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Double-Sided HASL PCB Price Hike Calculation

2026-01-28

Double-Sided HASL PCB Price Hike Calculation: Pre vs. Post-Sept 2025 (Raw Materials Only, Excluding Processing Fees)

Post-September 2025, the PCB industry witnessed a comprehensive surge in core raw material prices. Driven by supply-demand imbalances and macroeconomic factors, copper and tin prices soared dramatically, while key auxiliary material prepreg (PP/glass cloth) also followed an upward trend. This article focuses on 1㎡ 1.6mm-thick double-sided HASL PCBs, calculating the exact price increase from three core raw materials—copper, tin, and PP—excluding any processing fees. Leveraging user-specified price parameters, it accurately reflects the cost changes before and after September 2025, with dual-currency (CNY/USD) calculations to cater to international business needs.

Double-Sided HASL PCB Price Hike

I. Core Basic Data: Raw Material Consumption for 1㎡ Double-Sided PCB (Mass Production-Aligned)

Based on industry-tested data and mass production process standards, the consumption of core raw materials for 1㎡ 1.6mm double-sided HASL PCBs (FR-4 substrate, partial HASL, 1/2oz copper thickness) is listed below, including corresponding process losses (copper etching/plating loss, tin HASL oxidation/dross loss):

Raw Material Category	Consumption Composition/Configuration Standard	Actual Consumption per 1㎡	Remarks
Copper	1. Substrate copper foil (18μm thick on both sides) 2. Electroplated copper balls (conductive path supplement)	0.3214kg (substrate) + 0.33kg (electroplating) = 0.6514kg/m²	Includes 25% etching loss and plating bath loss; mainstream industry configuration
Tin	1. Circuit tin plating (etching resist layer) 2. HASL tin spraying (surface finish, 9x loss factor)	0.05kg (circuit tin plating) + 0.066843kg (HASL) = 0.116843kg/m²	HASL calculated at 10% tin-plated area and 200μin thickness; standard mass production loss factor
PP (Prepreg/Glass Cloth)	Routine configuration for 1.6mm double-sided PCBs	7 sheets/m²	1 sheet of PP can produce 1㎡ finished board; industry-universal ratio

Raw Material Category

Consumption Composition/Configuration Standard

Actual Consumption per 1㎡

Remarks

Copper

1. Substrate copper foil (18μm thick on both sides)

2. Electroplated copper balls (conductive path supplement)

0.3214kg (substrate) + 0.33kg (electroplating) = 0.6514kg/m²

Includes 25% etching loss and plating bath loss; mainstream industry configuration

Tin

1. Circuit tin plating (etching resist layer)

2. HASL tin spraying (surface finish, 9x loss factor)

0.05kg (circuit tin plating) + 0.066843kg (HASL) = 0.116843kg/m²

HASL calculated at 10% tin-plated area and 200μin thickness; standard mass production loss factor

PP (Prepreg/Glass Cloth)

Routine configuration for 1.6mm double-sided PCBs

7 sheets/m²

1 sheet of PP can produce 1㎡ finished board; industry-universal ratio

more details you can know from these two links
https://sqpcb.com/tin-material-cost-calculation-in-pcb-manufacturing/
https://sqpcb.com/impact-of-rising-copper-prices-on-pcb/

II. Core Raw Material Price Comparison: Pre vs. Post-Sept 2025 (User-Specified + Industry-Verified)

In line with user requirements and actual industry trends, prices are standardized in “CNY/ton” (metals) and “CNY/sheet” (PP) for accurate calculations. The exchange rate is set at 1 CNY ≈ 0.138 USD (Jan 2026 mid-market rate) for USD conversions:

Raw Material Category	Pre-Sept 2025 Price (CNY)	Post-Sept 2025 Price (User-Specified, CNY)	Price Increase (CNY)	Price Increase (USD)	Increase Rate
Copper	78,000 元 /ton (78 元 /kg)	102,000 元 /ton (102 元 /kg)	24 元 /kg	3.31 USD/kg	30.77%
Tin	270,000 元 /ton (270 元 /kg)	460,000 元 /ton (460 元 /kg)	190 元 /kg	26.22 USD/kg	70.37%
PP (Prepreg)	13 元 /sheet	15 元 /sheet	2 元 /sheet	0.28 USD/sheet	15.38%

Key Notes:

Price Calibration: Copper and tin prices are converted from “CNY/ton” to “CNY/kg” and “USD/kg” to avoid calculation errors; PP prices are calculated based on the user-specified standard of “1 sheet = 1㎡ finished board,” aligning with procurement practices.

