Definition

Tooling encompasses the fixtures and setups required for PCB fabrication and assembly. Fabrication tooling: drill files, imaging tools, routing programs, electrical test fixtures. Assembly tooling: solder paste stencils, pick-and-place programs, selective solder fixtures, test jigs. NRE (non-recurring engineering) covers tooling costs - stencils ($100-300), test fixtures ($500-5000), custom fixtures more. First-article builds verify tooling before production. Changes require tooling updates. Design for standard tooling (panel sizes, test point access) reduces costs. Tooling amortizes over production volume.