What we need from you to quote
PCB outline drawing (DXF, STEP, or PDF) — final assembly dimensions including any tall components and through-hole leads.
Stack height target — how many trays high you want to stack loaded (typical 8-12 high).
Tray footprint — JEDEC-style (135.9 × 322.6 mm), industry standard 548 × 348 mm (PG548), or custom.
Material grade — conductive PS (most common), HIPS (reflow-compatible), conductive ABS (higher temp), or carbon-filled PEEK (high-spec).
Annual volume estimate — drives whether we tool a thermoform die or run from existing tooling with custom inserts.
Lead time and cost breakdown
Tooling (one-time, NRE): $2,500-$8,000 depending on cavity complexity and tray size. Charged on the first PO, amortized into part price on follow-on orders for high-volume buyers.
First article: 3-4 weeks after CAD sign-off. We ship 5 first-article trays for your incoming inspection before running production.
Production: 1-2 weeks after first-article approval. Standard MOQ 500 trays; lower MOQs (100-250) available at higher unit cost on shared tooling.
Total CAD-to-production: 4-6 weeks typical, 8 weeks for complex multi-cavity geometries.
When HIPS instead of conductive PS
Default material is conductive PS — lowest cost, surface resistance 10⁴-10⁶ Ω/sq, dimensionally stable to about 80°C.
For trays that ride through a reflow oven (rare but seen on returnable in-line transport in some BGA programs), specify HIPS (high-impact polystyrene) — stable to 100°C continuous, 130°C peak.
For trays that see vapor-phase reflow or wave solder spray, you need conductive PEEK or polysulfone — call us to discuss; the tooling is different.
Made in / shipped from
Thermoforming is done at our partner plant in Asia, with first-article shipping by air to Los Angeles for quick visual approval, then production by ocean to LA.
For US contract manufacturers and OEMs we hold consigned stock in LA after the first production run — you draw against the stock JIT instead of holding tray inventory at your own warehouse. Typical replenishment cycle: 6-8 weeks.