Small volume PCB manufacture

[S2central.net]

Can anyone in the electronics trade help me with an idea please ?

All the vendors and manufacturers I work with are for big bulk orders but I need some small quantity of PCBs made up - a real simple thing I want to make available...

I need some contacts or suggestions for companies that can make a small single-layer PCB (approx 20mm x 50mm) with some solder pads and/or through-hole connections.

What sort of money for runs of 10 units ?

What format would the drawings need to be in for such small / model quantities ?


Cheers,

Paul

[Flat on my back]

.

Need a little more info.

PM me wot you got...there's a local place near me...well 100 yards.

[Smiley]

Shure you use your S2 to get there

[SteveH]

Couldn't you have a go at making them yourself? It's not too difficult and you can get the stuff off the web.

http://www.semis.demon.co.uk/PCB/PCB.html

or call someone like this lot - http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/onestepquote.php

[ericd]

interesting Paul, if it had been 20 layer could've probably helped you, what about coming up with a few more "tweaks" and we could get our own ASIC made, could stick the s2 logo in the die somewhere just to fill it out a bit

[add]

i'm not in the trade but my stepdad uses these guys for all his projects,if it's any help

http://www.daletech.co.uk/main.htm

[Nuvo]

Newbury Electronics (PCB Train) are good for low volume PCB manufacture. I've used them before with good results. Send them your Gerber and drill files in a zip file.

You can get an online quote via there website, just quote the dimensions, quantity, number of layers and delivery schedule. For a 5 day turn around you are looking at £8 per board.

[borderS2]

Thistle work

The sign company I work for used

http://www.thistleelectronics.co.uk/

to design and manufacture our talking sign module. I think we have had less than ten of them, so short runs possible. Friendly small busines in Kelso.
D

[S2central.net]

Thanks for the suggestions so far folks... I'll chase these all up... Its been a LONG time since I did some homegrown PCBs as a spotty student... Life is too short to go there again.

Just need to get my head around WTF is a gerber file and such. As to ASICs and stuff - LOL - thats a bit overkill for this wee project, but maybe for something else in the future !


Paul

[Flat on my back]

.

I take it you dont have a pcb making program...that's what will generate all the gerber files eg track position, holes, pads and other stuff.

If it's that simple an autocad dwg can suffice to give all the critical data.

[S2central.net]

Correct Carlos - I don't have any such software - looking at 'Eagle' currently... I might have to eat my words and just draw up this thing in Visio or Powerpoint then print to that funky peel stuff onto copper boards with a chemical mix to etch the boards then just drill them by hand... maybe max quantity of 20 units - hard to justify lots of expense.....

Unless its so simple I can do it with stripboard. Worth a look !

[Flat on my back]

Arhhhhhh...

Reminds me of my prototyping days...ok for that but does look cheap.

Do the first few then test the water with a proper lay up, chuck me what you have and i'll speak wiv the man next door.

Did my turntable speed controller with the stick on pads and tape, turned out pretty good and still works today...look up AR EB101.

Wish i'd bought a Voyd...

[curlyks2]

I'm in a position to need a prototype PCB (and then if it works, a couple more) making. Were any of the suggested companies tried? Verdict? I also found on t'interweb this company http://www.expresspcb.com/ and wondered whether anyone has used them before?

Ck.

[robert_n]

Possibly try local universities with electronics departments.

My university certainly made PCBs and was happy to do work for external clients (not sure if they would be a cheap option though)

[S2central.net]

Digging up an old thread here to revitalise a wee project idea. That expresspcb outfit looks good - pity they are stateside, but I like their approach. Wondering if the free software can export files in a format that I can use elsewhere as their minimum price is rather expensive for my needs with a very small, single layer PCB. Guess I'll give it a whirl.