Comments on: Poll: Who is your favorite prototype PCB vendor? http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/ Join the resistance. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:19:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Yong http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-8089 Yong Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:14:37 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-8089 Why is the cheaper the tunaround time longer? If you have a lot of prototype need to produce, and want to get it as cheap as possible How to do it? I can tell you a way: You can put 2. 3 .4 (or more, But best not more than 7, In that case the factory may be reluctant to do) design in a panel,so you can save a lot of setup costs They do not exceed 45dollars /design in china ( FR4 1.6mm 1oz copper HASL, two side Green solder Mask, Two Side White silkscreen) They will be arrangements for production until It is a sufficient number of prototypes for a panel ,So the tunaround time longer naturally Actually a double-sided prototype from order to customer receives (USA) not more than one week from china pcb and fpc one-stop service worker from china www.pacificpcb.com sales@pacificpcb.com Why is the cheaper the tunaround time longer?
If you have a lot of prototype need to produce, and want to get it as cheap as possible
How to do it?
I can tell you a way:
You can put 2. 3 .4 (or more, But best not more than 7, In that case the factory may be reluctant to do) design in a panel,so you can save a lot of setup costs
They do not exceed 45dollars /design in china ( FR4 1.6mm 1oz copper HASL, two side Green solder Mask, Two Side White silkscreen)
They will be arrangements for production until It is a sufficient number of prototypes for a panel ,So the tunaround time longer naturally
Actually a double-sided prototype from order to customer receives (USA) not more than one week from china

pcb and fpc one-stop service worker from china
http://www.pacificpcb.com
sales@pacificpcb.com

]]> By: MightyOhm » Blog Archive » Cheap Prototype PCBs from DorkbotPDX http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-7099 MightyOhm » Blog Archive » Cheap Prototype PCBs from DorkbotPDX Sat, 16 Oct 2010 20:20:56 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-7099 [...] The tunaround time is typically 9 days + first class mail shipping, which ends up being just under two weeks total fom PCB release to delivery in Austin.  This is pretty good for a group order, and signficantly faster than BatchPCB (based on my experience). [...] [...] The tunaround time is typically 9 days + first class mail shipping, which ends up being just under two weeks total fom PCB release to delivery in Austin.  This is pretty good for a group order, and signficantly faster than BatchPCB (based on my experience). [...]

]]> By: ericwertz http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5423 ericwertz Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:43:28 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5423 I haven't sent one out yet, but the first one will be going out to SeeedStudio. I'd consider BatchPCB for a single board of 10 sqin or less perhaps, but the attraction of getting 10 boards of up to 10cmX10cm for about $55 ($35 if you publish it and only take 5 boards instead), hitting the lottery and having them work first try, is worth the gamble. If I sent one board of that size off to BatchPCB it'd be about $50 and probably take longer to get back to me. Like I said, I want to love BatchPCB, but the pricing goes against almost everything that you learn in economics *and* marketing. Their only sweetspot is one board less than about 10 sqin. For more than even two boards of that size, their pricing model practically repels customers. I'd prefer to do business on-shore, but when the price differential is 10x, well... it's pretty hard not to say "Ni hao! Qing jin!". I have no affiliation with SeeedStudio. In fact, I'm not even a satisfied customer yet... :-). Ian's done his Bus Pirate and Twatch through them and seems to at least be content. I haven’t sent one out yet, but the first one will be going out to SeeedStudio. I’d consider BatchPCB for a single board of 10 sqin or less perhaps, but the attraction of getting 10 boards of up to 10cmX10cm for about $55 ($35 if you publish it and only take 5 boards instead), hitting the lottery and having them work first try, is worth the gamble. If I sent one board of that size off to BatchPCB it’d be about $50 and probably take longer to get back to me.

Like I said, I want to love BatchPCB, but the pricing goes against almost everything that you learn in economics *and* marketing. Their only sweetspot is one board less than about 10 sqin. For more than even two boards of that size, their pricing model practically repels customers.

I’d prefer to do business on-shore, but when the price differential is 10x, well… it’s pretty hard not to say “Ni hao! Qing jin!”.

I have no affiliation with SeeedStudio. In fact, I’m not even a satisfied customer yet… :-) . Ian’s done his Bus Pirate and Twatch through them and seems to at least be content.

]]> By: Jeff http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5421 Jeff Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:24:36 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5421 Eric - If you don't use BatchPCB for most of your boards, who do you use instead? Eric – If you don’t use BatchPCB for most of your boards, who do you use instead?

