Cheap prototype PCB boards?

Hi.
I have bought 2 layer PCB boards for my designs from
www.h-instruments.ecrater.com, price starts at 29.95$ for 5 pcs with shipping. The quality is fine, but I was wondering if you know of a even cheaper producer? I have few projects running.

Hi John,

Take a look at this post. Gary had some interesting comments about a cheap board house in China.

http://www.eeweb.com/electronics-forum/chinese-pcb-fabricators

The pcbcore link doesn't seem to work anymore...

I've just ordered another board from pcbgeek.com. I've used them several times before with good results; $90 for as many (identical) boards that fit in 200 sq. in.; max individual board size 7"x7".

The board I just ordered is 3"x5", so it should yield 12 or 13 boards.

I'll report how that comes out; should be back in less than two weeks.

Gary

I am from India, I do make PCB for Prototyping. small quantity, low cost, good quality, Single and Double Layer only.(with Silk, Solder Mask, FR-4 PCB)

Interesting. What is your price for
2 layer board, solder mask on top and bottom, silk text on top. Size 50x50mm 5 pcs with shipping to Europe?

it would cost around $55 with shipping
will ship in 10days.

Thanks Sudhir
So maybe H-Instruments.ecrater.com is the cheapest supplier of PCBs I can get, 29.95$ instead of 55$ it is almost 1/2 price. Process time is 5-10 days and shipping takes 6-15 days.

Yes, interesting.. they are cheaper then here..

John,
I've struggled long and hard with the question "Where can I order ONE PCB without paying for ten?" and I really did not get an answer despite living in India where PCBs are cheap (but there's no one to handle 1-off orders at reasonable prices). It got in the way of my relationships with my own customers (I design audio crossovers) when they wanted 2 boards for a crossover proto.
As a service primarily for the DIY community, I have (yesterday!) launched a PCB batching service that I believe answers this question head-on.
Details on my website www.audesine.com.
-Ram

@ram_kumar and Sudhir MT,
do you know of any manufacturers whom I can use for producing prototype quantites(2-5 nos.) of a 2 layer,8mil SMD board(0805 passives and a 48pin SSOP which has a 25mil pin pitch)

Its kinda urgent,since its for a student project I need to submit soon.

I have had great experience with Advanced Circuits (Colorado, USA) www.4pcb.com

If you choose their "$33 each" special, you get 4(+1) PCBS for $135, which comes out to about $27 a piece.

You could try making them yourself. It does take some skill and although you can do two layer, you won't get plated through holes. A laser printer and cheap glossy catalog paper and an iron, or modify an inkjet printer that uses pigmented ink and bake the ink.

I've used http://www.bittele.com a lot, they usually do pretty well, cheap for proto boards.
http://www.4pcb.com has a $500 discount on first time customers. it looks worth a try

Hi Guys:

We are a pcb fabricator and are willing to offer prototyping service with very competitive price. Here's our company info with UL, File Number: ZPMV2.E253641

www.zaponpcb.us.

serious inquiries only

judy

The heaviest cost is the making of the positive or the negative, from the layout. If you can make this yourself, then the pcb manufacturer will charge only for the PCB itself. I use a lazer printer, the manufacturer needs a negative (Tracks are clear) and then they make and drill the board and charge by square area. Why it is cheaper for 5 or 10 boards is because the artwork is split over the amount of boards made. It is a bit difficult to get a blacker than black print on a transparency, sometimes I print two and stick them together.
Trevor

Hi John, so which one do you suggest? 4pcb or bittele? Can bittele do PCB fab/ assembly locally(NA)?

Hi.
I would say, look at the offers from http://h-instruments.ecrater.com/c/1403757/2-layer-custom-made-pcb-prototype, if you can use airmail shipping it is cheap and good quality, I have used them and I am very happy with their work.
I am finishing a pcb board (

Hi John Mar,

Thanks for the info. I will definitely keep that in mind.

@ John Rosenbaum : How has your experience with Bittele been as you mentioned you had been using them for long time? Have you tried 4pcb? Are you able to compare between those two? Are you able to compare each with John Mar's h-instruments...?

John, Have you ever considered going in-house? The cost of making boards in-house is next to nothing when compared with outsourcing. You said you are running few projects, I'm not sure how much that is, but you'd be surprised at all the benefits of in-house prototyping that go beyond saving money. Speed, security, and production quality prototyping makes it a superior solution for many, assuming it works financially for you.

Here is some general info about our S-series, http://www.lpkfusa.com/pcb/

And if you are looking for a more cost-effective option with few projects, check out the E33 http://www.lpkfusa.com/protomat/e33.htm

Yes i have bought a 2 layer PCB board and it is cheaper than yours and good in quality.I have bought it online.

