Cheap PCB prototpes?

[Robert Baer]

Are you talking about this link?

http://www.youpcb.com/index.php/order/stepone

it works for.

If I remember correctly, if you have same designs in a single file and the single gerber file is under 10cmx10cm, they would cut it for you, e.g you board is 5cm x 10cm, you can put 2 boards in your gerber file and it is still under 10x10cm.

I remember I have done it once, but not sure if there are additional cost or not, let me check my orders when I get back home.

On 11/9/2013 1:15 PM, [email protected] wrote:

Try http://www.youpcb.com



Does anyone know if they will score a panel (V-cut) from the 10cm x 10cm

board ?



I need .7" x 1.1" boards, a 10x10cm panel would hold lots if they will

score the pcb for the same price.

I registered with youpcb.com.



The order form shows Board type[?] OIndividual oPanel, but I can not

select panel.



At the top of that page is says: Order type _Prototype _



So I guess that I can not order a panel from the Prototype menu.



And the Instant Quote button does is broken !

[Controller doesn't

exist/home/tiao/public_html/youpcb/Controllers/index.php.gds.php]

...or tell them to step and repeat.

 

[Robert Baer]

I tried PCBcart this morning, the lowest price I can get is ~$150 for
more then I need. ( they seem to have a minimum amount they need to do
anything)

If you have another site that you have used, I would like to check it out.

There are just too many sites for hit-n-miss searching.

Thanks

hamilton

Preliminary quote from YouPCB for three (minimum) boards 0.5x1.4
inch, FR4 0.047 thick, no stencil, no soldermask, no test $12.00 +
$15.00 shipping. Needs Gerbers.
Preliminary quote from PCBcart for one board all else same was $74.64
one-time tooling, $20.67 for the one board, $1.36 each at 50, no mention
of shipping charge. Can use Eagle files.

SMT both sides, 4 holes/vias.

For just a few boards and near zero prospect of more later, YouPCB
kicks butt.
For a few boards PCBcart roughly compares with ExpressPCB and at
higher quantities kicks butt.
Both offer a range of PCB thicknesses;a possible advantage over
ExpressPCB.

 

[Robert Baer]

I use United.com or Delta.com

When i was there, i did couple of 1.5" x 1.3" for $60 and 1.4" x 1.2" for $50. For the second batch, I paid them Friday and pickup the boards Monday. Seems like they work round the clock. Unfortunately, i am at the wrong side of the Pacific right now and it takes at least two weeks to ship and clear custom.

DHL moved a package for me to China in two days.
Customs can take from an hour to infinity (that is where they decide
one can't use the item and so keep it*).

* Happened to a shipment of a computer to someone in Ethiopa; i outfoxed
them the next time by sending the 2nd one in parts which substantially
reduced their charges.

 

[Robert Baer]

Den lørdag den 9. november 2013 23.59.38 UTC+1 skrev hamilton:

I just checked http://smart-prototyping.com/Prototyping-Services/Electronic-Prototyping/PCB-Prototyping.html

$47.56 for 100pcs, two layers, max outline 5x5cm

-Lasse

Sizing is *eXtremely* restrictive; ditch them.

 

[Robert Baer]

We gave up using pcbcart (in the face orising pricing) in favour of
pcbwing.com. Try their on-line calculator.

Thanks; added PCBwig to the list.
Prices are higher than PCBcart for quantity, but better for small
quantities (eg: one).

 

[[email protected]]

V-groove leaves nasty edges. Last batch of PCBs I bought the supplier
shifted to sheared from routed outlines (which are pretty nasty too).
Didn't see them until we received hundreds of assembled boards. 8-(

You don't specify all manufacturing methods?

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

You don't specify all manufacturing methods?

It was actually specified, but there's a limit to how much you can ask
of overseas suppliers, and we supplied the components. Next time it
will be done correctly.



Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[[email protected]]

It was actually specified, but there's a limit to how much you can ask
of overseas suppliers, and we supplied the components. Next time it
will be done correctly.

You get what you pay for.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

You get what you pay for.

Sure. Seldom more, often less.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Your supplier failed to sand the edges; that should be almost as
automatic as plating thru holes (which also does not always happen).

It should be automatic except if they're supposed to be unplated--
which takes an additonal operation.



Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Robert Baer]

You don't need to exclude testing and soldermask for youpcb.com, because as far as I know, testings are FREE for prototype PCBs, and ANY soldermask colors (both sides) are also FREE for prototype and volume orders.

For you spec:
0.5x1.4 inch, 0.047 thick, blue soldermask (since it is free), tested, 50 PCS, pcb cost is $29, about $0.6 each, shipping is $17. Less than half of pcbcart's price.

