Cost of Manufacturing Printed Circuit Board Assembly

Printed circuit board assembly is a complex process, and the price of these boards varies according to different factors. For example, the cost of a PCB depends on the materials used to fabricate it, its size and layer count, soldering methods, inspection methods, and more. A PCB that has through-hole parts requires more material than a surface-mount part and is thus more expensive. It is also more difficult to inspect a through-hole component than a surface-mount one.

Another factor that influences the cost of a PCB is the type of packaging it uses. Different electronic components require different packaging techniques, with some requiring special X-rays to detect any issues, such as short circuits. This is a time-consuming process that leads to higher assembly costs.

In addition to the materials, the type of soldering and etching technique will influence printed circuit board assembly prices. Generally, SMT technology is cheaper than THT because it requires less labor and is easier to handle. However, some designs may require a mix of through-hole and surface-mount components, which means that the price will be higher for through-hole parts than it would be for SMT ones.

Factors That Influence the Cost of Manufacturing Printed Circuit Board Assembly

The choice of substrate material also has a significant impact on PCB cost. Standard FR-4 fiberglass composite is cheap, but for high-frequency and high-speed applications, premium materials like polyimide or PTFE increase the cost. Special performance requirements may also trigger the use of specialized copper layers, which further increases the cost.

Aside from the materials, the size of a PCB impacts its cost. A larger PCB will need more materials and take longer to produce, driving up the cost. The thickness of the copper layers is another important factor, with thicker ones causing the cost to rise.

The number of layers in a PCB also has a direct effect on the cost, as adding more layers increases the complexity of the design and production time. The cost also varies depending on the type of finish; HASL is a budget-friendly option, while ENIG and soft-gold finishes offer superior durability and reliability, a feature that is often demanded by industrial and military-grade equipment.

Aside from these, other factors that influence the PCB price include its size and shape, component type and quantity, panel utilization (i.e., the effective utilization of panel space), and the type of soldering and inspection methods. Usually, smaller PCBs cost less than bigger ones. A PCB that will be used in a consumer device, such as a digital watch or laptop, will require fewer components than one intended for use in high-tech machinery and military-grade equipment. In some cases, it is even more cost-effective to fabricate two PCBs instead of a single, large one. This is because lower-layer PCBs have the same functional requirements, but require fewer raw materials and processing steps. This is known as economy of scale.