Hi Shane
This in house can be fine, I have used such service few times. But for small series for product you are selling (I do lot of custom electronics) I is much higher quality and look using profesinal boards with soldermask and silkscreen.

Regards
John

Sorry guys. I forgot to share the link here. This is the place where i bought PCB at low cost.

--------------------------------------
"pcb prototype("")":http://www.ccsintlcircuits.com

There is a link on my home site as well www.harrington.force9.co.uk Try them too see how you get on I havent used this company as yet but then I make mine by hand What you possibly term as prototyping

Here is the address for you

http://www.bittele.com

or you can try

www.crownhill.co.uk

They offer a prototyping service

Or you can do what I do if its for crossovers make them yourself

using press and peel a design package and touch up pen with good old fashioned techniques

Just finished prototype tonight early hours this morning to get a circuit going for some on this site Still have drill assemble etc but see attached for finished result

Can be done by hand difficult time consuming but just as proffesional

Attached photos of pcb

Try again something not working here

You can get even cheaper PCB boards online. I have already bought them. You have a look to this.
_________________

Nice but it would be also equally nice to see encouragement for people to learn these skills themselves otherwise no one learns these skills Jobs are in short supply learning these skills can make the difference between being employed ad earning some money or being unemployed and earning no money with a very bleak future So cheap yes all good and well but sometimes investment is a very strong key to overcoming training difficulties and taking on new skills later to adopt your suggestions but in the meantime to get cash flow going even if its not a lot of money

That’s my thinking I like to encourage people to learn new skills regardless of time and cost

Money isn’t everything sometimes you have to look further than what is in front of you to see through the challenge to the other side of the mirror Projectiing an image which is unreachable because of cash flow possibly with bulk quantities through practical means

It also teaches you self reliance patience and teaches the most important skill of all through making your own I can see what your think, What’s that you ask “How to recognize bad design within a few seconds the difference between a good import if your not manufacturing yourself and a bad one which is going to cost you lost of money in the long run That type of skill is now constantly in demand

Any one can sit back and get someone else to make them for them Not everyone can recognize a bad maker So its sounds good cost effective, I’m sure it is but what does that teach you Answer nothing You personally still do not know how to design and make a printed circuits board or have learnt to recognize a bad design or a badly made PCB this is where experience always wins

To add to this I would estimate 70% of business difficulties when it comes to products being imported made for them are because answer They directors , staff , management , have never done this themselves hence they import , sell , and then this results in enormous quick returns Looks good on paper until six months later then its business crashes , MNFR closes and says thanks very much nice doing business with you but you should have known what you were talking about before you bought or ordered from us

See that’s why i do things possibly completely differently to lots of other people

Why because I watch them do this time and time again

The results catastrophic the ones who suffer always those who never listen and always at the end its to poor sodding customer the people that lose their jobs and the number business that close at the end of this

I don’t say things or do things for no reason at all I do this because I know exactly what they will do and get up too A quick buck, lots of risk ,hard sell and pull the carpet right under your feet

The story of great Britain all over Every time they do this They cost this country a fortune and us and leave people in absolute poverty Yes correct I cant stand some of them hot potatoes in their mouth never done a days hard work and little lord Fauntleroy’s Apologies if I sound blunt but after 40 years of redundancy etc , constant rows I ve learnt t look so hard now I can spot some of this a mile away

I cant even count how many bussiness Ive seen and watched go under like this And they will do it given the opportunity

It what we term UB 40 in this country favorite track promises and lies So true this witha set of politicians who really couldnt care less
And finally just to put the Nina cherry on the cake you work your cods wallops off for some of them get them out of trouble Then they think they’ve made it in life don’t have to listen to anyone at all even the staff that have put them there and made fortunes for the bastards excuse my French and then what do they do they annoy the very ones that spend small fortunes with them or do god knows how much work for them to keep their business afloat What we call running around with the eternal roll of toilet paper and then yes they automatically become smarter than everyone else and they get rid of you anyway and lose the business as well and Yes correct stuff up everyone’s chances of earning a living as well Yes we are not happy bunnies at the moment at all with quite a few of them inclusive some of the non co operative attitudes and international trade disputes YES not good

I know that in China where there is cheap pcb prototype. They are specialized in manufacturing pcb prototype sample, rigid-flex-pcb。10 * 10MM or less in size. As long as $ 10 a plate. Comprehensive test circuit. Fastest delivery can be 3 days. Average delivery time is 5 days. And there are strict quality certification, and UL。I know one of their e-mail marketing。anna@rigid-flex-pcb.com。Their website http://rigid-flex-pcb.com/