]]> By: ericwertz http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5413 ericwertz Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:54:24 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5413 I want to love BatchPCB but the $/sqin easily prevents me from doing so. The only-one-small-board scenario is the only one that attracts me to them, and for which it probably performs better than all others, assuming one can wait that long (seemingly forever minus three days) for it. Their pricing goes from best to worst very, very quickly as you get bigger, which to me is a shame, especially since there's no reason for it. Anything that they do to increase volume would be repaid in spades by shortening their panel flip time. I'm going to give SeeedStudio a shot because both their entry price point and their quantity prices seem to be about the best one can do. I've got to hand it to them in that they've been pretty innovative with their multiple price-plan offerings. I want to love BatchPCB but the $/sqin easily prevents me from doing so. The only-one-small-board scenario is the only one that attracts me to them, and for which it probably performs better than all others, assuming one can wait that long (seemingly forever minus three days) for it. Their pricing goes from best to worst very, very quickly as you get bigger, which to me is a shame, especially since there’s no reason for it. Anything that they do to increase volume would be repaid in spades by shortening their panel flip time.

I’m going to give SeeedStudio a shot because both their entry price point and their quantity prices seem to be about the best one can do. I’ve got to hand it to them in that they’ve been pretty innovative with their multiple price-plan offerings.

]]> By: ericwertz http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5412 ericwertz Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:22:16 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5412 I just got access to a CNC PCB mill that hadn't seen much action (other than two lab to lab moves) in the last year or so, and after playing with it for a week, I'm not loving it. They seem to take an excessive amount of care and feeding. They eat-up tools and time pretty quickly (both through regular wear and simple breakage), require constant painstaking adjusting and while fun to watch for a while, end-up being fairly slow. Since I'm doing a volunteer project for someone else with it, I'm not paying for any of it, and I'm sure that they'd let me run a few small jobs of my own on it. However at this point I'm not sure that I want anything to do with it anymore even though it would be free (which is currently very attractive). I've already spent a few dozen hours and have gone through a few hundred dollars of material on it and I still wouldn't consider more than "marginally well". It's so finicky that I've been redesigning my small boards for "millability". So, for a one-off it can be ok if you design for it. Top-bottom alignment is good though, but not having PTHs and vias is a PITA. It *seems* like it should work better than it is, so I can't condemn it outright. However I have no doubt that Akiba has more patience (and certainly more toys) than I do. I just got access to a CNC PCB mill that hadn’t seen much action (other than two lab to lab moves) in the last year or so, and after playing with it for a week, I’m not loving it.

They seem to take an excessive amount of care and feeding. They eat-up tools and time pretty quickly (both through regular wear and simple breakage), require constant painstaking adjusting and while fun to watch for a while, end-up being fairly slow.

Since I’m doing a volunteer project for someone else with it, I’m not paying for any of it, and I’m sure that they’d let me run a few small jobs of my own on it. However at this point I’m not sure that I want anything to do with it anymore even though it would be free (which is currently very attractive).

I’ve already spent a few dozen hours and have gone through a few hundred dollars of material on it and I still wouldn’t consider more than “marginally well”. It’s so finicky that I’ve been redesigning my small boards for “millability”. So, for a one-off it can be ok if you design for it. Top-bottom alignment is good though, but not having PTHs and vias is a PITA.

It *seems* like it should work better than it is, so I can’t condemn it outright. However I have no doubt that Akiba has more patience (and certainly more toys) than I do.

]]> By: Akiba http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5399 Akiba Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:31:21 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5399 I'm using a CNC to make my boards for prototyping before I release a production PCB. I'm able to prototype QFN32s with no problem and typically use 8mil/8mil design rules for both the CNC and the final production PCBs. Being able to come up with an idea, test it out the same day, and decide if its feasible to come out with a finished PCB is well worth the cost of the CNC. I also use it to cut my solder paste masks and front plate apertures. The drawback is that you don't have plated through holes so I typically design my proto PCBs to have as few vias as possible since I need to solder a connecting wire into each one. Wouldn't recommend a CNC for doing really complex boards, but for fairly simple boards and especially for RF boards, its definitely the way to go. I’m using a CNC to make my boards for prototyping before I release a production PCB. I’m able to prototype QFN32s with no problem and typically use 8mil/8mil design rules for both the CNC and the final production PCBs. Being able to come up with an idea, test it out the same day, and decide if its feasible to come out with a finished PCB is well worth the cost of the CNC. I also use it to cut my solder paste masks and front plate apertures. The drawback is that you don’t have plated through holes so I typically design my proto PCBs to have as few vias as possible since I need to solder a connecting wire into each one. Wouldn’t recommend a CNC for doing really complex boards, but for fairly simple boards and especially for RF boards, its definitely the way to go.

]]> By: Oleg http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5398 Oleg Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:26:04 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5398 [quote] Second, of the PCB vendors, BatchPCB is currently leading by a wide margin. I have a question for the BatchPCB fans – how do you deal with the turnaround time? [/quote] I work on several designs at the same time. I route a board, order at BPCB, switch to the next project, route, order, repeat. It works very well so far. [quote]
Second, of the PCB vendors, BatchPCB is currently leading by a wide margin. I have a question for the BatchPCB fans – how do you deal with the turnaround time?
[/quote]

I work on several designs at the same time. I route a board, order at BPCB, switch to the next project, route, order, repeat. It works very well so far.

