Short answer: Most European EMS partners, including Comtec Labs, have no minimum order quantity: they assemble from a single board upward. What exists instead is a cost curve. One-off costs (stencil, programming, setup, first-article inspection) and cut-tape component pricing make a 1–5 board run cost 5–10 times more per board than a 500-piece run of the same design. The sweet spot for low-volume products is typically 20–100 boards per batch, ordered against a 12-month forecast so components are bought on reels.
Why small batches cost more per board
| Cost element | Behaviour with quantity |
|---|---|
| Stencil, programming, setup | Fixed per batch; divided by the number of boards |
| First-article inspection | Fixed per batch and revision |
| Component pricing | Cut tape at 1–25 pcs; reel pricing from ~100 pcs; tier breaks at 500, 1 000, 2 500 |
| Component attrition | A reel needs 5–10 spare parts per feeder; on a 5-board run that is a large share |
| Assembly labour | Per board, nearly linear |
| Test | Fixture cost fixed; per-board time linear |
How to make low volume affordable
- Order in batches of 20–100 rather than 5 at a time; the NRE is paid once either way.
- Give a 12-month forecast so reels can be bought and the price per part drops.
- Hold components at the EMS on a call-off agreement: buy reels once, assemble in batches.
- Keep revisions stable; every revision is a new stencil and a new first article.
- Use standard parts and packages that other customers use; they are in stock.
Typical low-volume products we build
Industrial controllers for machine builders, sensor nodes for IoT and energy monitoring, marine electronics, medical device sub-assemblies and R&D instruments: often 50–500 units a year, in 2–4 batches, with prototypes and series on the same SMT lines.
Key facts
- Comtec Labs minimum order: 1 board.
- Per-board price drops roughly 40–50 % from 5 to 25 boards, and another 40 % from 25 to 100.
- Reel pricing typically starts around 100 pieces per part.
- Call-off agreements let you pay series component prices at low-volume batch sizes.
When a one-off run is still right
For the first prototype, a field trial or a certification sample, build 3–10 boards and accept the unit price: the goal is learning, not cost. Once the design is frozen, move to batches of 20–100 against a forecast and the cost per board falls where the curve flattens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest PCB assembly order you accept?
One board. Prototypes of 1–10 pieces are routine.
Why does a 5-piece run cost so much per board?
Because the stencil, programming, setup and first-article inspection cost the same whether you build 5 or 500, and components at 5 pieces are bought as cut tape at the highest price tier.
Can you store my components and build on call-off?
Yes. Reels are bought once against your forecast, held at Comtec Labs and assembled in batches when you call them off.
Do prototypes and low-volume series use the same process?
Yes, the same SMT lines, AOI and test, so scaling up does not require requalification.
Ready to reduce PCB surprises?
Comtec Labs offers a full suite of services to streamline your workflow:
PCB design service
PCB prototyping service
PCB component sourcing
PCB component assembly
PCB testing service
PCB repair and modifications
Printed circuit board production
PCB mass production