Where in the USA do I get a small run of circuit boards made?
August 25, 2011 3:04 PM Subscribe
I'm in the USA and need to make a small run of circuit boards for a project that will most likely save my bacon, or at least allow me to pay the rent on time. :)
Mr. L and I have finally received the funding we need to get a dream project off the ground. It is, in a nutshell, a retrofit to a well-loved vintage synthesizer.
We have three boards to make, and they're all 2-sided, dual-layer boards. Two are nearly identical (think left side & right side). They're not that big. We have all the info needed to make them, and we will assemble them ourselves.
Our first production run is going to be 20 units, which means a total of 60 boards we need to have made. My Google-Fu has come up with some interesting candidates, but I'm wondering if any of the USA-based Mefites can offer me some guidance. I'd like to "Buy American," as 99% of the components & parts I buy are made overseas.
So, Hivemind, where are the cool USA-based small-run circuit board makers? Thanks! :)
Mr. L and I have finally received the funding we need to get a dream project off the ground. It is, in a nutshell, a retrofit to a well-loved vintage synthesizer.
We have three boards to make, and they're all 2-sided, dual-layer boards. Two are nearly identical (think left side & right side). They're not that big. We have all the info needed to make them, and we will assemble them ourselves.
Our first production run is going to be 20 units, which means a total of 60 boards we need to have made. My Google-Fu has come up with some interesting candidates, but I'm wondering if any of the USA-based Mefites can offer me some guidance. I'd like to "Buy American," as 99% of the components & parts I buy are made overseas.
So, Hivemind, where are the cool USA-based small-run circuit board makers? Thanks! :)
Best answer: BatchPCB, the small-run stalwart with excellent quality and results. I'm not sure where the PCBs are produced, but the operation is run in the US and is a great supporter of independent developers all over the world.
posted by TheNewWazoo at 3:53 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by TheNewWazoo at 3:53 PM on August 25, 2011
I've used Batch PCB. They're cheap and it's a neat company, but the boards are made in China.
You say you've got 'all the info needed to make them.' If you haven't drawn them up using appropriate CAD software, you'll want to do that (unless you want to pay someone else to do it, which sounds unlikely). For small 2-sided boards, the freeware version of Eagle works really well.
posted by jon1270 at 4:00 PM on August 25, 2011
You say you've got 'all the info needed to make them.' If you haven't drawn them up using appropriate CAD software, you'll want to do that (unless you want to pay someone else to do it, which sounds unlikely). For small 2-sided boards, the freeware version of Eagle works really well.
posted by jon1270 at 4:00 PM on August 25, 2011
Batch PCB, if I read it correctly is an offshoot of SparkFun. Good people.
posted by plinth at 4:12 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by plinth at 4:12 PM on August 25, 2011
A guy in Portland ("Laen") runs a PCB service. I've used him for a ridiculous amount of board space. They're very nicely done, and the last I knew, they were produced in the US.
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order
Anyway, his normal run is $5 per square inch for 3 copies of your board, but he does a "medium run" every once in a while where he'll do larger runs for $1 a square inch. The next medium run is September 19th. Details are in the link, and feel free to message me for details.
posted by adamwolf at 5:15 PM on August 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order
Anyway, his normal run is $5 per square inch for 3 copies of your board, but he does a "medium run" every once in a while where he'll do larger runs for $1 a square inch. The next medium run is September 19th. Details are in the link, and feel free to message me for details.
posted by adamwolf at 5:15 PM on August 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Steve Ciarcia has a whole list of PCB vendors on his Circuit Cellar website.
posted by ob1quixote at 6:13 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by ob1quixote at 6:13 PM on August 25, 2011
i use pcbexpress (not to be confused with expresspcb) regularly. The quality is excellent and pricing is good. They're actually a subsidiary of Sunstone circuits, who can do larger orders or more custom jobs. We've used some "local" shops before and often had problems with quality. When you are only running your machines a few times a week or once a week, it can introduce alignment issues or other quality concerns. PCBExpress.com is running jobs around the clock and we've never had a problem with them. If you have a standard board, that's definitely where I'd go.
posted by RobotNinja at 7:19 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by RobotNinja at 7:19 PM on August 25, 2011
I like BatchPCB too, but if you're going to have the boards ship from China, PCBex is way faster (as fast as 3 day turnaround) and cheaper for all but the smallest area boards. I like Eagle for the layout, and use SparkFun's gerber DRC rule set and CAM export setups, which are posted here and here.
