Pricing is one of the top criteria for selecting one sensor supplier over another and often for specifying a specific sensor over another for a new design. Some sensor companies, such as semiconductor companies that supply microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and other semiconductor-based sensors, have a buy page on their website with low volume pricing. For example, NXP Semiconductors specifically has a Pricing and Availability page on its website. The site provides two methods to obtain budgetary pricing and also directs interested users to a local Authorized NXP Semiconductors Distributor or NXP Semiconductors Sales office.
Other sensor suppliers such as Analog Devices also provide pricing availability information on their website and suggest that If you require a pricing quote, direct customers can contact their sales rep/assigned customer service and all others should find distributors in their area.
If the product is available through distribution, an authorized distributor provides an excellent source of pricing and other information to help in supplier and product selection. For example, Mouser lists 17 different types of sensors and over 65,000 sensing products and provides pricing on small quantities to 1000s of units.
For new products, pricing is often a part of the press release. For example, the recently introduced AS5270A from ams says in its press release, “The AS5270A/B magnetic position sensors are available immediately in production volumes. Unit pricing is US$ 3.98 for AS5270A/B in order quantities of 1.000.”
Once you have low volume pricing, the experience curve can provide a rough indication of how to project low volume pricing to higher volume and even future price reductions. A log–log scale typically has a linear reduction in price with volume.