Most first enquiries to a contract manufacturer are missing one of three files, and the reply is a question rather than a price. Here is exactly what a quote needs, what makes it accurate rather than approximate, and what you should expect to receive in return.
If one of these is missing, you will get a question back instead of a price.
| What | Format we accept | What breaks without it |
|---|---|---|
| Gerber files | RS-274X or RS-274D | No fabrication price is possible at all. Board outline, copper layers, solder mask and silkscreen must all be present. |
| BOM | Excel, CSV or PDF | Assembly cannot be priced. Needs reference designator, quantity per board, and manufacturer part number. |
| Quantity | Any | A per-unit price is meaningless without it. Tell us the build quantity and, if you know it, the annual volume. |
We also accept native design files from KiCad, Eagle, Altium/Pro-E and AutoCAD (DXF/DWG). They are useful for checking intent, but the Gerber set is what the board is actually built from — if the two disagree, the Gerber wins.
All optional. Each one removes an assumption we would otherwise have to make — and assumptions are what make a quote move after you accept it.
| What | Why it changes the number |
|---|---|
| Pick-and-place / centroid file | Lets us price placement from your intended positions instead of deriving them from the Gerber. Removes a common source of mid-project rework. |
| Assembly drawing or notes | Which parts are through-hole, which side they sit on, which are not fitted, which are hand-soldered. Without it we assume, and an assumption on side count changes the stencil count. |
| Test requirements | Whether you need functional test, programming, or a harness. Test is a separate cost line and it is the one most often added after the first quote. |
| Special processes | Conformal coating, potting, depanelisation, custom packaging, labelling. Each is a separate operation with its own setup. |
A price on its own is not a finished answer. Three things should come back together.
DFM stands for design for manufacturability — a review of your design against what the production line can actually hold. It is not a style critique, and it is not a sales document. It is a list of specific places where your design will produce defects, cost more than it needs to, or fail inspection, each with the specific change that fixes it.
Typical DFM findings: a pad size that will tombstone a small passive; a component courtyard that overlaps a neighbour; a via in a pad that will wick solder away; a silkscreen reference designator printed over an exposed pad; a panel layout that leaves too little material between boards to route cleanly; a single fine-pitch part that forces the whole board onto a slower line.
Ask for fabrication, components, assembly, test and tooling as separate lines. A single all-in number cannot be compared against another supplier, and it cannot be renegotiated when one of the drivers changes. Separated lines also let you see which lever is actually worth pulling — see where the cost goes in small-batch PCBA.
Lead time depends on component availability more than on anything we control. A useful quote says which part is setting the date, and what the date would be if that part were substituted. See where the weeks actually go.
None of these are unusual. All of them cost time, and all of them are avoidable.
A BOM with description only and no manufacturer part number — we have to identify the part before we can price it.
"See attached" with no attachment.
A Gerber set with no board outline layer, or with the outline on the same layer as the copper.
Quantity given as a range with no starting point.
A question about a capability that is already published — the parameter tables answer most of them.
Gerber, BOM with part numbers, and a quantity — in one message.
A note on which parts are critical or long-lead, so we can flag them first.
The target annual volume, not just this build.
A named person on your side who can answer a DFM question quickly.
Equally, we do not need your design files under NDA to give you a price for a standard process. If you would like an NDA before sending files, say so in the first message and we will send ours back — it is a normal request and it does not slow anything down as long as it is asked for up front rather than after the files have been sent.
For the bare board, yes — Gerber files plus a quantity are enough to price fabrication. For assembly we also need a BOM with manufacturer part numbers, because component cost is the largest variable in an assembly price and it cannot be estimated from the board layout.
No. We give prices for standard processes without an NDA. If your project requires one, say so in your first message and we will send our NDA back for signature before any files are transferred — asking up front costs no time, asking after the files have been sent does.
Send it anyway and mark what is still open. A BOM missing part numbers, or with parts marked TBD, is a normal state for a design that is still moving. We will tell you which gaps stop us pricing and which ones we can work around.
The four stages between sending files and receiving boards — and which one is setting your date.
Where the money goes at low volume, and eight levers that bring the per-unit price down.
MOQ, quote turnaround, component sourcing, certifications, board size limits and testing.
Gerber, BOM and a quantity is enough to start. We reply within 2 hours and come back with a price, a lead time and a DFM report within 24.
