Impact of Tariffs on PCB Fab

[For The Popcorn]

I finally threw in the towel for the strange (to me) optical encoder circuit on the vending machines and laid out a more conventional circuit. Since these machines are 25+ years old, the LEDs in the photo interupters may be getting pretty dim too – they're on when the .machine is powered up, so they have a lot of hours.

The schematic shows a pretty standard arrangement for an optical encoder. A buck converter module drops in 24 volt supply voltage to 5 volts. A Schmidt trigger conditions to signal to a PIC18F timer input. I've added an n-channel MOSFET so the LED can be powered only when needed; the gate is pulled high so this feature can be ignored if desired.

The PCB is mounted with screws through the encoder ears. The encoder fits in the exact space of the original. I've used a 5mm removable terminal block for connections, but I'll probably just solder a short pigtail to a Molex plug to mate with the existing cable.

I've ordered the boards from Elecrow. They do not charge extra for v-scoring. In a less than 100mm × 100mm panel, I can get 6 boards

Cost to build 5 panels of 6 boards (30 total): $1

DHL shipping: ~ $25 (seems like it's increased by ~ 30%)

Tariffs: ~ $25

Total charge: just over $51.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Tell us the funny part!!

If Donny wants you to make in the good ol' USA.!! How much?

 

[For The Popcorn]

Tell us the funny part!!

I wish there was a funny part. With Congress passing his budget today, millions of people will lose their health-care, many rural hospitals will close, food assistance programs, including school lunch programs will end (Meals On Wheels for the elderly have already been cut, even though the cost was less than trump's golf trips). Very small tax cuts for the middle class will end in a few years while massive tax cuts for the uber-wealthy have been made permanent.

I could go on, but I know I'll be banned if I do.

The one absolute true of trump and all of his actions is that cruelty and fear is the goal. Those people cheering this budget bill are the lowest scrum of the earth.

 

[jpanhalt]

I wish there was a funny part. With Congress passing his budget today, millions of people will lose their health-care, many rural hospitals will close, food assistance programs, including school lunch programs will end (Meals On Wheels for the elderly have already been cut, even though the cost was less than trump's golf trips). Very small tax cuts for the middle class will end in a few years while massive tax cuts for the uber-wealthy have been made permanent.

I could go on, but I know I'll be banned if I do.

The one absolute true of trump and all of his actions is that cruelty and fear is the goal. Those people cheering this budget bill are the lowest scrum of the earth.

Great laugh and best Independence day in the past 4 years. Thank you for echoing Hakeem Jeffries.

Has ETO been bought by Facebook?

 

[For The Popcorn]

You're on the wrong side of history jpanhalt .

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

I just recieved my order from PCBway to Canada, 2 bucks for 5 boards 8. for Global Shipping, no tarrifs.
2 weeks delivery!

 

[For The Popcorn]

Could Canada adopt Washington, Oregon and California please?

I backed the mini desktop Cubiko CNC machine from Genmitso several months back and they have finally started to ship. I was dreading the tariff but they are being delivered in the US without additional charge. Looks like, with my backer number in the 2000 range, it's going to be mid August before I get mine

I am relieved about the tariffs, especially when that amount could have been more than I paid for it.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Tell us the funny part!!

If Donny wants you to make in the good ol' USA.!! How much?

Weeeell...If one plans to use ExpressPCB, based in Oregon AFAIK, which I used for many, many years until I discovered Chinese vendors.

As an exercise, a few minutes ago I re-quoted a board that I had done many years ago. Nothing fancy 2-sided, 1-Oz copper, 67 X 95 mm, HASL, Silkscreen only on top, No routing or scoring of any kind nor any special features. Two day production service for 6 boards, ground delivery within the continental US.
Check the image below, and weep like small child. Yes. US$223.30

 

[ronsimpson]

Cost to build 5 panels of 6 boards (30 total): $1

DHL shipping: ~ $25 (seems like it's increased by ~ 30%)

Tariffs: ~ $25

God only knows what happened. The Tariffs should have been only on the PCB not on the shipping. It is clear the 100% tariff was on everything.
I have been shipping out with an invoice for just the product (hardware). Then a separate invoice for the labor and shipping. Customs does not see the second invoice. Last year I would list everything and the 10% tariff was applied only to certain line items, not labor or shipping. This year customs seems not to know what to do. They tell us all the supervisors are fired, the book they use is badly out of data and no new data comes from above. They look on "X" to know what Trump said yesterday. What an insane way to run a country.

