Yantai SMT Processing tells you what is expensive about small batch sampling

SMT Processing in Yantai Explains: Where Does the High Cost Lie in Small-Batch Prototyping?

In many people's subconscious, making a small number of circuit boards should be very cheap. However, the opposite is true for SMT patch processing. Any product, from its initial design concept to the stage before mass production, is destined to be a non-standard item. There is no prior manufacturing experience to provide guidance. All the work must be accumulated bit by bit in an actual factory setting. Therefore, considering the safety risks of failure and the time consumed, the costs are inherently high.

1. Cost of Non-Standard Products
Consider manufacturing 100,000 units of a single product versus manufacturing 1 unit each for 100,000 different products. In today's reality of large-scale mechanized production, I believe everyone can understand that manufacturing 100,000 units of one product saves a significant amount of cost. The same principle applies to SMT assembly factories. The processes, time, labor, auxiliary materials, etc., required for one product are all indispensable. However, small-batch prototyping has a stage that is particularly time-consuming: the need for repeated line changeovers.

2. Component Prices
The pricing power for components purchased in bulk is relatively strong, and better delivery times are easier to obtain. Therefore, our procurement methods primarily involve large-scale purchasing directly from source manufacturers. However, small-batch production cannot achieve these corresponding advantages. It faces the impact of split and bulk components. Not only are the prices higher, but the process requirements are also more demanding, making quality anomalies and high rejection rates more likely.

3. Low Profit Margins
The profit margin mentioned here refers to that of the manufacturer. Any enterprise cannot operate normally without profit. If a factory cannot even sustain its basic normal production and operation activities, there is a problem. Therefore, factories typically charge higher engineering fees compared to large-volume orders to support their production and operational activities.

After reading this, do you understand where the higher costs lie in terms of pricing for small-batch prototyping? We'll stop here for today's content. If you have any other questions, please feel free to consult us.