PCB low volume production


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  1. #1
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    Default PCB low volume production

    Hello, I know, that this is out of the scope of this forum, but maybe someone could help me here:
    I will need to produce low volume of pcb boards (20 / 30) PCS, and I am looking for the cheap company (e.g. from China) which could do the job. Does anyone could suggest to me some company?
    Thanks...

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    I have used this company here in the uk and they are very cheap and I think you will struggle to beat his prices, I had 100 Double sided plated through holes,solder mask and slik screen (75mmX65MM) and it only cost £131.00 + vat for the hundered no set up costs, Yes the price may go up if you have less

    http://www.tecbridgecircuits.co.uk/index.htm

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    From China, lol. Good luck there my friend getting a company from China to produce a whoping 20-30 boards. They usually start around the 1,000s of pieces and above. We use PCB Express for our prototypes. They are fast and located somewhere in the US.

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    I've heard few time PCBCart... not sure how good they are.

    http://www.pcbcart.com/
    Steve

    It's not a bug, it's a random feature.
    There's no problem, only learning opportunities.

  5. #5
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    I use www.pcbexpress.com, panelize the pcbs onto a big sheet, then cut them up myself. And the best thing (IMO) is that they take raw Protel .PCB files so I don't have to mess with getting the correct gerber format.

  6. #6
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    Olimex are Ok for hobby boards. Last time I used them they charged $35 for a standard Eurocard SS fibre 1.5mm board, incl cutting, silk screen and solder mask. I was able to get 10 interface boards out of this, but the quality was not what i would call "retail" quality.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

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    Thumbs up

    I used EzPCB (www.ezpcb.com) last year. They made 10 boards for me. Excellent quality and great service at about half the cost of local board shops.

    I believe they have a quoting calculator on their site. Just enter your specs, and it will generate a quote for you.

    If you're looking for low volume from China, I would highly recommend them.

  8. #8
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    Smile try expresspcb.com

    I personally use expresspcb.com, (american made) you get excellent freeware to use and no complicated data sending. I have also use Protel and Eagle layout software but I have found the expresspcb software more than sufficient for all my hobby/ buisness projects. I have used them for 3 years now and love their work! You can see some of the boards I have made through them at my website,

    www.tyscustomelectronics.com

    good luck
    Padawan-78

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    I've used PCBCart and EZPCB. Quality is excellent from each. PCBCart prices are the best and they offer color options. EZPCB will also do assembly if you need it.

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    I've heard a lot of good things about BatchPCB. Price and turn-around time are pretty reasonable.
    Tim Barr

  11. #11
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    Hi Chuck

    you got me checking my boardhouse list and techbridge is not there, can't quite work out if they are just a pooling company but I guess they are. Also having difficulty getting your board spec to hit anywhere near 131 ex vat qty 100 using the online quoting facility. Probably just me though

    I have used various pooling agents in the past and for some reason I like to know a little where my boards are going.

    I think the only real test would be to have sample boards made up to the same spec and have them sent off to each boardhouse, but then it seems a little pedantic although it is surprising the differrence in quality that can be obtained even at the same apparent spec.

    I have ended up mostly using www.eurocircuits.com based in Belgium, plant in Yugoslavia. first class quality and service I understand you can even watch your board actually being produced as a gimmick(although I havn't done). I prefer panellisation and I have found that a lot of pooling agents don't like that. I am not aware of any other major PCB boardhouse with an actual production unit in the UK other than those around Newbury in Bucks. Obvoiusly the States has a totally differrent factory base. It is difficult to answer a question on the forum sometimes, especially when somebody says "where can I get so and so cheap" but do not say that they are based in timbukto. International freight can easily outweigh any savings, consideration for import tax and local taxes sometimes get ignored as well. Shipping costs are going to go up! (my prediction)



    Anyway for simple double sided small boards, these can always be made up at the kitchen sink in a couple of minutes, I always use gound planes anyway, but it also means much less to etch, also just keep the tin plating compound away from the cat; good quality drill bits I use M A Ford twisters (pays in the long run) and Harwin Track pins for the TH vias (very quick) double up as test points(on any board) and as an added bonus scope tips that do not look end up looking like a pigs tail. (or anything else for that matter).

    just another useless ramble, tagged onto somebody elses thread

    Duncan

  12. #12
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    Default You can try to use UWELPCB from China supplier

    hello Friends,
    You can try to use UWELLPCB which is from China PCB supplier. quick-turn protopye, to product PCB, rigid PCB, Flex pcb, Rigid-Flex PCB......they have Good price, high quanlity,wonderful service.lower price for the customer.
    their website
    http://www.uwellpcb.com

    Thanks

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    Quote Originally Posted by uwellpcb View Post
    hello Friends,
    You can try to use UWELLPCB which is from China PCB supplier. quick-turn protopye, to product PCB, rigid PCB, Flex pcb, Rigid-Flex PCB......they have Good price, high quanlity,wonderful service.lower price for the customer.
    their website
    http://www.uwellpcb.com

