Post by thread:[EE] cheap pcb fabrication needed

I want to order about 100 small pcb boards, about 1 x 2 inch, so not so big, does anyone maintain a list of people who do these things? Is it reasonable to pay 1$ per board? Also, does anyone maintain a list of pcb design tools (free, or commercial with restrictions is ok). Also, does anyone know of a tutorial on basic design with turbocad (only 2D stuff) since the tutorial in the software itself is very basic, it shows only how to draw some line, connect them, and apply constrainsts, but it doesn't show how to setup the grid so that the lines snap to it. Thanks .

spam_OUTnicholasdattTakeThisOuTyahoo.co.uk wrote: > I want to order about 100 small pcb boards, about 1 x 2 inch, so not so big, > does anyone maintain a list of people who do these things? Is it reasonable > to pay 1$ per board? > I use ExpressPCB in the us. 100 1x2 PCB's should cost you $233+$54+$50=337-15%=286.45. 250 will cost you less per board since the $233 is a setup fee, and the discount also goes up. > Also, does anyone maintain a list of pcb design tools (free, or commercial > with restrictions is ok). > Google for "PCB design". ExpressPCB has both schematic capture and PCB design tools for free (or at least free if you use their service) -forrest

Forrest Christian wrote: > .....nicholasdattKILLspam@spam@yahoo.co.uk wrote: > >> I want to order about 100 small pcb boards, about 1 x 2 inch, so not so big, >> does anyone maintain a list of people who do these things? Is it reasonable >> to pay 1$ per board? >> >> > I use ExpressPCB in the us. 100 1x2 PCB's should cost you > $233+$54+$50=337-15%=286.45. 250 will cost you less per board since the > $233 is a setup fee, and the discount also goes up. > >> Also, does anyone maintain a list of pcb design tools (free, or commercial >> with restrictions is ok). >> >> > Google for "PCB design". ExpressPCB has both schematic capture and PCB > design tools for free (or at least free if you use their service) > > -forrest > AP Circuits offers a non-SS/non-SM versions for very little. Might even be less than $1/PCB. But their process is 1/2 oz copper, doesn't work well on SOME designs. They are in Alberta, Canada. --Bob

Nicholas, Olimex is likely a decent choice given you're in Europe and they're reasonably priced. Their DRC can be hard to pass for a first-timer, though. http://www.olimex.com. Cadsoft make a free (for non-commercial) tool called EAGLE. http://www.cadsoft.de. Were you planning on trying to do your PCB in Turbocad? I'd advise against it unless you're doing a very simple/wide track board that you can photoresist yourself. My first board was 10mil! -marc On 4/19/06, nicholasdattKILLspamyahoo.co.uk <.....nicholasdattKILLspam.....yahoo.co.uk> wrote: {Quote hidden}> > I want to order about 100 small pcb boards, about 1 x 2 inch, so not so > big, > does anyone maintain a list of people who do these things? Is it > reasonable > to pay 1$ per board? > Also, does anyone maintain a list of pcb design tools (free, or commercial > with restrictions is ok). > Also, does anyone know of a tutorial on basic design with turbocad (only > 2D > stuff) since the tutorial in the software itself is very basic, it shows > only how > to draw some line, connect them, and apply constrainsts, but it doesn't > show > how to setup the grid so that the lines snap to it. > Thanks . > -

> Nicholas, > > Olimex is likely a decent choice given you're in Europe and they're > reasonably priced. Their DRC can be hard to pass for a first-timer, though. > http://www.olimex.com. > > Cadsoft make a free (for non-commercial) tool called EAGLE. http://www.cadsoft.de. > > Were you planning on trying to do your PCB in Turbocad? I'd advise against > it unless you're doing a very simple/wide track board that you can > photoresist yourself. My first board was 10mil! No no, I need it to draw some mathematical puzzles (geometry) - couldn't find how to setup a grid and a snap, so that I could have a visible grid on the screen to aid my puzzles. I need a tutorial on basic 2d drawing. > > -marc

At 01:25 AM 4/20/2006, Bob Axtell wrote: > > >AP Circuits offers a non-SS/non-SM versions for very little. Might even >be less than $1/PCB. But >their process is 1/2 oz copper, doesn't work well on SOME designs. They >are in Alberta, Canada. Hi there, Bob. I've talked to APC about the half-ounce copper thing - that's the copper weight BEFORE plating. They plate 1 ounce on top of that. This gives them 1 ounce plating inside all the plated-through holes and 1.5 ounce on the top and bottom layers. This appears to be identical to the production suppliers we use (S&P Flex Circuits, Network Circuits, Quick Circuits). dwayne -- Dwayne Reid <EraseMEdwaynerspam_OUTTakeThisOuTplanet.eon.net> Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax Celebrating 22 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2006) .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .- `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address. This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email.

Sounds like the board is pretty simple being that size. If so, I'd second Olimex. Sure, keep the drill sizes as they request, and the delivery is a little slow but I've been happy with the 3 or 4 projects I have run thru th em. They accept the Eagle .brd files direct, so you don't have to worry about the issues of generating drill files, gerbers, etc at least for your first time. If your not in a hurry, sparkfun can be another place, again if your not in a hurry. 2-3 weeks typical. But cheaper. 5 day turns, I use PCBfabExp ress, pretty decent pricing from them, they also do a bare bones like 4PCB (advanced circuits) does. Doing a bare bones board (no solder mask or silk screen just tinned traces) is good for first proto's because you dont have to scrape away the solder mask to tac wires on places. Marc Nicholas <geekythingspam_OUTgmail.com> wrote: Nicholas, Olimex is likely a decent choice given you're in Europe and they're reasonably priced. Their DRC can be hard to pass for a first-timer, though. http://www.olimex.com. Cadsoft make a free (for non-commercial) tool called EAGLE. http://www.cadsoft.de. Were you planning on trying to do your PCB in Turbocad? I'd advise against it unless you're doing a very simple/wide track board that you can photoresist yourself. My first board was 10mil! -marc On 4/19/06, @spam@nicholasdattKILLspamyahoo.co.uk wrote: {Quote hidden}> > I want to order about 100 small pcb boards, about 1 x 2 inch, so not so > big, > does anyone maintain a list of people who do these things? Is it > reasonable > to pay 1$ per board? > Also, does anyone maintain a list of pcb design tools (free, or commercial > with restrictions is ok). > Also, does anyone know of a tutorial on basic design with turbocad (only > 2D > stuff) since the tutorial in the software itself is very basic, it shows > only how > to draw some line, connect them, and apply constrainsts, but it doesn't > show > how to setup the grid so that the lines snap to it. > Thanks . >

> About a year ago I place and order here. > http://www.futurlec.com/PCBService.shtml > The order took longer then expected,but there was a communication problem. > The price was great, the PCB's looked fine Having looked at Olimex and at Futurlec it seems the latter is significantly cheaper, and within my price range, so I will order from them tomorrow. Thank you guys for pointing me to these good companies. > Victor >