Current PCB maker recommendations anyone?

[Tony]

Hi.

After a long absence I'm back with a few new PCB designs, and I need to find someone to
make them. So what are the current preferences / recommendations for both PTH and 4 layer
manufacture in
- small single design prototypes
- single prototype panel of multiple designs (as much as I can cram in; I used to use BEC
in Brisbane)
- small single design runs.

I'm in Brisbane Australia (if it makes any difference).

Cheers, Tony

 

[Mike Warren]

I used to use BEC in Brisbane)

why did you stop?

http://www.pcbcart.com/ seems to be popular. I'm thinking of giving them
a go next time.

 

[Tony]

why did you stop?

http://www.pcbcart.com/ seems to be popular. I'm thinking of giving them
a go next time.

They shut down at the same time I started to pursue other directions. But I understand
they re-opened shortly thereafter (I didn't).

Tony

 

[Tony]

I've had much luck with small runs between 2 and 25 of 4-layer boards
using SunstoneCircuits.com to fabricate and their sister-company
ScreamingCircuits.com to assemble. About ten of their boards have been
out in the field for a year, and the field they're in is particularly
harsh. They've held up nicely so far.

They're based near Seattle, but I believe they ship internationally.

Sunstone Circuits also has a free PCB design and layout software
package called PCB123 if you need it. I haven't had much luck with
their latest version (3) which is too buggy, but I have continued to
successfully use their very stable version 2. The upsides of PCB123 is
that 1. It's free, 2. It combines a circuit design program and a PCB
layout program and coordinates well enough between them, and 3. It
gives you real-time pricing of your PCB board right at the top of the
program at all times. The downsides are that 1. If you already have a
favorite PCB design/layout package, there's little reason to learn
this one, and 2. They don't give you all the gerber files etc., so you
can't design with PCB123 and then turn around and fabricate with
someone else, which is understandable I suppose.

Thanks - will check them out.

Cheers, Tony

 

[kevin2266]

Hi.

After a long absence I'm back with a few new PCB designs, and I need to find someone to
make them. So what are the current preferences / recommendations for both PTH and 4 layer
manufacture in
- small single design prototypes
- single prototype panel of multiple designs (as much as I can cram in; I used to use BEC
in Brisbane)
- small single design runs.

I'm in Brisbane Australia (if it makes any difference).

Cheers, Tony

For 4 Layer boards the cheapest I've ever used is PCB International. You get 100 square inches for around $180 with free e-test and a bunch of cool adders. I've ordered from them a number of times and their quality and service esp. more complex boards has been better than PCB Cart (which I have used multiple times as well). They are based in the U.S. and I believe their manufacturing is in Taiwan . . . I'm pretty sure they deliver to Australia.