How To Calculate PCB Design Cost

RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY
How to calculate PCB design cost?

Printed circuit board (PCB) design is a complex process involving many
steps like schematic capture, board
layout, DFM analysis, prototype fabrication and assembly. Estimating an
accurate PCB design cost is important for budgeting any new electronics
hardware project. This article will explore the key factors that contribute
to overall PCB design costs.
Table of Contents
Types of PCB design costs
The main components of PCB design costs are:
Engineering costs
 Schematic design
 PCB layout
 Simulation and analysis
 Component selection
 Design reviews and documentation
Prototype fabrication costs
 Board materials
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 Number of layers
 Board size
 Line width and spacing
 Special processes like impedance control
 Testing
 Shipping
Assembly costs
 SMT programming
 Component cost BOM
 Placement and assembly
 Test and inspection
Tool costs
 EDA software licenses
 Library costs
Other costs
 Communications like conferences calls
 Travel and expenses
 Project management
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Key factors impacting PCB design cost
Below are some of the main considerations that affect overall cost:
1. Complexity
More complex boards take longer to design and cost more. Factors adding
complexity:
 Component density and pin count
 Number of unique parts and BOM line items
 High speed signals requiring impedance control
 Small board size relative to complexity
 Multiple voltages and power domains
 Layer count
 Mixed-signal content – analog and digital
2. Design quality

Higher design quality results in fewer spins and reduces overall cost.
Parameters indicating quality:
 Schematic completeness and consistency
 Layout precision and manufacturability
 DFM analysis like thermal, signal integrity
 Test point inclusion
 Documentation
3. Prototypes and spins
Multiple prototype iterations add cost but reduce long term risk. Consider:
 Number of prototype builds
 Quantity per build
 Design or fab driven spins
4. Certifications
Certification requirements like UL, CE increase design time and prototype
costs.
5. Volume
Amortize NRE costs over total production volume. High volume reduces
per unit cost.

6. Schedule
Faster time to market has higher engineering costs for resources and
tools.
7. Support
Post design support like fab liaisoning, assembly support, DFM review
adds cost.
8. Team location
Labor rates vary based on geographic location.
PCB design cost estimation methods
Below are some methods to estimate PCB design costs:
1. Historical data
Leverage costs and metrics from similar past projects of known
complexity and scope. Adjust to account for differences.
2. Vendor quote
Get budgetary quotes from vendors outlining their cost structure.
Compare multiple vendors.
3. Estimation by hour

Estimate hours needed for each task and multiply by hourly rate based on
complexity.
4. Cost per component
Estimate cost based on cents per component placed, adjusted for
complexity.
5. Cost by board size
Estimate based on cost per square inches of board area. Adjust for layer
count, density, complexity.
6. Cost by design phase
Allocate percentage of total cost to design phases – schematic, layout,
prototyping etc based on project scope.
Cost driving PCB attributes

PCB Antenna Layout
Below are some PCB characteristics that drive fabrication and assembly
costs higher:
Layers
PCB Type Typical Layers

Single sided 1
Double sided 2
Multilayer < 6 layers 4-6
Multilayer > 6 layers 8+
Board size
 Minimum charges apply for small boards
 Each additional square inch adds cost
Fine features
 Tighter line width and spacing
 Smaller vias
 High layer to layer alignment
Materials
 Standard FR4 cheaper than high frequency materials
 Exotic materials like ceramic, Teflon costly
 Thicker boards more expensive

Finishes and coatings
 Immersion silver, gold, ENIG cost more than HASL
 Conformal coatings add cost
High density
 More components per area add complexity
 0402 vs 0603 vs 0805 size components
 BGAs vs QFNs vs 01005 passives
Impedance control
 Tight impedance tolerance layers like +/- 5% add cost
Testing
 Test point access required
 ICT, bare board testing
 Flying probe, boundary scan techniques
Fab and assembly cost drivers
In addition to the PCB, fabrication and assembly processes impact cost:
Process Cost driver

Solder mask Tight tolerance on registration adds cost
Legend print Multi-color prints cost more than single color
Via fill/plugging Filling unused vias
Gold fingers Edge connectors with gold plating