]]> By: Landon Cox (ESawdust) http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5397 Landon Cox (ESawdust) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:55:55 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5397 I've used both BatchPCB and GoldPhoenix. BatchPCB for singles and prototypes I'm not very sure about. Really like BatchPCB's ordering process. GoldPhoenix when I need at least one panel of something. I’ve used both BatchPCB and GoldPhoenix. BatchPCB for singles and prototypes I’m not very sure about. Really like BatchPCB’s ordering process. GoldPhoenix when I need at least one panel of something.

]]> By: Vine http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5396 Vine Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:02:27 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5396 Same as others, I use PCBCART for rapid prototyping (and for the various options they offered) and BatchPCB for others boards. Same as others, I use PCBCART for rapid prototyping (and for the various options they offered) and BatchPCB for others boards.

]]> By: macegr http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5395 macegr Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:18:03 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5395 One vote for Seeedstudio. Good prices and at least five times faster than BatchPCB. One vote for Seeedstudio. Good prices and at least five times faster than BatchPCB.

]]> By: johngineer http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5393 johngineer Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:03:18 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5393 My understanding is that BatchPCB uses GoldPhoenix for the actual fab. What BatchPCB does is take a bunch of designs which have been submitted by disparate designers, and then combine them into a larger layout, which they then send to GoldPhoenix for fabbing. This makes it easier for hobbyists because it gives them a way to get a small prototype board made for not much money. For example, if you were to order a board directly from GoldPhoenix, the minimum charge for a 2-layer board is $99, and that's for a 100 sq. in. board. If you only need a single 2x2" (4sqin) board, and don't need duplicates, then it makes more sense to send it to BPCB and pay $20, than to send it GP and pay $99. My understanding is that BatchPCB uses GoldPhoenix for the actual fab. What BatchPCB does is take a bunch of designs which have been submitted by disparate designers, and then combine them into a larger layout, which they then send to GoldPhoenix for fabbing. This makes it easier for hobbyists because it gives them a way to get a small prototype board made for not much money.

For example, if you were to order a board directly from GoldPhoenix, the minimum charge for a 2-layer board is $99, and that’s for a 100 sq. in. board. If you only need a single 2×2″ (4sqin) board, and don’t need duplicates, then it makes more sense to send it to BPCB and pay $20, than to send it GP and pay $99.

]]> By: Ryne http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5197 Ryne Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:13:55 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5197 I use Sunstone's pcbexpress service for the prototypes in a rush. Sunstone's recently added a line called value proto or some such - looks like they're willing to work with us designers on board is the same price range as batchpcb. Except value proto is guaranteeing a 10 day turn time. I use Sunstone’s pcbexpress service for the prototypes in a rush. Sunstone’s recently added a line called value proto or some such – looks like they’re willing to work with us designers on board is the same price range as batchpcb. Except value proto is guaranteeing a 10 day turn time.

]]> By: Dave http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-5094 Dave Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:02:24 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-5094 I've had good luck with silvercircuits.com so far. They are based in Malaysia. If you have a small board, you can panelize and get a whole bunch for $72ish + shipping ($14 to the US). They also accept EAGLE files. I’ve had good luck with silvercircuits.com so far. They are based in Malaysia. If you have a small board, you can panelize and get a whole bunch for $72ish + shipping ($14 to the US). They also accept EAGLE files.

]]> By: RJ http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/01/poll-who-is-your-favorite-prototype-pcb-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-3470 RJ Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:24:16 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=1103#comment-3470 Another vote for PCB123. It may be a bit of a lock-down tool, but I would have to build a LOT of boards to cover the expense of even the least-expensive design software. These guys really seem to want to make the tool HELP me get a good design the first time through fab. I like the fact that PCB213 gives me the board fab quote real time on the screen. I can tell edit-by-edit if I've gone over my target price for board fab. The PCB123 guys have also just wired access to Digi-Key into the Bill of Materials functions. This means I can check parts availability for the parts I've specified. I can also get a Digi-Key price quote on-demand, so now I can design to both my fabrication and my parts budget from the get-go. Sunstone makes a good board. And they consistently stand behind their products. Another vote for PCB123. It may be a bit of a lock-down tool, but I would have to build a LOT of boards to cover the expense of even the least-expensive design software. These guys really seem to want to make the tool HELP me get a good design the first time through fab.

I like the fact that PCB213 gives me the board fab quote real time on the screen. I can tell edit-by-edit if I’ve gone over my target price for board fab.

The PCB123 guys have also just wired access to Digi-Key into the Bill of Materials functions. This means I can check parts availability for the parts I’ve specified. I can also get a Digi-Key price quote on-demand, so now I can design to both my fabrication and my parts budget from the get-go.

Sunstone makes a good board. And they consistently stand behind their products.

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