Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

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Fudoh
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Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Fudoh »

There's a service, that has been mentioned here on the board dozens of times already, but I can't remember the name. And I have the bookmark somewhere, but can't find it :evil: - - - who can help me out ?
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RGB
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by RGB »

PCBway? I haven't used their service, but they seem to be quite popular. Personally I like to order from EuroCircuits

edit: Those cool purple PCBs are from OSHpark and they have good prices for low quantities.
Last edited by RGB on Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Fudoh
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Fudoh »

Thanks a lot ! Oshpark was the one I was thinking of, but I'll check out Eurocircuits as well.
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citrus3000psi
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by citrus3000psi »

also checkout http://dirtypcbs.com/ and https://www.seeedstudio.com/fusion_pcb.html

I normally get pcb's from oshpark. But have used seeedstudio because they offer a wider range of thicknesses.
Abby
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Abby »

citrus3000psi wrote:also checkout http://dirtypcbs.com/ and https://www.seeedstudio.com/fusion_pcb.html

I normally get pcb's from oshpark. But have used seeedstudio because they offer a wider range of thicknesses.
Hello everyone, I am thrilled to make a supplement for everyone. I know that China has a WellPCB, which specializes in manufacturing PCB and PCBA. It is less than 100*100, five pieces, two layers, only $5.
WellPCB
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buttersoft
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by buttersoft »

OSHpark is best quality, and cheapest for tiny boards. For anything over about 30cm2 you get better value from JLCPCB, the guys attached to the EasyEDA online pcb designer.
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Guspaz
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Guspaz »

I did Borti's audio mod for my OSSC. I ordered the board from oshpark. The minimum order quantity was 3 boards. The total was $3.95 USD, with free international shipping to Canada. Can't get really any cheaper than that for tiny boards. The parts to stuff the board cost waaaay more.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

JLCPCB all. day. long.
RGB0b
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by RGB0b »

Agreed. Even with expensive DHL shipping from China, JCLPCB is cheaper than most others...but also arrives in less than a week. I've switched to them and will never use OSHitPark again.
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buttersoft
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by buttersoft »

I'm curious about that hate for OSH Park. Sure, they're not cheap when it comes to larger boards, but between them and JLCPCB the quality of OSH Park is so much higher. You do have to trim the spikes left over from where they break the larger boards apart, sure, but with JLCPCB i can rub off the coatings on the board vias to expose copper, and sometimes even the tracks. It's like they're not using proper lacquer. Still, i've only ordered with each of them a few times.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

buttersoft wrote:I'm curious about that hate for OSH Park. Sure, they're not cheap when it comes to larger boards, but between them and JLCPCB the quality of OSH Park is so much higher. You do have to trim the spikes left over from where they break the larger boards apart, sure, but with JLCPCB i can rub off the coatings on the board vias to expose copper, and sometimes even the tracks. It's like their not using proper lacquer. Still, i've only ordered with each of them a few times.
we're talking about prototyping here, I can live with slightly less rugged soldermask when I can get a 5 run of boards up to 100mmx100mm for $7US and change SHIPPED

I always get the cheapest shipping option, never used DHL and they still arrive within 2-3 weeks
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buttersoft
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by buttersoft »

From where i am really small boards come cheapest via OSH Park, and the quality is superior. I don't understand why you wouldn't use them if they were cheaper, is all. Or rather, why RetroRGB thinks they are shit.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Konsolkongen »

Same here. So far OSHpark has been the cheaper option for me, but I’m sure that with the right combination of size and quantity JLC will turn out to be the better option. Can’t comment on the quality of of JLC pcbs but the ones from OSHpark are great. My only complaint is the color :D, but then on the other hand JLC puts an identifier number on theirs that doesn’t look too hot either.

Another thing worth mentioning is that OSHpark’s online preview of boards is much simpler and better for beginners than JLC’s. If you used Eagle to create a project, you can just upload the .brd file. Easy :)
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

are you two comparing OSH to JLC using economy shipping or using DHL? because I can't understand how OSH could possibly be cheaper than $7 shipped when they charge $8 for shipping last I checked
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by nmalinoski »

maxtherabbit wrote:are you two comparing OSH to JLC using economy shipping or using DHL? because I can't understand how OSH could possibly be cheaper than $7 shipped when they charge $8 for shipping last I checked
Back in April, I paid $3.60 for 3 PCBs (borti's Power Regulator for N64RGB DAC), and there was no shipping charge for USPS First Class. When it shipped a week and a half later, it only took 2 days to get to NY from Lake Oswego, OR.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Konsolkongen »

I've never paid shipping from OSHpark. If they require that now then it's something they added recently :)
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Guspaz
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by Guspaz »

maxtherabbit wrote:are you two comparing OSH to JLC using economy shipping or using DHL? because I can't understand how OSH could possibly be cheaper than $7 shipped when they charge $8 for shipping last I checked
oshpark has free worldwide shipping (and still does). I (Montreal, Canada) ordered the OSSC audio boards from oshpark (USA). Cost $3.95 USD total out of pocket. They shipped it for free via USPS Standard First Class Mail. I don't remember how long it took to arrive, but it didn't take that long. It's basically letter post.

https://docs.oshpark.com/submitting-ord ... formation/
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

hmm ok maybe I was confusing them with someone else, sorry
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

I went back and checked my full order history for JLCPCB and uploaded the same gerbers to OSH

Even with shipping included (economy at JLC and free at OSH) in almost every instance OSH was significantly more expensive, often to the tune of 2-5x. The only time OSH was even close was on super tiny boards, but even then they were still at least $2 more in most cases. On my smallest sized PCB, in one single case, OSH was about $3 cheaper (for 3 boards as opposed to 5 at JLC.)
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buttersoft
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by buttersoft »

Well, yes, that's what we're saying. OSH Park are often cheaper for really tiny boards, and they do quality work. But their price rises sharply as board size increases.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

buttersoft wrote:Well, yes, that's what we're saying. OSH Park are often cheaper for really tiny boards, and they do quality work. But their price rises sharply as board size increases.
yeah ok but I mean really tiny

like, the only one that was actually cheaper was 28x20mm

even at 32x39mm JLC was a couple bucks less
mikechi2
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by mikechi2 »

Based on this thread, I gave JLC a try. Ordered on Monday and the finished board showed up Friday. Quite impressed with the quality, especially the price. Definitely not going to buy a desktop PCB mill now.
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buttersoft
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by buttersoft »

Further to this subject, does anyone know how to get gerbers out of OSHPark? There's a few projects on there with not-super-tiny boards and i'd like to be able to buy them elsewhere. Is it possible to get the gerbers back out? Or perhaps to transform images of a two-layer PCB into gerbers?
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Where to order PCBs in low quantities ?

Post by maxtherabbit »

buttersoft wrote:Further to this subject, does anyone know how to get gerbers out of OSHPark? There's a few projects on there with not-super-tiny boards and i'd like to be able to buy them elsewhere. Is it possible to get the gerbers back out? Or perhaps to transform images of a two-layer PCB into gerbers?
yeah if you go to a shared project there's a download button opposite from the order board button

only catch is it will spit back out whatever format the OP posted them in, so it could be gerbers, or an eagle file, or kicad, etc.
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