Clear answers.
A more complete RFQ.
Find practical answers about materials, fabrication, online tools, quality evidence and delivery. If your construction needs a specific answer, send the relevant requirement with your enquiry.
Search the RF PCB FAQ
What files should I send for an RF PCB quotation?
Send Gerber or an agreed fabrication format, NC drill, outline, revision and a layer-by-layer stackup. Include exact laminate, copper, finish, quantity, tolerances, impedance targets and required reports. For assembly, add the BOM, placement data and assembly drawing.
Can I enquire before the layout is complete?
Yes. Describe the circuit function, operating band, board size, likely layer structure and the design decision you need help with. Mark unfinished assumptions clearly. An early discussion is useful, but final price and manufacturability depend on the completed construction and files.
Is the online cost calculator a factory quotation?
No. It uses visible, editable example rates and a simplified panel model. It does not check stock or establish delivery terms. Use confirmed supplier assumptions for budgeting and request a reviewed quotation for the actual board.
How quickly will I receive a response?
The site advertises a target response within four working hours. Acknowledgement or an engineering question is different from a complete price. Complex stackups, material availability and special tests may require additional review. Confirm an urgent schedule with the team.
How do I compare two quotations fairly?
Keep the exact grade, foil, stackup, finish, quantity, tolerances, tests and delivery scope the same. Identify permitted alternatives in writing. Compare setup and tooling, unit cost, inspection reports, shipping and assembly as separate scope items where relevant.
Which RF PCB material is best?
There is no universal winner. Choose against operating band, path length, insertion loss, phase error, geometry, thermal behavior and manufacturing constraints. Compare complete constructions, then qualify the one used in production.
Can two materials with the same nominal Dk be substituted?
Not automatically. Copper, reinforcement, thickness, Dk method, Df and manufacturing behavior can differ. Recalculate the relevant structures and obtain approval for the proposed construction before treating it as equivalent.
What is the difference between process Dk and design Dk?
They serve different purposes under the supplier’s stated methods. Process Dk supports material characterization or acceptance; a published design Dk supports its specified modeling approach. Keep the source, frequency and method with the value used in the design.
Why are two design Dk values shown for RO3003?
The current official product webpage and linked datasheet give different design values. The RO3003 guide discloses the discrepancy and leaves the calculator input editable. Confirm the applicable model with the supplier and validate sensitive circuits with representative coupons.
Are RO3003 and RO3003G2 the same material?
No. They are separate grades with their own published data. Similar names or nominal process Dk do not authorize substitution. Preserve the exact grade in the drawing, simulation library and quotation.
Does PTFE PCB always mean Teflon resin?
No. PTFE is a generic polymer name; Teflon is a Chemours brand. A laminate should only be described as using branded Teflon resin when that provenance is established. Fillers and reinforcement also distinguish PTFE composite grades.
Can I use the calculated trace width directly for production?
Treat it as an initial estimate. The available microstrip tool omits finite copper thickness, solder mask, roughness and several other physical effects. Agree final dimensions with the fabricator using the approved stackup and an appropriate field solver.
Does total board thickness equal microstrip dielectric height?
Usually not. The calculator needs the dielectric distance from the trace to its reference plane. Total finished thickness can include other cores, bondplies, copper, mask and finish. Use the layer-by-layer stackup.
Can a Rogers or PTFE material be combined with FR-4?
A hybrid can be evaluated, but bonding, layer balance, thickness, thermal behavior and interconnect requirements must be reviewed as a complete construction. Confirm the approved material combination before freezing the layout.
Do minimum line width, maximum copper and maximum layers apply together?
No. Published process limits describe a window, not every simultaneous combination. Copper, material, aspect ratio, panel size and registration can constrain one another. Request approval for the actual construction and critical features.
Does electrical test prove the RF performance?
No. Connectivity and isolation tests answer different questions from impedance, insertion loss, phase or antenna response. Define the measurement needed for the product, including frequency range, fixtures and acceptance limits.
What should an impedance report identify?
Request the target, tolerance, line or coupon geometry, stackup reference, measurement method and the relevant lot or revision. Confirm whether the test structure represents the critical features of the finished circuit.
Can I request material and inspection records?
Specify the required records during quotation: material identity, certificate of conformity, electrical test, microsection, impedance or additional RF data. Agree sample scope and report format before production rather than assuming every report is included.
How do I verify a certification claim?
Request the current certificate and check the legal entity, facility, scope, issuer and expiry. Management-system certification, product recognition, material compliance and IPC acceptance requirements are different forms of evidence. Confirm what the project actually requires.
What information helps resolve a quality concern?
Provide the order reference, board revision, affected quantity, photographs, measured results and acceptance criterion. Keep representative samples and document relevant assembly or handling history. Resolution follows the investigation and agreed order terms.
Can you build urgent prototypes?
Describe the required delivery date and exact construction. Material availability, engineering approval, special processing, assembly and tests determine whether the schedule is feasible. A rush option is a request until confirmed in the quotation.
Is PCB assembly included with fabrication?
Only when included in the quoted scope. For a PCBA enquiry, add BOM, placement data, assembly drawing, sourcing preferences and test requirements. Confirm responsibilities for component procurement, fixtures and functional testing.
Are RFPCB and PCBSync connected?
Yes. RFPCB and PCBSync share the same manufacturing operation. RFPCB presents the RF and microwave material, engineering and manufacturing routes. The About page explains the shared factory background.
Can I request an NDA before sending files?
Yes. Contact the team to arrange and complete the NDA before transmitting restricted files. The form includes an NDA request option, but ticking a request is not the same as having an executed agreement.
Can I arrange a factory visit?
Contact the team to agree an appointment, location, agenda and any access requirements. Confirm the specific facility address before travel. A qualification visit can focus on the processes and evidence relevant to your proposed build.
No matching answer. Try a shorter search or ask the engineering team.
Still deciding what to send?
Start with the board revision, material or open material question, quantity and critical performance requirement. The team can identify what else is needed for a meaningful review.
Ready for a quotation?
Send your requirements for a material, stackup and manufacturing review. Price and schedule are confirmed for your project.