You might try, get a DHL account and pay for the shipping through that. The invoice might have zero shipping that way.

 

[For The Popcorn]

A while back, so not current pricing, I compared the cost per board between Chinese fabs and Advanced Circuits in the US. To match the Chinese price for TEN boards, as I recall the quantity of boards to make the PER BOARD price equal to the Chinese TEN BOARD price was over 750 boards.

The Chinese tariffs are doing great harm to US makers. Obviously in electronics, for circuit boards, components and all the fantastic modules/breakout boards but also in 3D printing for filament and printers, CNC machines, hardware, etc.

 

[For The Popcorn]

You might try, get a DHL account and pay for the shipping through that.

That's a good idea. We had talked about investigating that but it fell through the cracks.

I suspect a lot of the (apparent) DHL increase is for brokerage fees resulting from the increased hassle of dealing with the current situation.

 

[For The Popcorn]

Has anybody in the US ordered from AliExpress recently? I miss ordering cheap modules and stuff from the cheap section.

Also Temu. Any recent purchases?

 

[jpanhalt]

None of you would pass muster to be Treasury Secretary of the USA. Here's what he says:

He really means unparalleled prosperity. That's a Fox News error.

 

[For The Popcorn]

He really means unparalleled prosperity. That's a Fox News error.

Why do you asshats have to explain that what the trump administration in its entirety didn't mean what they actually said?

 

[jpanhalt]

Why do you asshats have to explain that what the trump administration in its entirety didn't mean what they actually said?

Is that the best you can do? Even Maxine Waters can do better. Pitiful.

 

[ahsrabrifat]

Panelizing with Elecrow is economical. when you can get six boards within a 100mm × 100mm panel for such a low cost, this is the best way. While the tariffs and shipping have increased lately, getting 30 boards built and shipped for around $50 is still quite reasonable.
For others interested in taking on a similar project or understanding what goes into producing custom PCBs like this, here’s a helpful guide that breaks down the entire PCB fabrication process from design to delivery:
A Detailed Guide on PCB Fabrication Process
Hope your new boards work smoothly in the field!

 

[shokjok]

Like MaxHeadRoom78, I too am from Canada. I can get my PCB designs done locally, with NO tariffs. The merchant paid the tariffs on their stock. My own attempt at PCB fab resulted in one historic board that still works: a bike trailer tail light interface using analog components, no software or ICs, and locally-sourced replaceable/ upgradeable parts.

 

[For The Popcorn]

I can get my PCB designs done locally, with NO tariffs.

And how much did you pay to do so?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Like MaxHeadRoom78, I too am from Canada. I can get my PCB designs done locally, with NO tariffs.

Presumably you can also get them made in China with no tariffs either?, and much cheaper and much faster. If you're having boards made in Canada, how much do they cost?, and how long do they take?.

When I first started getting involved in PCB's (when I started my new job) I asked my boss where he had the previous ones made, and he gave me an email address in the UK to sent the gerber file to, for a quote - which I did Monday morning. I also mentioned to him I'd just seen (that weekend) an advert for low cost PCB's from JLCPCB, so he said to try some from them.

The UK company didn't even give me a quote until Wednesday, by that time JLCPCB had manufactured the boards and dispatched them, all MUCH cheaper than the UK quote, and with a much shorter lead time. The boards from China arrived Friday, and we've dealt with JLCPCB ever since.

The merchant paid the tariffs on their stock.

?? - why?, as you're in Canada what have tariffs got to do with anything?.

 

[shokjok]

And how much did you pay to do so?

I was quoted prices for one and ten boards for my project then. That biz closed in 2020.