Anybody used the 3D printer at the UPS store?

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Kinda off thread, But I was ordering $33 each pcb's from advanced circuits, and found that they have reduced the minimum number. (Maybe due to competition?) At one time it was 3, so ~$100 for a run. Then went to 4, but is now

1. So for I've got a pcb... (I ordered 2, so I can make a mistake. :^)

George H.

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You mean the "scream/tear your hear out" part? :)

Folsom Library allows one free 3D print per week (they're only open one day a week), up to 2 hours of printing time (if the printing software says the object will take more than 2 hours to print, you have to resize it or prin t something else). Frequently when I stopped by 2 hours later to pick up m y part, the volunteers who man the printers said the printing failed and th ey had to re-start.

Michael

That's pretty amazing. Even at $33 each that is a great deal. What delivery time and how many layers/size? Can you specify the stack? I expect not as they have to be batching them. I like to use two inner layers for power that are very close spaced to increase the capacitance. It helps with noise reduction on small boards which don't have much area.

Three(?) days, IIRC.

Two layers.

Nope.

Cheers, James Arthur

Yeah I think it is usually a week for the board to arrive at my door.

They do four layers for $66 each. But on all there are limits on cut-outs and things.

The good deal for us is that once I have the proto, I can re-order the pcb in quantity and save some of the set-up charges.

George H.

Yep, it's a good deal.

Here's the link:

Cheers, James Arthur

Oh, thanks James I didn't know the minimum quantity was a limited time offer. I better hurry up and get some layouts done!

George h.

We recently got 20 four-layer boards, 100 x 120 mm, blue mask with white silk, 6/6 rules, from PCBWay for under $200, shipped in 2-3 days, delivered in 4 or 5. They also sell stencils stiffened with these Godzilla aluminum channels for super cheap.

Highly recommended.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

PCB production has come a long way in 20 years. I remember getting quotes on a tiny PSU board, less than an inch square some 15 years ago. The Chinese were just beginning to be a force in the US market. The US vendors wanted to charge some minimum per board that made it prohibitive to make. I was talking to one vendor about just leaving it as a scored panel to lower the per piece price and he practically yelled at me "I've got to eat too!" Let's just say it didn't get produced domestically.

Vent it!

Seems they have not figured it out yet, unnamed sources notwithstanding.

They apparently had a laser cutter too, which would be much more likely to cause problems if they were cutting the wrong stuff and not venting the fumes. CO does not come from FDM printers. Laser cutters literally burn the plastic, usually with assist from compressed air at the beam.

--sp