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Forget Advanced Circuits and FreeDFM

T

Tom Seim

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have been trying for the last three weeks to submit a job with these
idiots. First, because the job doesn't use extended Gerber, they want
me to send them a list of the aperatures, which is totally reasonable.
And I did. Then they e-mail me; no, I have to resubmit the whole job.
Well, why didn't they say that in the first place. After stewing a bit
I do exactly that, with the aperature list. Then I get an email saying
that the aperature list wasn't included in the zip file, which it most
certainly was. I finally figured out that they don't look at the zip
file at all, but a filtered list. The filtered list allows for a
maximum of 3 document files, which they chose from the zip file-the
aperature list file wasn't one of the ones they deemed important. OK,
I resubmit the job a third time, eliminating all document files except
for the aperature list. This works, finally! They send me an email
with a link to the results and a link to a quote. The results link
works, the quote link doesn't. I try for a couple of days for the
quote link to work, but it doesn't so I call them. I tell this gal to
just email me the quote. She says they are moving servers and it will
be working that afternoon. That was 4 days ago. A couple of emails to
them are ignored.

I am completely fed up with Unadvanced Circuits!

Tom

PS There have got to be other pcb houses with their respective acts
together!
 
L

Leon Heller

Jan 1, 1970
0
Tom Seim said:
I have been trying for the last three weeks to submit a job with these
idiots. First, because the job doesn't use extended Gerber, they want
me to send them a list of the aperatures, which is totally reasonable.
And I did. Then they e-mail me; no, I have to resubmit the whole job.
Well, why didn't they say that in the first place. After stewing a bit
I do exactly that, with the aperature list. Then I get an email saying
that the aperature list wasn't included in the zip file, which it most
certainly was. I finally figured out that they don't look at the zip
file at all, but a filtered list. The filtered list allows for a
maximum of 3 document files, which they chose from the zip file-the
aperature list file wasn't one of the ones they deemed important. OK,
I resubmit the job a third time, eliminating all document files except
for the aperature list. This works, finally! They send me an email
with a link to the results and a link to a quote. The results link
works, the quote link doesn't. I try for a couple of days for the
quote link to work, but it doesn't so I call them. I tell this gal to
just email me the quote. She says they are moving servers and it will
be working that afternoon. That was 4 days ago. A couple of emails to
them are ignored.

I am completely fed up with Unadvanced Circuits!

Tom

PS There have got to be other pcb houses with their respective acts
together!

I use PCB-Pool a lot for prototypes:

http://www.pcbpool.com/ppuk/info.html

and have had very few problems. On the rare occasions when they have made a
mistake they got replacement boards to me very quickly, with a few extra
free of charge, or they haven't charged for the job.

They are in Europe, which might be awkward for you.

Leon
 
A

Activ8

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have been trying for the last three weeks to submit a job with these
idiots. First, because the job doesn't use extended Gerber, they want
me to send them a list of the aperatures, which is totally reasonable.
And I did. Then they e-mail me; no, I have to resubmit the whole job.
Well, why didn't they say that in the first place. After stewing a bit
I do exactly that, with the aperature list. Then I get an email saying
that the aperature list wasn't included in the zip file, which it most
certainly was. I finally figured out that they don't look at the zip
file at all, but a filtered list. The filtered list allows for a
maximum of 3 document files, which they chose from the zip file-the
aperature list file wasn't one of the ones they deemed important. OK,
I resubmit the job a third time, eliminating all document files except
for the aperature list. This works, finally! They send me an email
with a link to the results and a link to a quote. The results link
works, the quote link doesn't. I try for a couple of days for the
quote link to work, but it doesn't so I call them. I tell this gal to
just email me the quote. She says they are moving servers and it will
be working that afternoon. That was 4 days ago. A couple of emails to
them are ignored.

I am completely fed up with Unadvanced Circuits!

Tom

PS There have got to be other pcb houses with their respective acts
together!

Indeed, and they've been mentioned here from time to time. I don't
recall any discussion about the bozos you dealt with though.
 
C

Chris Carlen

Jan 1, 1970
0
Tom said:
I have been trying for the last three weeks to submit a job with these
idiots. First, because the job doesn't use extended Gerber, they want
me to send them a list of the aperatures, which is totally reasonable.
And I did. Then they e-mail me; no, I have to resubmit the whole job.
Well, why didn't they say that in the first place. After stewing a bit
I do exactly that, with the aperature list. Then I get an email saying
that the aperature list wasn't included in the zip file, which it most
certainly was. I finally figured out that they don't look at the zip
file at all, but a filtered list. The filtered list allows for a
maximum of 3 document files, which they chose from the zip file-the
aperature list file wasn't one of the ones they deemed important. OK,
I resubmit the job a third time, eliminating all document files except
for the aperature list. This works, finally! They send me an email
with a link to the results and a link to a quote. The results link
works, the quote link doesn't. I try for a couple of days for the
quote link to work, but it doesn't so I call them. I tell this gal to
just email me the quote. She says they are moving servers and it will
be working that afternoon. That was 4 days ago. A couple of emails to
them are ignored.

I am completely fed up with Unadvanced Circuits!

Tom

PS There have got to be other pcb houses with their respective acts
together!


Bummer. I've done about 60 designs with Advanced Circuits over the past
3-4 years using mainly proto spec and a few standard spec, and had only
two problems which I never followed through on getting anything done about.

Actually, the first one was a trace whose width faded to zero. They
said they would replace, and never did. The second one was a 4-layer
board with a short between a trace and an inner layer. Strange, must
have had a void in the prepreg. Just fixed it by hand, since the other
board in that batch was fine.