    Thanks
    You have to give China's business community their due, they are on their toes in the hunt for business.
    If you do not believe in MAGIC, Consider how currency has value simply by printing it, and is then traded for real assets.
    .
    Gold is the money of kings, silver is the money of gentlemen, barter is the money of peasants - but debt is the money of slaves
    .
    There simply is no "Happy Spam" If you do it you will disappear from this forum.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe S. View Post
    You have to give China's business community their due, they are on their toes in the hunt for business.
    Quote Originally Posted by uwellpcb View Post
    hello Friends,
    You can try to use UWELLPCB which is from China PCB supplier. quick-turn protopye, to product PCB, rigid PCB, Flex pcb, Rigid-Flex PCB......they have Good price, high quanlity,wonderful service.lower price for the customer.
    their website
    http://www.uwellpcb.com
    Thanks
    Ever notice that they usually talk in the third person while promoting their own interests?

  15. #15
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    Yeah, those posts should be deleted as SPAM. That is the only time that guy has posted, and in an OLD thread. I'll bet they have a google watch to send them sites with their keywords, and it's just a bit slow.

  16. #16
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    oh, Friends. We just release an information about PCB fabrication to you guys. When you use us, we can help you to get more competitive on your business.

    ------------------
    www.uwellpcb.com
    ------------------

    Sendy

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by uwellpcb View Post
    oh, Friends. We just release an information about PCB fabrication to you guys. When you use us, we can help you to get more competitive on your business.
    Sendy
    Take a quick look at the title of this section of the forums. Mean anything to you?
    http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

    Biography:
    I am a girl and work for PCB copany
    Location:
    China
    Interests:
    reading, travel
    Occupation:
    sales girl
    What's a copany?

  18. #18
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    Default

    The thread was talking about PCB manufacture, so it can be argued it's the correct topic, and there was only a single posting - so it can also be argued it's not spam. The odd spelling or gramatical mistake should not be an issue. Their attempt at English is a lot better than our attempt at Chinese Mandarin.

    If it helps anyone to produce lower-cost or better quality PCB's, then should it not be left in place for the benefit of the forum?

  19. #19
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    Sorry,I printed error. Thank you all very much, especailly Melanie. If We could help you on the PCBs to make you get more benefit on your business, Why not?

  20. #20
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    I concur with Melanie.

    I've used Olimex (I agree that their quality isn't great.), BatchPCB, PCBCart, ezPCB, Advanced Circuits as well as a couple of the US companies that require you to use their PCB layout software and am now awaiting a quote from Sendy (UWellPCB) on fabricating and partially assembling boards in very low quantities. The email communications with Sendy have been easier than with many of the others whose native language is English.

    I've found Chinese companies will make boards in low quantities with outstanding quality, superb delivery times and unbelievably low prices. Both PCBCart and ezPCB have all these qualities and I'm expecting the same from Sendy's company (which I would not have known about without this thread).

  21. #21
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    Default help for you

    I can offer to make you PCB but only one side with top stamp and soldermask and hole's for minimum cost + transport cost.
    You can send me Protel99SE,Altium or SprinLayout 5 files or simple PDF format.
    Contact me on my private email.
    Cost is 6 EUR for 1dm² it is price for 1-10 pcs if you need more price go to
    10-100 = 4 EUR for 1dm²
    I can make PCB with minimum lines 0.3mm and pad distance minimum 0.3mm.
    Top stamp can be only white and soldermask green.
    If someone need let me know.
    Regards Robert

  22. #22
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    Try here.
    http://www.futurlec.com/PCBService.shtml
    I did order from them, Price was good but took a bit longer than it should have.
    Victor

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by victorf57 View Post
    Try here.
    http://www.futurlec.com/PCBService.shtml
    I did order from them, Price was good but took a bit longer than it should have.
    Victor
    Their prices are much higher than China. They want $267 for 25 double sided 4.25" x 3.00" boards with silkscreen and soldermask. PCBCart (China) wants $153 for the same. Reorders would be $50 less (tooling charge) from China but only half that from Futurelec. Both are quoted in $US.

  24. #24
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    For those interested, I received the quote from UWELLPCB for 100 pcs. 4.250"x3.000" boards with them supplying and installing about 50 SMD capacitors/resistors/inductors (mostly 805), 2 SOIC-8, 2 SOIC-16 plus a through-hole crystal and a 40-pin DIP socket. They will cost about $22.50 each which includes fabricating the boards, buying and installing the components and air courier charges. I can reduce that more by giving them an annual order from which they will release monthly shipments.

    I have a stencil for the solder paste and have been assembling these myself, inserting the components with tweezers. The last batch of four took 2 hours or 30 minutes per board. The bare boards cost me about $4 each (from PCBCart) and the components about $8 per board. Their prices seem very reasonable to me and fit within my price structure for the product.

  25. #25
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    Default Language Tolerance

    Quote Originally Posted by Melanie View Post
    The thread was talking about PCB manufacture, so it can be argued it's the correct topic, and there was only a single posting - so it can also be argued it's not spam. The odd spelling or gramatical mistake should not be an issue. Their attempt at English is a lot better than our attempt at Chinese Mandarin.

