HDI PCB Supplier Data Release: What to Send at RFQ, PO and Production
Why "send everything to everyone" is the default, and what it costs
Most HDI RFQs go out as one zip: Gerber or ODB++, drill files, stackup, fabrication drawing, netlist, sometimes the assembly files and a BOM. It is fast, and it removes one excuse for a slow quote. It also means the complete design now sits on the servers of every supplier you contacted, including the ones you will never order from.
For an HDI board that matters more than for a simple two-layer part. The copper data, the via structure and the stackup together describe most of what makes the product hard to copy. Once those files leave, you cannot take them back. A staged release does not slow the quote if you plan it. It just matches what you send to what the supplier needs at that moment.
Three release stages
| Stage | Purpose | What the supplier needs | What can wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFQ | Price, feasibility, build assumption | Board outline and size, layer count, stackup and via structure summary, minimum line/space and drill, material, finish, quantity, test and acceptance class | Full copper layers, netlist, assembly data, BOM |
| PO (with NDA in place) | Engineering review, tooling, EQ | Complete fabrication data set, netlist for electrical test, final drawing and revision | Data for later revisions or other products |
| Production and change | Repeat builds, controlled changes | Only the revised files, under a new revision, with a change note | Anything not affected by the change |
The split is a starting point, not a rule. Some suppliers will not commit to a firm price on an HDI build without seeing copper density or the real via count. If so, decide case by case and log it.
What can stand in for the full Gerber at RFQ
A supplier quoting HDI needs to know how hard the board is to build, not what the circuit does. A one-page summary usually covers it:
- outline dimensions, panel or array format and quantity
- layer count, build structure (for example 1+N+1 or 2+N+2) and stacked or staggered microvias
- minimum trace and space per layer group, minimum laser and mechanical drill
- base material family, finished thickness, copper weights
- surface finish, impedance targets, via-in-pad fill
- inspection and test requirements, acceptance class
If the supplier asks for copper data to price it, a partial set (one outer layer and the drill files, for example) often answers the question without exposing the full routing. The HDI PCB quote package checklist lists what a complete RFQ package should contain once you decide to send it.
What an NDA covers, and what it does not
An NDA defines what counts as confidential, who may see it, how long the duty lasts and what happens to the data at the end. Check that it names subcontractors: HDI work such as laser drilling, plating or electrical test may be done outside the main factory. Data passed to them should fall under the same terms.
An NDA does not stop the data from spreading. It gives you a claim after the fact. That is why release stages and release records are worth keeping even when an NDA is signed. This article is not legal advice. Ask your own counsel about enforceability in the supplier's country.
Keep a release log
Every time design data leaves your hands, write one line:
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Date | date of sending |
| Recipient | supplier name and contact person |
| Stage | RFQ / PO / change |
| Files and revision | file names, revision letter, checksum of the zip |
| Purpose | quote only / build lot / engineering review |
| Terms | NDA reference, or "none" |
| Return or deletion due | date or trigger (quote declined, job closed) |
The log answers two questions later: which supplier holds which revision, and who received data that you now want returned. It also stops a common error. When three revisions have gone out to five suppliers, it is easy to place a PO against a quote that priced an older revision. The checksum ties each quote back to the exact files it was based on.
Close out the release when the job ends
Write the end of the relationship into the RFQ terms or the NDA, not after the fact:
- suppliers who do not win the quote delete the data within an agreed period and confirm it in writing
- at the end of a production contract, the supplier returns or deletes the data, but keeps what it needs for traceability and warranty claims for an agreed period
- tooling made from your data (electrical test programs, fixtures, stencils if assembly is included) has a named owner
The last point overlaps with tooling and reorder terms. If you plan to move the product later, read moving an HDI build to a second source before you sign, because what the first supplier gives back decides how much the second one has to rebuild.
How this goes wrong
- The full package went out with the RFQ, and a supplier that declined still holds it with no deletion clause.
- The quote was based on revision B, the PO references revision C, and nobody checked the difference.
- The NDA covers the factory but not the laser-drilling or test subcontractor.
- A design partner shared the files with a fabricator directly, outside your log. If you outsource layout, agree who is allowed to release data. See HDI design outsourcing and DFM collaboration.
Before you send the RFQ
- Decide what goes out at RFQ and prepare the one-page build summary.
- Have the NDA ready to sign at PO stage, with subcontractors named.
- Start the release log with revision and checksum.
- Put the deletion and return terms in the RFQ itself.
Then send the RFQ through the PCB168 quote page, or compare the build options on the HDI PCB page first.
FAQ
Will an HDI supplier quote without the full Gerber files?
Many will give a budget or indicative price from a build summary. A firm price may need copper data or the drill files. Ask each supplier what they need for a firm quote and log what you send.
Should the NDA be signed before the RFQ?
If the RFQ already contains the full design, yes. If you send only a build summary, the NDA can wait until a supplier is shortlisted. That keeps the number of NDAs small.
Do subcontractors need to be in the NDA?
Yes, if any process step happens outside the supplier's own site. Ask the supplier which steps are subcontracted and make the confidentiality terms cover them.
What should a supplier keep after the job ends?
Usually what it needs for traceability and warranty: lot records, test results, the released revision. Agree the retention period and what happens after it.
Is the release log useful if I only work with one supplier?
Yes. It still ties every lot and quote to a revision and a checksum, which is what you need when a field issue comes back.
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