What are the quality requirements? IPC standards 2, IPC standards 3, MIL-31032, all entail diverse needs and varying cost considerations crucial to incorporate into your price quotations. Will you require a third-party component examination? This also influences the overall cost.
What are the minimum drilled opening sizes? The minimum drilled opening dimensions can impact pricing significantly. Mechanically drilled openings generally incur lower costs compared to laser-drilled holes. Additionally, mechanically drilled openings less than 0.008″ can affect the overall cost. The additional expense for smaller mechanically drilled holes can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer’s equipment and processes, so it’s essential to understand those capabilities.
What is the via structure? Do you anticipate a straightforward through-hole construction for the layout? Will there be blind and buried vias? Will there be microvias? If microvias are present, will these be filled and stacked or staggered, and what will be the number of layers? The number of lamination cycles required to produce the flex or rigid-flex has a significant impact on costs.
What is the recommended surface finish? Both flex and rigid-flex designs can employ the same surface coating options as a rigid board. Do you need HASL? Lead-Free HASL? OSP? Silver? Tin? ENIG? ENEPIG? These options come with varying cost considerations, and both pricing and lead time are influenced by the surface finishes your manufacturer has in-house and operates most frequently.
What are the minimum drilled opening sizes? The minimum drilled opening dimensions can impact pricing significantly. Mechanically drilled openings generally incur lower costs compared to laser-drilled holes. Additionally, mechanically drilled openings less than 0.008″ can affect the overall cost. The additional expense for smaller mechanically drilled holes can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer’s equipment and processes, so it’s essential to understand those capabilities.
What is the via structure? Do you anticipate a straightforward through-hole construction for the layout? Will there be blind and buried vias? Will there be microvias? If microvias are present, will these be filled and stacked or staggered, and what will be the number of layers? The number of lamination cycles required to produce the flex or rigid-flex has a significant impact on costs.
What is the recommended surface finish? Both flex and rigid-flex designs can employ the same surface coating options as a rigid board. Do you need HASL? Lead-Free HASL? OSP? Silver? Tin? ENIG? ENEPIG? These options come with varying cost considerations, and both pricing and lead time are influenced by the surface finishes your manufacturer has in-house and operates most frequently.
