OT: PCB Assembly service in europe

[Sylvain Munaut]

Hello,

I'm looking for a PCB assembly service in europe (and pcb fab if possible,
if not I can have the pcb made elsewhere). I don't have a complete BOM yet
but I already know that my board will be max 1 dm square, 6 layers.
The most complex component is a 256 pins BGA with 1mmpitch and TSOP 66 DDR
chips. I'd say max 1000 smd pads.

I need a series of about 15 PCBs but if only the SMDs are soldered it's fine,
I can do the rest (thru all, big connectors, ...) by hand.

Any one know where I can have this done and for about which price ?


Thanks,

Sylvain

 

[Leon Heller]

Hello,

I'm looking for a PCB assembly service in europe (and pcb fab if possible,
if not I can have the pcb made elsewhere). I don't have a complete BOM yet
but I already know that my board will be max 1 dm square, 6 layers.
The most complex component is a 256 pins BGA with 1mmpitch and TSOP 66 DDR
chips. I'd say max 1000 smd pads.

I need a series of about 15 PCBs but if only the SMDs are soldered it's
fine,
I can do the rest (thru all, big connectors, ...) by hand.

Any one know where I can have this done and for about which price ?

These people (UK) are very good for SMD assembly:

http://www.active-pcb.com/

You really need to discuss the board with your assembler before finalising
the layout - things like fiducials need to be acceptable to them.

They can just mount the 'dificult' chips for you, it won't be all that
expensive.

Leon

 

[Joerg]

Hello Sylvain,

For just 15 boards it can sometimes be less expensive to hire a temp from a local labor pool company. But it should be a technician who is experienced in fine pitch prototype build-up.

If you are still at Louvain University there may even be an institute that has technicians and could do it for a cross charge fee (or for the promise to throw a nice party...).

Regards, Joerg

 

[Sylvain Munaut]

Hi Joerg !

For just 15 boards it can sometimes be less expensive to hire a temp
from a local labor pool company. But it should be a technician who is
experienced in fine pitch prototype build-up.

Soldering BGA's by hand ?

If you are still at Louvain University there may even be an institute
that has technicians and could do it for a cross charge fee (or for the
promise to throw a nice party...).

I'm still around but from what I've seen they hire sub-contractors for
such jobs. They're "in-house" capability for producing/assembling PCBs
is quite limited (or they're hiding it well .

As for throwing a nice party, a few bottles of "Chimay bleue" certainly
make wonders around the ELEC departement


A+,

Sylvain

 

[Sylvain Munaut]

Hi Leon,

These people (UK) are very good for SMD assembly:

http://www.active-pcb.com/

Thanks, they already were on my list of "to-ask"

You really need to discuss the board with your assembler before finalising
the layout - things like fiducials need to be acceptable to them.

Could you tell me what "fiducials" are ? Google translate isn't of much
help ...

They can just mount the 'dificult' chips for you, it won't be all that
expensive.

Yes that would be nice. I can mount the few thru-all or quite large
pitch SMD myself. But BGA, finepitch and 0402 caps are trickier

Any vague idea on the price range ?
I had a quick quote from a local company that was about 350$
per board which is quite high in my opinion ... (or am i mistaken ?)



Sylvain

 

[Rich Grise]

Hi Leon, ....

Could you tell me what "fiducials" are ? Google translate isn't of much
help ...

Target points.
Also known as "alignment points".
Also known as "register marks".
May have other aliases. ;-)
-------------
Fiducial \Fi*du"cial\, a. [L. fiducia trust, confidence; akin to
fides faith. See Faith.]
1. Having faith or trust; confident; undoubting; firm.
``Fiducial reliance on the promises of God.'' --Hammond.

2. Having the nature of a trust; fiduciary; as, fiducial
power. --Spelman.

Fiducial edge (Astron. & Surv.), the straight edge of the
alidade or ruler along which a straight line is to be
drawn.

Fiducial line or point (Math. & Physics.), a line or
point of reference, as for setting a graduated circle or
scale used for measurments.
------------
fiducial
adj 1: relating to or of the nature of a legal trust (i.e. the
holding of something in trust for another); "a
fiduciary contract"; "in a fiduciary capacity";
"fiducial power" [syn: fiduciary]
2: used as a fixed standard of reference for comparison or
measurement; "a fiducial point"
3: based on trust

 

[Rich Grise]

Hi Joerg !



Soldering BGA's by hand ?

Well, you use your hands to lay the stencil on the board, and put the
assembly into the toaster oven... ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Alan Turner]

Hi,

Hello,

I'm looking for a PCB assembly service in europe (and pcb fab if possible,
if not I can have the pcb made elsewhere). I don't have a complete BOM yet

You might consider Olimex http://www.olimex.com.

I've used these folks for PCB manufacture only, but their service was
excellent. Be sure to use courier shipping - my order stayed in the post a
lot longer than I would have liked!

Regards,
Alan

 

[Fred Bartoli]

Target points.
Also known as "alignment points".
Also known as "register marks".
May have other aliases. ;-)
-------------

Sylvain,

Just add to what Rich said, a fiducial translates to "une mire" in french.

 

[Joerg]

Hello Sylvain,

Soldering BGA's by hand ?

Not with a solder iron, of course. But we did quite a few in the lab.
Some technicians become very proficient with the heat gun or with ovens.

It's just that it will be tough to convince a regular fab to do a run
with a mere 15 units.

I'm still around but from what I've seen they hire sub-contractors for
such jobs. They're "in-house" capability for producing/assembling PCBs
is quite limited (or they're hiding it well .

I'd ask around to find out which subs can do these job. But for tough
jobs such as BGA you'd almost have to talk with someone at another
institute about their results and not just rely on the usual "preferred
partner" listing.

As for throwing a nice party, a few bottles of "Chimay bleue" certainly
make wonders around the ELEC departement

For Valentine's day my wife and I treated ourselves to a nice bottle of
"Diabolique". I think it was more than eight "volts" and the usual smoke
came out after popping the cork.

Regards, Joerg

 

[Keith Williams]

Hello Sylvain,



Not with a solder iron, of course. But we did quite a few in the lab.
Some technicians become very proficient with the heat gun or with ovens.

It's just that it will be tough to convince a regular fab to do a run
with a mere 15 units.

Not really. I've had a "regular fab" build as few as three stuffed
boards at a time. "Regular fabs" like money too. ;-) ...and it
really wasn't all *that* expensive, as far as prototypes go.

 

[Anders F]

Hi,



You might consider Olimex http://www.olimex.com.

I've used these folks for PCB manufacture only, but their service was
excellent.

I agree. Good service from Tsvetan - always!
But they still only manufactur dual layer boards in 8/8 - so I seriously
doubt they'll do BGA work...

Be sure to use courier shipping - my order stayed in the post a
lot longer than I would have liked!

I'd say the same with a "not". Ordinary post always go straight through
customs here (especially when you point it out - the last few I had were
with "free sample" (or something) labels. Then I just add the VAT (wonder if
one would bother trying to file that as a private... ;-) in the books.
I've used curier sevice once (because I needed the boards FAST)... Never
again!!! Customs and curier service did their best to keep them from me. I
could have driven to Bulgaria and back faster by my self!

Cheers,
A (Denmark)

 

[Sylvain Munaut]

Sylvain,

Just add to what Rich said, a fiducial translates to "une mire" in french.

Thanks to both of you for the translation.


Sylvain