PCB Price: USD 29.00, Shipping: USD 17.00
Total: USD 46.00

* Check; for small quantities (like i said) YouPCB beats everyone else.
Do not need and cannot use 50 UNTESTED boards.
"Tested": One cannot test a raw, un-populated board - ain't no
continuity. In my case, the ONE is for mechanical checking/testing in a
special environment.

 

[Jasen Betts]

* Check; for small quantities (like i said) YouPCB beats everyone else.
Do not need and cannot use 50 UNTESTED boards.
"Tested": One cannot test a raw, un-populated board - ain't no
continuity.

I'm guessing traces: tested for continuity / against shorts.

 

[[email protected]]

OK, i will byte..HOW does one cheaply test a PCB with hundreds of
un-connected traces for "continuity"?

Flying probe tester.

And where over 90 percent of them are in the 300 mil region?

Irrelevant, unless they're really long.

 

[[email protected]]

Sure. Seldom more, often less.

More than one company has been kicked off the approved source lists
for mucking with the process without approval. Maybe they'll learn.

 

[Robert Baer]

On Sat, 9 Nov 2013 15:36:24 -0800 (PST), the renowned


V-groove leaves nasty edges. Last batch of PCBs I bought the supplier
shifted to sheared from routed outlines (which are pretty nasty too).
Didn't see them until we received hundreds of assembled boards. 8-(


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Your supplier failed to sand the edges; that should be almost as
automatic as plating thru holes (which also does not always happen).

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

OK, i will byte..HOW does one cheaply test a PCB with hundreds of
un-connected traces for "continuity"?
And where over 90 percent of them are in the 300 mil region?

Cheaply one uses a bed of nails fixture with pogo pins.

http://bayareacircuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bed-of-nails-test-300x214.jpg




More expensively, but without significant NRE costs, one uses a
"flying probe" tester. This is the choice for prototype quantities.

http://www.circuitsource.com/Flying_probe_test1.JPG


Both methods confirm the netlist (typically extracted from the
Gerbers) for both continuity and shorts. Nobody wants to debug a
complex prototype built on an untested board if they can reasonably
avoid it. If there's only 20 or 50 low-pin-count parts on a 2-layer
board, it's not so important.

 

[Robert Baer]

I'm guessing traces: tested for continuity / against shorts.

OK, i will byte..HOW does one cheaply test a PCB with hundreds of
un-connected traces for "continuity"?
And where over 90 percent of them are in the 300 mil region?

 

[John Devereux]

So, 90 percent of the PCB traces are "irrelevant" never mind they
make for 90 percent of the circuitry..

The fact that they are "300 mil" is irrelevant, not the traces
themselves.

They program a robot, from the gerbers, to whiz around with a
"flying-probe" continuity tester looking for continuity and shorts. This
typically has no setup costs but has an added unit cost, to pay for the
robots time per board, so each board might e.g. cost an extra $0.50.

Or they make a bed-of-nails fixture which makes contact with each
pad. The fixture might be a one-off cost of $300, but is instantaneous
in operation so there is no added unit cost.

So for prototypes and low volume, use flying probe testing. For higher
volume (hundreds+) use bed-of-nails.

Exact prices will depend on the board complexity and the supplier of
course.

So yes bare boards can be tested for continuity (and shorts). They
usually are AFAIK, the added cost is normally negligible compared to
scrapping a populated board. IME it varies a bit with board type,
testing is usually optional with 1- and 2-layer boards, mandatory or
included with 4-layer and above.

 

[Robert Baer]

Flying probe tester.


Irrelevant, unless they're really long.

So, 90 percent of the PCB traces are "irrelevant" never mind they
make for 90 percent of the circuitry..

 

[RobertMacy]

More than one company has been kicked off the approved source lists
for mucking with the process without approval. Maybe they'll learn.

Once a vendor who was allowed to finally make some boards for us, after
begging to show off their expertise and asking please, please please can
we do one of your boards: was allowed to make a small PCB that would be
used in a high voltage, high frequency situation. As they made the PCB
board and of course wishing to 'label' the board with THEIR logo, THEIR
address, THEIR part number found a large 'blank' area on the board to
leave all their information in nicely raised metal characters, cleanly
printed in that, convenient for them, 'unused' blank area. When they
delivered the blanks, I exploded at the salesman for putting metal in our
high voltage keepout section!

The salesman being fast told me we should have 'asked' [included in the
spec notes] that they not put anything there. The staring at him and cold
silence that followed resulted in profuse apologies and an offer to remake
the boards for no charge at premium speed. Too bad, they did nice work
otherwise.