Price Hike Drivers: Copper and tin price surges stem from Indonesian tin ore export restrictions and booming demand from AI/ne 新能源 sectors; PP price increases are due to tight supply of glass fiber raw materials—all widespread industry phenomena post-September.

III. Price Hike Calculation for 1㎡ Double-Sided PCB: Core Raw Materials (Raw Materials Only, No Processing Fees)

Calculation Formulas:

Metal Price Increase = Actual Consumption per 1㎡ × Unit Price Increase
PP Price Increase = Number of Sheets per 1㎡ × Unit Sheet Price Increase
Total Price Hike = Copper Increase + Tin Increase + PP Increase

1. Category-Specific Price Hike Calculation (Precise to Two Decimal Places)

Raw Material Category	Consumption per 1㎡	Unit Price Increase (CNY)	Unit Price Increase (USD)	Price Hike per 1㎡ (CNY)	Price Hike per 1㎡ (USD)	Calculation Process (CNY)
Copper	0.6514kg	24 元 /kg	3.31 USD/kg	15.63	2.16	0.6514 × 24 = 15.6336 ≈ 15.63
Tin	0.116843kg	190 元 /kg	26.22 USD/kg	22.20	3.06	0.116843 × 190 = 22.19997 ≈ 22.20
PP (Prepreg)	7 sheets	2 元 /sheet	0.28 USD/sheet	14.00	1.96	7 × 2 = 14.00

2. Total Price Hike Summary

Calculation Dimension	Price Hike per 1㎡ (CNY)	Price Hike per 1㎡ (USD)	Contribution Ratio	Key Impact Description
Copper Contribution	15.63	2.16	30.1%	Large consumption but moderate unit price increase; stable contribution
Tin Contribution	22.20	3.06	42.8%	Over 70% unit price increase, amplified by HASL loss; highest contribution
PP Contribution	14.00	1.96	27.1%	Moderate single-sheet increase, but significant when multiplied by 7 sheets
Total Raw Material Hike	51.83 (≈52 CNY/m²)	7.18 (≈7.2 USD/m²)	100%	Copper, tin, and PP only; no processing fees included

IV. Critical Industry Notes (Ensuring Data Practicality)

Consumption Adaptability: Copper and tin consumption in this article is based on 1/2oz (18μm) copper thickness and partial HASL (10% area). For 2oz copper thickness or full-board HASL, consumption and price hikes double proportionally. PP consumption follows routine 1.6mm board thickness configuration; adjust sheet quantity for different thicknesses (e.g., 1.2mm/2.0mm).

Price Volatility Risk: Current tin (460,000 CNY/ton) and copper (102,000 CNY/ton) prices are at highs, with PP prices expected to rise further. PCB enterprises are advised to lock in costs via “long-term price agreements + bulk purchasing,” especially as tin prices remain volatile due to Indonesian policy changes.

Cost Boundary Clarification: This article only calculates price hikes for copper, tin, and PP. It excludes other auxiliary materials such as FR-4 core substrate and solder mask ink. The full raw material price hike for double-sided PCBs would increase by an additional 5-8 CNY/m² (≈0.7-1.1 USD/m²) to account for these excluded items.

V. Core Keywords

#PCBRawMaterialCost #HASLPCBPriceHike #CopperTinPriceIncrease #PCBPrepregCost #DoubleSidedPCB #PCBManufacturingCost #GlobalPCBMarket #2025PCBPricing

Summary

Post-September 2025, the surge in copper, tin, and PP prices drove a total raw material cost increase of approximately 52 CNY/m² (7.2 USD/m²) for 1㎡ 1.6mm-thick double-sided HASL PCBs (excluding processing fees). Tin contributed the most (22.20 CNY/m²), followed by PP (14.00 CNY/m²) and copper (15.63 CNY/m²). This data directly reflects the core impact of raw material volatility on PCB costs, providing precise references for PCB enterprises in quotation negotiations and downstream electronic manufacturers in budget planning. As industry demand remains robust, the tight supply-demand balance of core raw materials is likely to persist, making cost control a key competitive factor for the industrial chain.

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