Process Cost driver

Panelization Tooling and handling for panel assembly
SMT programming Component packages, inspection programs
Selective wave solder Additional process step
Testing Investment in test fixtures and handling
Box build Final product assembly steps
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Example cost calculation
Corne PCB Layout
Below is an example cost estimate for a hypothetical medium complexity
PCB design:
Phase Hours Rate Cost

Schematic design 40 $80 $3200
PCB layout 60 $60 $3600
Library creation 10 $40 $400
DFM analysis 12 $50 $600
Prototype fabrication $2000
Assembly setup $500
Test preparation 16 $45 $720

Phase Hours Rate Cost

Project management 20 $65 $1300
Total $11,320
This provides an initial cost estimate that can be refined as details become
clearer. Quote must be obtained from the fabrication shop and assembler
for final pricing.
Conclusion
Estimating PCB design costs requires an analysis of the various cost
factors based on design complexity, schedule, quality and prototype
requirements. Allocating cost by typical percentages for each design
phase also provides good budgetary guidance. The cost drivers outlined
here help identify areas that can be optimized to reduce overall PCB
cost and development risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pads Layout Viewer Download

Q1: What is the typical cost per square inch for 2 layer PCB fabrication?
For low to medium complexity 2 layer boards, typical cost per square inch
is around $2 to $5. High complexity boards can be $6 to $10.
Q2: How can PCB design costs be reduced?
Cost reduction approaches include:
 Simplify schematic and layout as much as possible
 Use fewer layers
 Reduce board size
 Standardize on component packages and footprints
 Reuse proven schematic blocks and layout patterns
 Select standard materials and finish
 Build sufficient DFM review time
Q3: Does PCB assembly cost more for BGA packages versus QFPs?
Yes, boards with many BGA packages often cost more to assemble than
QFPs due to:
 More expensive BGA inspection
 Precise solder paste printing
 Tighter component placement tolerances
 Error-prone rework if needed

Q4: How much does fabrication cost reduce at higher volumes?
For volumes above 10,000 pieces, fabrication cost can decrease by 25% to
50% compared to low volume prototype pricing for the same PCB design.
Q5: Does prototyping PCBs in Asia reduce cost compared to North America?
Yes, typically assembly costs in Asia are 30-50% cheaper than North
American vendors for low to medium volume batches. So prototypes
assembled in Asia can reduce cost.
Related Posts:
1. How to Calculate SMD Pad Sizes
2. How Do You Calculate PCB Aspect Ratio ?
3. How to Calculate With Current Divider Rule Formula
4. 4 Layer PCB Layout Tutorial,Stack-up design,and Cost of
manufacturing
https://www.raypcb.com/pcb-design-cost/

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RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

How to calculate PCB design cost?

steps like schematic capture, board

layout, DFM analysis, prototype fabrication and assembly. Estimating an

to overall PCB design costs.

Types of PCB design costs

The main components of PCB design costs are:

 Simulation and analysis

 Design reviews and documentation

Prototype fabrication costs

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 Line width and spacing

 Special processes like impedance control

 Component cost BOM

 Placement and assembly

 Test and inspection

 EDA software licenses

 Communications like conferences calls

 Travel and expenses

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Key factors impacting PCB design cost

 Component density and pin count

 Number of unique parts and BOM line items

 High speed signals requiring impedance control

 Small board size relative to complexity

 Multiple voltages and power domains

 Mixed-signal content – analog and digital

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Parameters indicating quality:

 Schematic completeness and consistency

 Layout precision and manufacturability

 DFM analysis like thermal, signal integrity

 Test point inclusion

3. Prototypes and spins

 Number of prototype builds

 Quantity per build

 Design or fab driven spins

Certification requirements like UL, CE increase design time and prototype

per unit cost.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Labor rates vary based on geographic location.

PCB design cost estimation methods

Below are some methods to estimate PCB design costs:

Leverage costs and metrics from similar past projects of known

complexity and scope. Adjust to account for differences.

Get budgetary quotes from vendors outlining their cost structure.

Compare multiple vendors.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

4. Cost per component

Estimate cost based on cents per component placed, adjusted for

5. Cost by board size

count, density, complexity.

6. Cost by design phase

Allocate percentage of total cost to design phases – schematic, layout,

prototyping etc based on project scope.

Cost driving PCB attributes

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/