I tend to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing jobs, so that
every last detail is checked and agrees exactly with their requirements.
As a consequence I've only had one instance in the approximately 50
designs where there was a hold on the job.

I have only recently moved to RS-274X instead of RS-274D. It makes
things a little easier, now that my software does it correctly.

I didn't like the idea of free-DFM from the start, so I sent my jobs
directly without using it. This was possible until I think just
recently, when now I think all jobs go through it.

The only thing I persist at doing is using silks less than 8 mils, which
they whine about but just fix themselves instead of holding.

Perhaps for standard manufacturing spec boards, they are more strict.

Too bad you had trouble, man. Good luck finding a better house. Tell
us who you try next time and how it goes.

Good day!
 
T

Tom Seim

Jan 1, 1970
0
Chris Carlen said:
Bummer. I've done about 60 designs with Advanced Circuits over the past
3-4 years using mainly proto spec and a few standard spec, and had only
two problems which I never followed through on getting anything done about.

Actually, the first one was a trace whose width faded to zero. They
said they would replace, and never did. The second one was a 4-layer
board with a short between a trace and an inner layer. Strange, must
have had a void in the prepreg. Just fixed it by hand, since the other
board in that batch was fine.

I tend to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing jobs, so that
every last detail is checked and agrees exactly with their requirements.
As a consequence I've only had one instance in the approximately 50
designs where there was a hold on the job.

I have only recently moved to RS-274X instead of RS-274D. It makes
things a little easier, now that my software does it correctly.

I didn't like the idea of free-DFM from the start, so I sent my jobs
directly without using it. This was possible until I think just
recently, when now I think all jobs go through it.

The only thing I persist at doing is using silks less than 8 mils, which
they whine about but just fix themselves instead of holding.

Perhaps for standard manufacturing spec boards, they are more strict.

Too bad you had trouble, man. Good luck finding a better house. Tell
us who you try next time and how it goes.

I have used PCBExpress with success. The job I sent them was 274D
because it is from an old (EE Designer) cad system, but that really
wasn't the issue. The issue is really piss-poor customer service. I
just thought I would warn the rest of you to beware.

BTW, I have been using Unadvanced for years, this just got to be
unbearable. Also, this is a job I had run before w/o problems.
 
O

Optimus Maximus

Jan 1, 1970
0
BTW, I have been using Unadvanced for years, this just got to be
unbearable. Also, this is a job I had run before w/o problems.

I've never had a problem with them yet, just received a dozen boards from them
and all were done beautifully. I will continue using them.
 
F

Fred Bloggs

Jan 1, 1970
0
Optimus said:
I will continue using them.

Sure you will, non-optimus. Maybe if you numerically characterize
"beautifully," someone of higher intelligence than a dog will listen to you.
 
O

Optimus Maximus

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sure you will, non-optimus. Maybe if you numerically characterize
"beautifully," someone of higher intelligence than a dog will listen to you.

GERBER 274X is all i've had done with them, about 2 orders per month since 1998.
Have used their production and prototype service at www.4pcb.com as well as the
barebones service at www.barebonespcb.com

no problems at all. now expresspcb.com with their proprietary software that's
another story.
 
A

Activ8

Jan 1, 1970
0
GERBER 274X is all i've had done with them, about 2 orders per month since 1998.
Have used their production and prototype service at www.4pcb.com as well as the
barebones service at www.barebonespcb.com

no problems at all. now expresspcb.com with their proprietary software that's
another story.

Are you referring to the way they send out the jobs to contractors
who use express' software to panelize the jobs or did they start
something new?
 
A

Aaron Pasteris

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have been trying for the last three weeks to submit a job with these
idiots. First, because the job doesn't use extended Gerber, they want
me to send them a list of the aperatures, which is totally reasonable.
And I did. Then they e-mail me; no, I have to resubmit the whole job.
Well, why didn't they say that in the first place. After stewing a bit
I do exactly that, with the aperature list. Then I get an email saying
that the aperature list wasn't included in the zip file, which it most
certainly was. I finally figured out that they don't look at the zip
file at all, but a filtered list. The filtered list allows for a
maximum of 3 document files, which they chose from the zip file-the
aperature list file wasn't one of the ones they deemed important. OK,
I resubmit the job a third time, eliminating all document files except
for the aperature list. This works, finally! They send me an email
with a link to the results and a link to a quote. The results link
works, the quote link doesn't. I try for a couple of days for the
quote link to work, but it doesn't so I call them. I tell this gal to
just email me the quote. She says they are moving servers and it will
be working that afternoon. That was 4 days ago. A couple of emails to
them are ignored.

I am completely fed up with Unadvanced Circuits!

Tom

PS There have got to be other pcb houses with their respective acts
together!

I used them several times in the past. After having several problems
(including unresovled double charges), I moved on to Sierra Proto
Express, Accutrace and/or Fineline Circuits.

The last straw was with a board for one of my co-workers. The 6-layer
board he sent in came back with labeled defects. He paid for six
protos and only one was usable. Advanced simply said to read the fine
print about the proto's because they allow for a certain number of
defects even when you pay for testing.

Pay a little more and actually get a working board.

Aaron
 
P

Paul Burke

Jan 1, 1970
0
Leon said:
I use PCB-Pool a lot for prototypes:

http://www.pcbpool.com/ppuk/info.html

and have had very few problems. On the rare occasions when they have made a
mistake they got replacement boards to me very quickly, with a few extra
free of charge, or they haven't charged for the job.

They are also very good at spotting potential probems and fixing them
without resubmission if you want.

Paul Burke
 
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