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Fast turn

Prototype

A prototype exists to answer a question. It is worth building it the way the series will be built, or it answers a different question from the one you asked.

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At a glance
Lead time from 3 working days
Quantity 1 – 50
Layers 1 – 12
Material FR-4, High-Tg
Data check Before every run

Prototypes run on the same lines, with the same materials and the same test chain, as series work. That is the whole point. A cheap prototype built on a different process with a different laminate and a looser tolerance will pass, and then tell you nothing useful about the board you are actually going to ship.

What differs is the panel and the schedule. A prototype shares a panel with other jobs, which is what makes small quantities affordable, and it can be pushed through in three to five working days where a series runs to a normal lead time. An express build skips the queue, not the process.

Prototype

What it delivers

[ Overview ]
01

Same process as the series

Same laminate, same plating, same electrical test. What you measure on the prototype is what the series will do.

02

Short lead times

From three working days for simple double-sided work, five to seven for multilayer. Express slots are available where the schedule demands it.

03

Data check before the run

Every prototype goes through the same data review as a series job. Most problems get found there rather than after the board arrives.

Build and options

[ Datasheet ]
Feature Specification
Material FR-4, High-Tg FR-4, halogen-free; other materials on request
Layers 1 – 12
Quantity 1 – 50 pieces
Lead time 3 – 7 working days, express on request
Final thickness 0.6 – 2.4 mm
Copper 18 – 70 µm (standard 18 or 35 µm)
Surface finish ENIG, OSP, lead-free HASL — ENIG standard
Typical use Design validation, EMC and functional samples, pilot series

The usual build for this line. Anything outside it is normally still possible — ask and we will confirm.

Prototype options

[ Specification ]

The clock starts at data approval, not at order. A complete data set is what makes the fast column achievable.

Parameter Standard Express Note
Lead time, 2 layer 5 days 3 days Express slots subject to capacity
Lead time, 4 – 8 layer 8 days 5 days Includes lamination and drill cycles
Quantity 5 – 50 1 – 5 Below 5 the panel share dominates the price
Layers 1 – 8 10 – 12 Above 12, series lead times apply
Material FR-4 / High-Tg Special laminates Non-stock material sets the lead time
Surface finish ENIG HASL / OSP ENIG is the default for fine pitch
Electrical test 100 % 100 % Never skipped, whatever the quantity
Impedance coupon On request Included Recommended for any controlled build

Guide values for pre-selection. Binding values are confirmed per project against your data.

Typical applications

[ Use cases ]
Design validation and first articles
EMC and compliance test samples
Firmware bring-up boards
Pilot and pre-series runs
University and research builds
Fixture, adapter and test boards

Design rules

[ Layout ]

The points below are what most often comes back as a query after data review. Settling them before layout freeze saves a loop.

01

Build the prototype like the series

Same material, same finish, same stack-up. A prototype on a different laminate with a different finish is a different board, and every measurement taken from it carries an asterisk.

02

Send a complete data set

Gerbers, drill data, stack-up and a fabrication drawing. An incomplete set is the single largest cause of a prototype missing its promised date.

03

Panelise for the assembly, not for the fab

If the prototype will be machine-assembled it needs the same rails, fiducials and tooling holes as the series. Getting that right once saves a second prototype.

04

Order a coupon if impedance matters

On a prototype it is cheap, and it establishes the baseline you will compare the series against. Without one, a later argument about impedance has no reference point.

Frequently asked

[ FAQ ]
How fast is realistic?

Three working days for a two-layer board with complete data, five for four to eight layers. That clock starts when the data is approved, so a same-day data check is usually what decides whether the promised date holds.

Is a prototype cheaper per board than a series?

No — considerably more expensive per piece, because setup and tooling are spread across a handful of boards instead of thousands. What it buys is time, not unit cost.

Can I change the design between prototype and series?

Yes, and most projects do. Tell us what changed: if the stack-up or the material moves, the series is a new feasibility check rather than a repeat order.

Do you build one-offs?

Yes. A single board is possible, though at that quantity the panel share means the price is much the same as for five. Ordering five and keeping spares is usually the better deal.

Related

[ Cross-reference ]

Data check

What we look at before a board goes into production.

Cost drivers

What actually moves the price between prototype and series.

Rigid

The build most prototypes turn into once they become a series.

Does this fit your project?

Send us your data or a rough sketch. We check feasibility, name the cost drivers and answer within one working day.

Send enquiry +49 (0)2103 9956930