    If it helps anyone to produce lower-cost or better quality PCB's, then should it not be left in place for the benefit of the forum?
    Melanie:

    Thanks for language insight. I married into a Swedish family and quickly learned that English was one of many languages.

    Although I use 'Swedish' in Sweden and Norway, 'my' Swedish family often remark, "...we understand what you say, but you sound so funny..."

    We laugh then enjoy the rest of the day. Swedish business staff have told me, "...we can talk in English if that would be easier for you, but thanks for using our language..."

    Even though I only use two languages: American and Swedish, I am able to communicate with English natives.

    Cheers,

    Bob245

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    You may want to check out India.
    Ive used vendors from all over the world. And have to say our quality is hard to beat.
    WIll post some pics latter if you like. They look better than even the Motherboards made by Intel.

  27. #27
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    There is always me I manufacture pcb's and do contract assembly.

    10 bare pcb's up to 6x6 inches, green or black mask, silkscreen on both sides, up to 2 layer, 2oz copper finished on FR4, 1 week turn plus shipping time for $375 plus shipping.

    For 1 - 1000 components placed, $0.75 each. 1001 - 2500 = $0.60 each, 2501 - 5000 $0.55 each, 5000+ $discuss.

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    Default pcb designe

    dear i read your request. i want to help you if you want? i will make pcb for your circuit if you send me circuit schmatic. also tell me single side or double side designe
    my e mail addres is [[email protected]

  29. #29
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    Default Re: pcb designe

    i recommand 2 here...pcbtrain and pcbfinpo... i guess it really depends on where you need them...as for me ... i had this order once needs to be sent out to toronto in canada ...so i went for pcbfinpo as its leadtime is shorter and the boards were delivered to the door 3 days after..they got this fancy calculation online but the quantity seems a bit less...and if u don't like to deal with mails then go for them ... on the other hand..pcbtrain can read autocad not only the gerber file...so that is a plus for the british side...i luv them both more than those made in china products...no offense or anything but...they disappointed me twice out of 3 time orders...

    www.pcbtrain.co.uk and www.pcbfinpo.com

    hope it helps bro...

    WUOOOOOOOO

  30. #30
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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    Please always try with us
    We are not PCB manufacturer from mainland of China, we are a EU based trading company focus on purchasing PCB in China.

    PCB Connect has below advantage
    1.PCB Connect had purchased PCB in China for nearly ten years, we are well-known in Chinese PCB market . our group have great purchase power,
    So that we can get very good price &service from our suppliers , so please do not surprise if we can sell cheaper to you compare to the price that
    you buy from our Chinese PCB manufacture directly .

    2.We know the PCB suppliers in China very well , understand their advantage & weakness very well, and we always choose the most suitable ones among
    them , we have regularly audit & Q-meeting with them and we have corrective actions following system .

    3. Compare to doing business with Chinese supplier directly , we always can offer better service , because we understand service is the key value for a trading company .

    4.After factory FQC&FQA checking , PCB Connect have QA to check cosmestic again , for every new Pn we will do the function test include cross section, solderablity test, Thermal shock test etc , we can say our quality of the PCB boards is better than the quality that you buy from Chinese PCB manufacture directly.

    Tony Liu
    Sales Manager


    __________________________________________________ _______________________
    PCB Connect China
    Tel: +86(0)755 2332 6426
    Fax: +86 (0)755 2341 5423
    Mob: +86 (0)13410265448
    [email protected]
    www.pcbconnect.se

    Skype: pcbconnectab.tony
    Head office: Fagerstagatan 15, 16353, Spanga, Sweden

  31. #31
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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    We are looking for a pick & place machine that supports 540mm x 540mm pcb size.

    If anyone knows a company that makes such machine, please post its information.
    "If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital." Napoleon Bonaparte

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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    Quote Originally Posted by sayzer View Post
    We are looking for a pick & place machine that supports 540mm x 540mm pcb size.

    If anyone knows a company that makes such machine, please post its information.
    W-kidi R600 and W-kidi R580 are auto pick and place which is capability to carry over 540mm. W-kidi is OEM well known factory. free shipping worldwide is available for most countries. For more information please see our signature below for the link.
    Last edited by BGAstoreUSA; - 24th May 2013 at 01:33.
    The BGA Store USA

    theBGAstation.com

  33. #33
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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    I am buying boards from Bay Area Circuits for prototype boards; they do a very good job; I use the free software DipTrace and it links to Bar Area Circuits automatically when you buy from a menu within DipTrace; I bought 2 boards for $15 each, I don't know how much the price drops for 30 pieces.

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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    Also you can find Good PCB product from PCBcart.

  35. #35
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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    I've been using PCBWAY for the last half a dozen projects. Turn-around is quick, boards are great and service top notch


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    Thumbs up Re: PCB low volume production

    [/ QUOTE]




    Your photo looks good, you buy a separate board or finished product?

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    Default Re: PCB low volume production

    Their minimum order is five boards of one design. That was my finished project

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