Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine

Board Buying

Greg Papandrew Knowing which PCB specification changes require new tooling and which do not can help designers and buyers reduce nonrecurring engineering costs while avoiding unnecessary delays.

NRE (nonrecurring engineering) is a one-time fee charged by the fabricator for each revision of a design for a particular printed circuit board.

Read more: Beating the NRE Game: Changing Designs Without Paying Tooling

Greg Papandrew Understanding tooling and NRE charges can help buyers avoid redundant PCB manufacturing costs and improve supplier negotiations.

Purchasing bare printed circuit boards for an OEM or EMS firm often means losing money in places that aren’t immediately visible.

Read more: Stop Paying Tooling and NRE Charges Twice

Greg Papandrew Understand the landed cost before turning procurement over to EMS.

A good EMS partner brings real value. It manages assembly labor, SMT placement, inspection, test, rework, box build, documentation, scheduling and production discipline. That is what it is paid to do. EMS companies exist because OEMs need manufacturing execution without necessarily running a factory. In the standard EMS model, the EMS may also handle procurement, supply chain coordination and material sourcing on behalf of the OEM. That is normal. It is also convenient.

Read more: OEM Buyers: Stop Letting Your EMS Control Your Bare Board Spend

Greg Papandrew Hidden subcontracting in offshore PCB sourcing can expose OEMs and EMS providers to latent quality risks.

You’ve done your homework. You evaluated a new PCB supplier in China, negotiated a great piece price and placed your order. Weeks later, the boards arrive at your dock. They pass incoming inspection, hit the assembly line and everything seems fine.

Read more: The Phantom Menace of PCB Purchasing: How to Avoid 'Ghost Manufacturing'