Ways to reduce PCB costs
As PCB design is more and more commonly used with existing development boards, and daughter boards are used to drive hydraulic devices and servo motors or perform tasks based on light, motion, and sound, the trend of PCB design gradually tends to open source hardware models and Control System.
After completing the product and printed circuit board design, you need to start building prototypes before mass production of PCBs. Several PCB design software packages, such as printed circuit board layout design tools and individual design tools, have simulation capabilities. Doing so can minimize the number of design errors before building the main PCB prototype.
If you are designing a complex project, you may need to consider a modular design in which all the main functions are located in separate modules. During the inspection, modules that do not meet the design constraints can be exchanged. Rotating a single module is faster and more efficient than rotating the entire design.
All of this depends on the complexity of the design, and you can consider manually installing printed circuit board components to save costs. However, for medium to large complexity, this approach is usually very time-consuming, especially when many prototypes need to be built. Therefore, it makes sense to consider PCB manufacturers for assembly.
When running a small number of production runs, the cost of the production step will usually dominate the total construction cost. When looking for subcontractors, it is best to choose a supplier who specializes in PCB prototype manufacturing to minimize costs. PCB prototype manufacturers usually combine the circuit boards of many customers, thereby effectively sharing the installation cost among many customers. The disadvantage is that you can usually only choose the thickness and size of a few standard materials.
In addition to choosing a low-cost supplier, choosing a company that can manage mass production runs can minimize errors, because a particular supplier’s understanding of the details of production design is different, so changing manufacturers may make mistakes. The design method is converted into specific machine data, which means that there is little or no installation cost for the final production.
Some PCB manufacturers also provide PCB design services. If there is no design experience, this will be a huge advantage. In addition, if there is a problem with the design document, these sellers will be able to help and be able to find the problem before production.
One problem with low production is the procurement of PCB components. Most suppliers will change shipping charges and minimum order quantity requirements for certain components. Similarly, in the case of surface assembly, handling a small number of components is also a problem because the PCB components will be installed from the SMT feeder.
Some PCB manufacturers can buy standard SMT parts from suppliers. This saves time in purchasing these components in person.
Choosing a PCB manufacturer that can complete the assembly of the final product can avoid the delivery time between different suppliers, thereby minimizing the delivery time.
