PCB Prototype Service?

[Oznog]

I'm looking for a decent, quick PCB prototype service. So far Olimex has the best cost ($26 for 6.3"x3.9", plus surcharges for nonstandard features), but shipping from Bulgaria is either slow or expensive. Pick which one.

One newcomer company just made me an offer of USD$65 for soldermasked/silkscreened 2 layer panel up to 10" x 14.5", and can get it delivered in under 2 wks, shipping included.

But the pain is that they've got a rule against "multiple boards" on the panel. Repeating the same design any number of times appears OK but they're apparently manually inspecting the design submission to keep me from putting multiple versions of a board and/or different boards on one panel.

I would think if I've bought the panel, I should be able to do what I want unless it's going to incur extra processing resources. They're billing it as prototype service, but I hardly need to waste a whole panel with 12+ identical copies of a single prototype design which I don't know for sure will even work when I've got 4 small prototype designs I need to run through today.

Does anyone know why a mfg would do this? This guy's english isn't so great and he doesn't even halfway answer my questions. Is there a good mfg with a competative cost that doesn't pull this crap?

 

[donniedj]

Good question!

This rule of mono patterned panels is unfortunately quit common. The newcomer company is not pulling any crap. for they are just going with the flow. There are manufacturers in the field who will oblige your request, but then you will need to way the options about surface area, vias, layers, mask or not to mask, silkscreening, price, and time all over again. Sorry, I can not provide you with an all around source at the moment.

Possibilities are
*Design Rule Checking
*Netlist Test
*Batch processing with othe orders

I am more sorry that the little people have to juggle while going through hoops and ladders for a couple of protos. Even some "No Touch" services, no design rules or checks, are not allowed muliple patterns.

 

[kybert]

what about if you linked all the masks together with say 10 tracks and told the supplier that it was a cascaded circuit and required several stages.


This surly they couldnt argue with!


When the board is delivered, cut the 10 tracks.

 

[Oznog]

Why would a mfg setting themselves up as a "discount prototype" mfg do this?? I still don't get it. They'll fill the 150 sq in with 10 copies of a 15 sq in, or a single 150 sq in board. I can barely understand why a mainstream mfg would do this unless they do design verification for you. A discount mfg tends to be heavy on WYSIWYG and keeping the pricing as a flat margin above mfg cost, rather than adding in unjustifiable "equity" charges.

I thought about trying to disguise it as a single design, but he already saw the board.