10 TIPS FOR SAVING YOUR PCB COST | Leadsintec

How to Save Your PCB Cost? 10 Tips All You Want to Know

Fabricating low PCB costs is not easy, and there is a boatload of machinery, human labor, and processes that make it all happen. But your list of concerns is probably different and involves getting your board back in a timely manner while saving some money in the process. That’s why MADPCB is here, to help you avoid any of the unnecessary complexity and errors in your PCB design that can take a huge amount out of your wallet come PCB manufacturing time. So, without further ado, here are 10 practical tips that we put together that are guaranteed to save you money on your next trip to the fab house.

 

Tip 1 – Keep Your PCB Size at a Minimum

 

While this one might be the most obvious, it’s also the one factor that can take a huge chunk out of your wallet. Always try to keep your completed board size to a minimum, as the bigger it gets, so do your costs. This also works the other way around. If you make your board too small, a PCB manufacturer will need very precise equipment to put everything put together, which will also cost more. So, at the end of the day it’s a balancing act for you to navigate between size and complexity, but try to err on the side of less is more.

 

Tip 2 – Don’t Skimp on Quality Materials

 

Before you go and tell your manufacturer to use one of those cheaper, substitute materials for your layer stack, hear us out. Think about when you get that board back, what if it fails within days, weeks, or months after you power it up?

If you skimp on materials now, you’ll probably wind up losing more money in the long run when you find that your boards are glorified coffee coasters. So, when it comes to selecting materials for your layer stack, use the standard, quality stuff, it’s there for a reason.

 

Tip 3 – Stick with Standard Board Shapes

 

Unless you have a crazy-looking enclosure to fit your design in, always design your board in the standard square and rectangular shapes characteristic of most PCBs. Doing anything out of the norm will skyrocket your manufacturing costs significantly. Also, don’t bother adding any internal cutouts to your PCB unless you need it to mount to an enclosure. Keep it simple!

 

Tip 4 – Stay Within Your Minimum Spacing Requirements

 

This one works just the opposite of your board size. As the spacing between your copper objects like pads and tracks decreases, the more your manufacturing costs will increase. The reasoning behind this is fairly simple, the more stuff you pack into a smaller package, the more precise the manufacturing machinery will need to be. Many fab houses have a standard set of spacing requirements, which is somewhere around 8-10 mils minimum spacing between pads, tracks and track widths.

Always check with your manufacturer to see their specific spacing requirements. And save yourself from some added worry about adding design rules in your PCB design software for these spacing requirements so you don’t need to think about it while you design.

 

Tip 5 – Use the Biggest Diameter Possible for Holes

 

The smaller your holes and annular rings, the higher your manufacturing costs will climb. Again, it comes down to smaller spacing needing precise machinery. Many fab houses will even charge extra if you need holes that are smaller than 0.4mm, so be sure to give your manufacturer a call to avoid any unnecessary costs.

 

Tip 6 – Use the Right Via for the Design

 

There are three types of vias – through-hole vias, blind and buried vias. The last two are only going to be used for high-density and high-frequency PCBs. So, this one is simple, if your design doesn’t need these types of vias, leave them out to avoid any extra manufacturing costs. For simple designs, stick with the through-hole via for easy manufacturing.

 

Tip 7 – Chill Out on the Extra Layers

 

Before you go adding a bunch of additional layers for more routing space, power planes, or performance, think again. The difference between a four-layer board and a two-layer board is double! On your next design, keep things clean and compact and only use as many layers as needed to get the job done. Even if that means a little more in board size.

 

Tip 8 – Set Your PCB Design Up for Panelization

 

At a fab house, PCBs are made on a giant panel with a bunch of other PCBs, or just yours depending on how many you ordered. You can save yourself a ton of money at this point by using the largest panel size available from your manufacturer. Getting all of your boards on one panel means that the rapid-fire pick-and-place machine can get all your parts placed in one go without requiring any additional setup time.

 

Tip 9 – Use Only Industry Standard Sizes and Components

 

There’s a reason why the electronics industry uses a standardized set of sizes and components – it makes everyone’s job easier and more efficient. It also adds some potential for automation in all of those high-tech pieces of manufacturing equipment. So, to avoid any wasted money required from having your manufacturer assemble your weird components by hand, be sure to stick with the industry standard specifications, which may differ between each fab house.

 

Tip 10 – Stick with Surface Mount Components If Possible

 

Last but not least, unless you’re building a mega complex design then it’s best to stick with standard surface mount components (also called Surface Mount Devices, or SMDs). Why? A few reasons:

• Using surface mount components will reduce the number of holes that need to be drilled on your board which is typically used for through-hole components.
• This will also reduce the number of processes required to get all of your parts soldered onto your board.
• You will likely get your board back in less time, as through-hole components require hand assembly by a certified person.