PCB fabrication sites

There are lots of members here that never had a problem with Itead. But, OSH Park is still the best with quality to price ratio.

yeah.. I 'used' to be one of them..

but the previous order had some minor problems..

and now my current order does... so I am posting to inform others.

OSH quality might be 'better'.. but not their pricing.. FAR from it in fact..

lets take a 1 x 2 inch board (even though itead lets you go up to 5cm x 5cm, which is roughly 2x2 inches..so they even allow bigger PCBs for less cost)

12pc x PCB, iTead = $10.00

12pc x PCB, OSH = $40.00

4 x the price.. and shipping isnt even factored in yet.

I dont find that pricing attractive/appealing at all....

I dont know what happened to them (iTead).. all previous orders outside the last two have been fine

I on the other hand have not had the same issues at all with itead. My last shipment of 50 boards arrived with nothing but automated messages, with the first received during their recent break giving the order # - then notification of factory acceptance of the files - and a third with tracking #.
Itead can do custom shapes also, they made board that designed with one radius at the top, another at the bottom, notches to go around posts in two different places, and a couple of screw holes for mounting. Whole thing looked like a slice of frisbee with holes punched in it to fit inside a motor drive case.

one of the pcbs Im 'waiting on/having trouble' with a custom shaped one..

My other orders have been as you outlined..

(last one got emails..etc.. but there was shipping problem)

chalked it up to 'fluke'.. every thing else had been identical to previous orders/times..

this time though.. no order accepted email, no fab email.., no done/shipping..nothing..

however the 'staff' had verified, asked for PayPal trans..etc.... just never sent me tracking number...

I decicded to look at my order history on the site... (nothing there either)

check paypal.. money was sent/accepted... emailed some more..

then came the odd answers/excuse (lost order, was fab'd but they lost it, looking for it, moved offices, PayPal problems..etc)...then silence..lol..

I mean if it got lost.. (fine, whatever).. say that...

but each staff member had conflicting emails/answers.. all claiming it had shipped or was shipping tomorrow! hahaha..

but still no tracking number, nothing. :frowning:

if its lost, tell me so I can order elsewhere..

Im not sure what to say at this point.

Well, yea, if you need more than 3 of a design. But most of my boards are one-off. So having 3 boards is a waste for me since I only need one.

I don't design boards to sell or distribute.

I placed a rush order with iTead on Friday, March 1st, knowing that they wouldn't actually receive it till Monday, March 4th. I e-mailed them on Friday, March 8th, to request an update. The next day, Saturday, march 9th, I received a response that said the order will get shipped "before Monday" and that I will get a tracking number then. UPS was knocking on my door ON Monday.

BatchPCB on the other hand completely dropped the ball on a rush job once. To make up, they doubled the amount of PCBs ordered ... I still have left overs.

To be fair/transparent... for iTead..

I know (finally) have my pcb's....

they still charged me for FEDEX shipping but sent it DHL.. and all the other stuff that went along with it..

but in the end the PCB's did arrive.. so it was not a total rip-off.. :slight_smile: just a PITA...

It might have been Customs that held things up, which is out of itead's hands.
Or maybe they just hosed this one...

according to 'them'.. they hosed it.

the point is NOT that a mistake happened (sh!t happens) :slight_smile:

its the communication, and the multiple 'reasons' (everything listed above was not made up.. it was their responses)

anywho.. first time I got colored boards too...

silk screen on the white/red isnt as crisp as the black ones....

but otherwise same decent/good quality I got every time. :slight_smile:

Hi,

I make my own PCB. Very Easy!!!

  • I print my disign on inktjet fotopaper with a laser printer.
  • Then iron it to Epoxy PCB material.
  • Remove paper in water
  • Etch The disign

PCB ready!!!! under 1 hour, costs are minimal.

not the same...

I have done home PCB etching as well..

this does NOT replace professionally made boards (at not more cost either)...

with vias, 2 layer/double sided...etc..

true.

Campagne:
I make my own PCB. Very Easy!!!
(...)
PCB ready!!!! under 1 hour, costs are minimal.

Most of us, I guess, do that for simple, 1-side boards. However, when it comes to 10+ units, double-sided boards, with very thin traces and unforgiving tolerances, doing it at home isn't an option.

All of my single-side boards are etched at home.

Back on topic: I am still waiting for my order from iTeadStudio. It's been over 40 days since the order was placed and paid, and I got confirmation that it went into production (which means the Gerber files were ok, right?)

For the US$ 18 (9,90 + S&H) I paid to iTeadStudio, for the 10 green, 2-side, 5cmx5cm boards, it will be a very goodprice if I ever get them.

Send an e-mail wendy@iteadstudio.com, sunny@iteadstudio.com, pcb@iteadstudio.com, include your order #, ask what the delay is.

I don't bother making boards at home. My designs are generally too complex, too many thru holes and/or vias. Would rather pay a little more for 5 or 10 cards with soldermask, silkscreen, plated thru holes, double sided board with groundplanes.

Or wirewrap up a prototype design where I can make changes if needed, move parts around, etc.

I'm trying to find a custom PCB service as well. Do any of these services provide design service? I have a set of basic requirements (with an SMD Arduino chip) that I need designed.

There are members here that can assist you with a design. You can post in Gigs and Collaborations for someone to design it for you for a price.

Send me a PM with your requirements and what you want to do and I can see what I can do for you.

I thought I had answered this as well. For example, here is an SMD board that I offer that will do the basics:

C

CrossRoads:
I thought I had answered this as well. For example, here is an SMD board that I offer that will do the basics:

These are interesting. So basically with these I'm getting an Arduino nano without the reset button, USB programming interface, and TX, RX, PWR, Pin13LED LED indicators.

How much?

$2.50 for bare board via mailed to US locations.