manufacturing starts with the material procurement and ends with the final delivery of the production lot. It is a continuous process in which day-to-day activities play a vital role. By considering the machine & process capability, raw material stock availability, machine running hours, workforce presence and transportation time, an effective production plan is prepared and followed. If any emergency or critical situation occurs, then a backup plan is ready to implement. A good production plan without any critical conditions always reduces indirect PCB manufacturing costs for manufacturers.
- Quality Control Measures – Product quality is the prime focus of the clients on the stated PCB fabrication cost. Maintaining product quality is also a major focus for PCB assembly solution providers. A bad quality and defective product always cost additional for business units. Implementing relevant & adequate quality measures in the process, monitoring the production flow and taking regular corrective & preventive actions, improves the product & process quality. Failure in the quality level of the PCB, defective PCB and unreliable products result in lot rejections or additional rework, increasing unwanted budget for PCB manufacturers.
- Technological Integration – Technology is improving at a faster pace and newer techniques are being implemented in each area. It is always recommended to adopt the latest technology and automation processes in the design and manufacturing of the PCB for more output, better quality & less lead time. New integration methods in PCB manufacturing & assembly and implementing hi-tech materials in products increase product reliability. All these measures can effectively reduce the entire PCB fabrication cost.
Conclusion
The entire knowledge of the product along with its price structure is a prime concern for commercial entities. The composite rate for PCB assemblies is affected by many factors. Many PCB manufacturing cost optimisation strategies are available for effective price management. With the aid of considering all the aspects of the PCB, components, requirements and applications, and making prompt decisions in the project can save the monetary value of the product and process. Maintaining the quality standard of the end product should not be neglected during the PCB fabrication cost management process.
