Online PCB manufacturing

[Jon Slaughter]

So I have a pcb I need etched that has many vias. It's a pretty simple 3
layer(or potentially 2).

I've seen some cheap chinese sites but of course

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Specs.htm

Seems the most professional(by the looks of there web site anyways)... they
also seem pretty expensive for simple stuff.

Something like

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/

Seems a bit scary but is definitely one of the cheapest I've seen.

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

 

[David L. Jones]

So I have a pcb I need etched that has many vias. It's a pretty simple 3
layer(or potentially 2).

I've seen some cheap chinese sites but of course

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Specs.htm

Seems the most professional(by the looks of there web site anyways)... they
also seem pretty expensive for simple stuff.

Something like

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/

Seems a bit scary but is definitely one of the cheapest I've seen.

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

I've been using www.pcbcart.com for quite some time now.
Good quality, *excellent* service, and plenty of online quote options.
I think the prices are quite reasonable, and the shopping cart gives
you a nice QTY price breakdown.

Dave.

 

[[email protected]]

So I have a pcb I need etched that has many vias. It's a pretty simple 3
layer(or potentially 2).

I've seen some cheap chinese sites but of course

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Specs.htm

Seems the most professional(by the looks of there web site anyways)... they
also seem pretty expensive for simple stuff.

Something like

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/

Seems a bit scary but is definitely one of the cheapest I've seen.

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

Where are you located?

 

[Charlie E.]

.
.
The college has been using pcbcart for some time now and we find them to be
very competitive in price, absolutely EXCELLENT quality, very professional
service, and quick delivery.

Jim

I recently got some boards from Advanced Circuits, and I was happy
with their service. They have a nice first time buyer special...

Charlie

 

[Ben Jackson]

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

You have to shop your individual design around to see what's cost effective
for low volume stuff. If you want a dozen copies of a small PCB you'll find
it hard to beat BatchPCB (they use goldphoenix). If your PCB gets bigger
you'll find their per-sq-in prices are way too high and you'll want to move
to places with stock prototype sizes (about the size of your hand). If you
go bigger than that you'll want yet a third group. If you need an unusual
cutout the balance will shift again...

Personally I've used:

BatchPCB for small stuff (can't beat their sq in pricing for small boards).
The quality is very good.

CustomPCB (Malaysia) for their 4x5.5" service, 2-sided with mask. The
quality was marginal (plated fiberglass shavings in the holes, 6+mil offset
on the holes, iffy etching). The service was good.

Sierra Proto Express for reasonable prices on small quantities of 4-layer
boards. Excellent quality.

 

[qrk]

So I have a pcb I need etched that has many vias. It's a pretty simple 3
layer(or potentially 2).

I've seen some cheap chinese sites but of course

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Specs.htm

Seems the most professional(by the looks of there web site anyways)... they
also seem pretty expensive for simple stuff.

Something like

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/

Seems a bit scary but is definitely one of the cheapest I've seen.

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

For prototypes I've been using pcbexpress
http://www.sunstone.com/

Most board houses will want you to use an even number of layers unless
you want to pay a premium.

 

[JosephKK]

Their $33/ea 2-layer and $66/ea 4-layer PCB prices -- with no minimum for
students -- is great.

They used to let commercial entities order minimum of 3 at the $33 or $66
price, although they upped it to 4 not too long ago. Still, quite inexpensive
if you're running a business and would otherwise be paying techs to manually
solder up a test board.

That price is for bare boards with plated vias. Solder mask may not
be included.

 

[DJ Delorie]

That price is for bare boards with plated vias. Solder mask may not
be included.

That price includes mask and silk, both sides. You're confusing it
with their "bare bones special" which does not.

 

[JosephKK]

No, $33/ea is for a two-sided board, both sides soldermasked and silkscreened,
trace/spacing down to 6mils, holes down to 15mils, up to 60 sq. in.:
http://www.4pcb.com/index.php?load=content&page_id=130

They do get you on shipping -- it's ~$20-$25 for FedEx/UPS 2-day, which is
definitely a little "opportunistic" for what's normally a rather small
package.

---Joel

Prices and niceness are far better than the last time i had to go to
an outside board house. About 12 years ago board prices killed the
project, about 25 years ago the same price for a smaller size limit
forced us to use "in-house" services which where slower and not as
good.

 

[Leon]

So I have a pcb I need etched that has many vias. It's a pretty simple 3
layer(or potentially 2).

I've seen some cheap chinese sites but of course

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Specs.htm

Seems the most professional(by the looks of there web site anyways)... they
also seem pretty expensive for simple stuff.

Something like

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/

Seems a bit scary but is definitely one of the cheapest I've seen.

Has anyone had any success lately with good quality but decent prices?

I use PCB Train for very quick double-sided prototypes - £30 for 24
hour turnround:

http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/

Leon

 

[krystal1]

Have a look on rctec.co.uk for double-sided prototypes