How to get an accurate PCB power quote and what drives cost

You get an accurate PCB power quote by supplying current, per-layer copper weight, voltage/spacing targets, stackup, overall thickness, finish, hole/via details, and board size.

What design details most affect a power PCB quote?

Copper weight (outer/inner) drives etch time and minimum trace/space. Expect typical design rules to widen as copper increases: around 1 oz (35 µm) supports ~4–5 mil trace/space at many fabs, 2 oz (70 µm) often needs ~6–8 mil, and 3 oz (105 µm) commonly ≥8–10 mil. Layer count and overall thickness (e.g., 1.6 mm vs 2.0 mm) affect lamination cycles and stiffness. Drill count, smallest finished via (e.g., 0.30–0.50 mm), and special features (via-in-pad with epoxy fill and copper cap, plated slots, depth routing) add time and consumables. Finish choice (HASL, ENIG, immersion tin/silver) changes cost and bolted-connection performance. Board outline complexity, internal cutouts, and panel utilization determine yield per panel.

One-pass RFQ checklist for power boards

• Manufacturing data: Gerber X2 or IPC-2581/ODB++ with drill map and netlist

• Layer count and stackup with target copper per layer (e.g., 2 oz outer, 1 oz inner)

• Overall thickness (e.g., 1.6 mm) and material family (FR-4 Tg≥170 if needed)

• Minimum trace/space and annular ring (e.g., 6/6 mil, 4 mil ring)

• Board size, outline tolerances, internal slots/cutouts, scoring vs tab-route

• Per-net DC/AC RMS current and desired temperature-rise target (e.g., 10–20 °C)

• Working voltage, required creepage/clearance targets, and CTI/material group

• Thermal features: copper pours to be solid/hatched, thermal via arrays, heatsinks

• Finish (HASL lead-free, ENIG, etc.), mask/silkscreen color, copper plating callouts

• Via types (through, microvia), any via-in-pad and fill/cap requirements

• Impedance if present (e.g., 90 Ω diff), coupon requirement if applicable

• Test coverage request (flying probe or fixture), marking/serialization needs

• Compliance requests (RoHS/REACH declaration), acceptance class (IPC Class 2 or 3)

Copper weight, line width and temperature rise

Size power paths using IPC-2152 methods or a vetted calculator. Define the acceptable temperature rise (commonly 10–20 °C for external copper), then choose width or copper weight to meet it. For tens of amps, designers often move from 1 oz to 2–4 oz copper, widen pours, and add parallel paths or copper bars. Note that heavier copper requires larger spacings and annular rings, which you should reflect in the RFQ rules.

Creepage, clearance and slots for mains and HV

Quote accuracy improves when you state the working voltage, insulation system, pollution degree, and material group (CTI). As a practical reference point, many designs around 250 Vrms in pollution degree 2 use clearances on the order of ~3.0 mm and creepage in the ~3.2 mm range depending on CTI per IEC 60664-1. Slots or barriers can reduce surface creepage where space is tight; include their dimensions so they’re panelized correctly.

Stackups that price and build predictably

Common power PCB options quote faster when you reference standard builds. Examples designers frequently use: 2-layer, 1.6 mm FR-4 with 2 oz/2 oz copper; 4-layer, 1.6 mm with 2 oz outer and 1 oz inner (e.g., cores around 0.2–0.36 mm with 2116/7628 prepregs). If you need thicker outer plating (e.g., ≥25 µm finished copper), call it out. Balanced copper across layers reduces warp and helps yield.

Cost levers you can control early

Maximize panel utilization by nudging outline and array spacing; consolidating drill tool sizes trims cycle time; avoiding via-in-pad fill/cap unless electrically required can meaningfully cut cost; choosing ENIG for flat bolted pads or HASL for economy can optimize the finish tradeoff; and minimizing unique thicknesses or exotic materials keeps you on standard laminations.

How HyperPCB quotes and builds power PCBs

• Quotes returned within 24 hours and DFM feedback within 1 business day [approved]

• ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system (SGS CN-2023-Q1156, valid to Jun 2027) [approved]

• Boards can be built and inspected to IPC Class 2 or IPC Class 3 acceptance criteria [approved]

• RoHS and REACH compliance is supported for hazardous substance control [approved]

Send the checklist above with your data; we’ll flag copper-balancing issues, heavy-copper spacing impacts, and manufacturability risks in the DFM review.