The only USA-based manufacturer I've heard good things about is Advanced Circuits.
posted by fatllama at 7:42 PM on August 25, 2011
The only USA-based manufacturer I've heard good things about is Advanced Circuits.
posted by fatllama at 7:42 PM on August 25, 2011
Best answer: Advanced Circuits is fast, about as cheap as you're going to find for a domestic quick-turnaround low-quantity supplier, and they throw a bag of microwave popcorn in with every shipment. (They're also very nice and have good customer service; years ago they helped me dig up a complete set of CAD files based only on my suspicion that my predecessor had ordered his boards for class from them 8 years earlier.)
posted by range at 7:51 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by range at 7:51 PM on August 25, 2011
I too have used pcbexpress and have been pleased with their services. Their free quote software is handy.
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 7:51 PM on August 25, 2011
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 7:51 PM on August 25, 2011
Best answer: Depending on the size of your board, you might be better off going to one of them directly instead of through one of the batching PCB services.
I like:
http://sunstone.com/
http://4pcb.com/ <> http://epectec.com/ <>
If it's a smaller order (under around 700 square inches total), you'll have to either go with one of the asian fabs, or use a batching service. To the best of my knowledge, my service (already linked to above) is the only batching service that does US manufacturing exclusively.
I've seen quality issues WAY more frequently with the asian fabs than the US ones. GoldPhoenix, for example, will only promise you a 15% failure rate or better. That being said, I used to use Advanced Circuits (4pcb.com above), and had to switch in part due to the failure rate being unacceptable to me (it was around 3% on my large and difficult to manufacture panels). With my current fab, I'm getting about a 0.05% failure rate.
If you have any questions on the "getting your boards manufactured" front, feel free to metamail me. I've picked up quite a bit of knowledge about the PCB biz in the last couple of years, and I might be able to help you navigate it if you end up going to a fab directly.
posted by Laen at 9:57 PM on August 25, 2011
I like:
http://sunstone.com/
http://4pcb.com/ <> http://epectec.com/ <>
If it's a smaller order (under around 700 square inches total), you'll have to either go with one of the asian fabs, or use a batching service. To the best of my knowledge, my service (already linked to above) is the only batching service that does US manufacturing exclusively.
I've seen quality issues WAY more frequently with the asian fabs than the US ones. GoldPhoenix, for example, will only promise you a 15% failure rate or better. That being said, I used to use Advanced Circuits (4pcb.com above), and had to switch in part due to the failure rate being unacceptable to me (it was around 3% on my large and difficult to manufacture panels). With my current fab, I'm getting about a 0.05% failure rate.
If you have any questions on the "getting your boards manufactured" front, feel free to metamail me. I've picked up quite a bit of knowledge about the PCB biz in the last couple of years, and I might be able to help you navigate it if you end up going to a fab directly.
posted by Laen at 9:57 PM on August 25, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks! :)
Somehow, I knew asking here would be a good idea. :)
posted by luckynerd at 9:21 AM on August 26, 2011
Somehow, I knew asking here would be a good idea. :)
posted by luckynerd at 9:21 AM on August 26, 2011
Response by poster: ...and the winner is: http://www.4pcb.com/! :)
Our specs fall within their "standard" range, which will make them much cheaper than we anticipated, so our first run is 50, not 20. :)
posted by luckynerd at 12:06 AM on September 5, 2011
Our specs fall within their "standard" range, which will make them much cheaper than we anticipated, so our first run is 50, not 20. :)
posted by luckynerd at 12:06 AM on September 5, 2011
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posted by pombe at 3:13 PM on August 25, 2011