PCB production service?
- Thread starter focus
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Probedude
Enlightened
Just an FYI, the small quantity proto places will only give you a rectangular/square PCB.
Some places just charge you by the sq in and if you panelize the boards the cost is much cheaper. Downside is you get to separate the boards from the panel.
Some places just charge you by the sq in and if you panelize the boards the cost is much cheaper. Downside is you get to separate the boards from the panel.
MikeLip
Flashlight Enthusiast
I use ExpressPCB a lot. If you use their ProtoPro service you get 4 boards of up to 21sqin, double sided, coated, tinned and with silkscreen for $179. You can put as much stuff on those boards as you want.
I make circular boards up to 4.5" diameter by silkscreening a circle on the board as a cutting guide for later. Works fine.
They also have much lower cost options, such as bare copper with no silkscreen. You get good product fast from them. They will only accept board layouts submitted over the internet, made using their software. Their software is OK, but lacks design rules checks and other niceties. You *can* link a schematic to the layout so that ti will show you where traces have to go. How you get them there is up to you. It won't tell you if traces are overlapping or too close together. And it won't do a rats nest layout automatically. They will not accept Gerbers made from other vendors software, which sort of sucks since i have software that WILL do all those things
For fast prototypes they are very hard to beat.
ExpressPCB may sound cheap at first, but their $51 deal is kind of deceptive. There's no soldermask or silkscreen and only 350 holes (yeah you can exceed that for a big design), a limited number of drill sizes, they don't cut the board to your size, and shipping is extra. But IIRC you have to use their ExpressPCB software which is a drag. I would never invest my time making a design that would have to be thrown away if I wanted to change mfg'ers.
http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/special_price.php
155 sq in, $99 shipping included. Only one "Design" allowed though, unless you pay extra. No limit number of holes, 7mil trace clearance. In my experience he went ahead and not only cut out the boards but routed out the corner features I had to clear the box's corner mounting bosses. I think I had to ask but they threw it in. In an earlier case they just sent me a huge panel (as listed) and I had to cut it out.
There's a guy at
http://forum.sparkfun.com/viewforum.php?f=16
who organizes "PCB batch deals". I believe he uses Gold Phoenix and pays the "multiple design fee" but I'm not sure.
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/index.html
A lot of people recommend these guys, but I had trouble paying them; they kept saying my credit card came back rejected but the credit card company said they'd never received a query. Could find no other way to pay them unless I was going to use incredibly expensive money orders (can't Paypal Bulgaria!) Spent a long time and was never able to resolve the problem.
http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/special_price.php
155 sq in, $99 shipping included. Only one "Design" allowed though, unless you pay extra. No limit number of holes, 7mil trace clearance. In my experience he went ahead and not only cut out the boards but routed out the corner features I had to clear the box's corner mounting bosses. I think I had to ask but they threw it in. In an earlier case they just sent me a huge panel (as listed) and I had to cut it out.
There's a guy at
http://forum.sparkfun.com/viewforum.php?f=16
who organizes "PCB batch deals". I believe he uses Gold Phoenix and pays the "multiple design fee" but I'm not sure.
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/index.html
A lot of people recommend these guys, but I had trouble paying them; they kept saying my credit card came back rejected but the credit card company said they'd never received a query. Could find no other way to pay them unless I was going to use incredibly expensive money orders (can't Paypal Bulgaria!) Spent a long time and was never able to resolve the problem.
I came across these guys in a search for PCB layout software: http://www.4pcb.com. Their house software, pcbartist got great reviews on cnet: http://www.download.com/PCB-Artist/3000-6677_4-10712335.html?tag=lst-1
Anyone try them?
Anyone try them?
PEU
Flashlight Enthusiast
I use ExpressPCB a lot. If you use their ProtoPro service you get 4 boards of up to 21sqin, double sided, coated, tinned and with silkscreen for $179. You can put as much stuff on those boards as you want.
I make circular boards up to 4.5" diameter by silkscreening a circle on the board as a cutting guide for later. Works fine.
They also have much lower cost options, such as bare copper with no silkscreen. You get good product fast from them. They will only accept board layouts submitted over the internet, made using their software. Their software is OK, but lacks design rules checks and other niceties. You *can* link a schematic to the layout so that ti will show you where traces have to go. How you get them there is up to you. It won't tell you if traces are overlapping or too close together. And it won't do a rats nest layout automatically. They will not accept Gerbers made from other vendors software, which sort of sucks since i have software that WILL do all those things
For fast prototypes they are very hard to beat.
When I want to draw some circuit I use expressPCB app, I always wondered if there is an standalone app not linked to a PCB vendor that works so easily, do you know any?
I tried a lot of apps that generate gerber files, but they are huge not easy to learn.
Do you have a suggestion for this? thanks!
Pablo
PEU
Flashlight Enthusiast
sorry double post due to database errors...
MikeLip
Flashlight Enthusiast
PEU
Flashlight Enthusiast
will try it, thanks!!
Pablo
Pablo
Probedude
Enlightened
I use these guys all the time for their $33/each 2 sided and their $66/ea 4 sided boards. Heck of a deal - full service boards and decent max sq. in allowable. The problem is 'no step and repeats' unless you pay an extra $50.
These same guys have a website called www.barebonespcb.com
This is only 2 sided PTH, no silkscreen or soldermask but the price is pretty cheap and the service is fast. I've used this a few times but I don't care for the electroless tin finish. Wish they would reflow it.
For production quantity boards, check out www.e-teknet.com
Their prices are VERY good once you hit the 100+ pcs qty. I use them for all my production boards.
Dave
