Lasers, Optics & Photonics Manufacturing worked example

Photonics Packaging Cost at 69% packaging process yield: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop packaging process yield to 69%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Calculate total packaging cost for photonics devices (laser modules, photodetectors, fiber transceivers) by combining unit count, per-unit packaging cost, yield through packaging, and fixed tooling charges.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Devices to package: 500 units (held at the documented default)
  • Packaging cost per device: 35 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Packaging process yield: 69 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 96)
  • Fixed tooling and NRE cost: 1,200 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Variable packaging cost = devices x packaging cost per device x packaging yield / 100.
  • Total photonics packaging cost works out to 13,275 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Packaging cost per good device works out to 26.55 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable packaging cost works out to 12,075 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed tooling and NRE cost works out to 1,200 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where packaging process yield sits at 96% and the headline result is 18,000 $, this scenario comes in 26.25% below the baseline at 13,275 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to packaging process yield, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. The yield term scales spend with effort across the batch; if you need strict cost-per-good-unit, divide total cost by good units rather than reading the variable line alone.

Results at a glance

  • Total photonics packaging cost: 13,275 $ (headline result)
  • Packaging cost per good device: 26.55 $ / piece
  • Variable packaging cost: 12,075 $
  • Fixed tooling and NRE cost: 1,200 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Photonics Packaging Cost calculator, set packaging process yield to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.