If you are dealing
in electrical equipment and need PCBs for the same, then you should be worried
about the cost. You should know how to reduce the cost of PCB manufacturing to
keep the overall cost of the electrical equipment within a range. Or else, the
cost of production will be significantly higher.
But, you shouldn’t
skimp on quality for the price. No matter what the condition, you shouldn’t
bargain the PCB
manufacturing cost keeping the quality on the bay. The manufacturing
cost depends on many factors so you should consider them all and while
designing the PCB and reduce the cost.
In this post, we
will discuss the tips to reduce your PCB manufacturing cost.
Size of the printed
circuit board
The size of the PCB
impacts the cost of production. We know a bigger circuit board is easier to
route, but it is costlier to produce. Sometimes, smaller PCBs are also costlier
because you need extra layers on them. The manufacturers have to use more
precise equipment to manufacture and assemble your boards. It means you should
consider the size of the printed circuit board to control the cost.
Choose
higher-quality materials
Good quality
materials for PCB
manufacturing may increase your upfront initial cost but it will
guarantee a more reliable end product. So you shouldn’t compromise on the
material quality and try saving money on manufacturing. If you choose cheaper
quality products, your product might suffer failures. Also, you might have to
return it to the manufacturer and get it fixed.
Prefer
standard circuit board shapes
Your electronic
items might demand printed circuit boards of different shapes. But, it’s always
good to use the standard shapes because they are easy to manufacture and
cost-effective. The manufacturer won’t have to specifically cater to your needs
and give more attention to the details. These specifications increase the
effort as well as cost. The conventional shapes of the standard circuit board
are rectangle and square.
Follow industry
standard sizes and components
Like every industry,
there are standard sizes and components defined for the electronic industry.
Following standard sizes and components make things simpler and more efficient.
Also, the manufacturer doesn’t have to use many resources like for bespoke
specifications.
Provide longer lead
times
If you require a
faster turn-around time, there will be additional costs for manufacturing and
assembling the circuit boards. The manufacturer will use extra resources to
speed up your turn-around time, which will increase your manufacturing cost.
So, you should provide a longer lead time to your manufacturer for
cost-effective results.
Other than these 5
cost-saving tips, you should opt for a PCB prototype. You will get the sample
product before the bulk production. With the PCB prototype, you will have time
to identify the issues and resolve them so that nothing goes wrong in the final
production. It will protect your resources and unnecessary production of wrong
products. So, you should work with a cheap PCB prototype manufacturer
for the same.
