low cost PCB manufacturing

PCBCART.COM in China.... Yes, i know, not in the UK but top service that I have used for a few years now. Savings of 50%+ are easy, even with Fedex/UPS shipping and customs clearance. You will have to pay VAT up front as well.

We used to use PCBCART but their area rate went up a lot a while back, so we switched to PCBWING on a recommendation from an associate and haven't looked back. Setup cost is very much the same, area rate is way lower (and is NOT variable-with-quantity), the only downsides compared to pcbcart is the 50% setup on repeats (vs 0% @ pcbcart).

Quality out of both these Chinese fabs is as good as we have seen from anyone.

We are not allowed to use foreign fab shops. Especially not a non-ally.

We are allowed to buy certain foreign made things, like USB cables and such. Even that can be frowned upon in some programs.

Made in house, a custom USB cable costs hundreds each, especially if it gets a part number, and has to be fabricated in house or by contract thereafter.

That is a simple example.

I've used

Cheers

Who gives a f*ck about what you say?

Piss off Nymbecile.

search this ebay seller -- malauid

just got some incredible boards from him and I palletized which some won't allow.

I just saw that "not allowed to use foreign shops" -- really? I see you're in UK

I guess they must regulate that in the postal service? I like smart Government but you learn something every day.

by the way, who IS an ally these days?

The person who wrote that is not in the UK. The OP is.

"an ally" of who? This is an international newsgroup. What is it with all the context-less posts? Nobody has any idea who you are replying to, including yourself it would seem.

won't

I couldn't find them on eBay or a web search. But I did find this:

I have a small 1.75" x 1.20" PCB and their "instant quote" was for a minimum of 100 square inches or 48 pieces with $75 setup and $1.04 each and two weeks turn. Fab is in Malaysia but the company is (or was) based in Ames, IA.

For 5 pieces of a 4" x 6" PCB it's also $75 setup and $9 each.

Prototypes are $18/ea with 1 week turn and *panelizing* is $0.50/part.

Shipping to US is $15-$20 for 2-3 day service.

I got a quote from

I also deal with

$15/each.

And the company I do design work for likes

Paul

Good luck with that type of restriction.

You ain't real bright. Been doing it for decades.

Likely will for decades to come.

Gov manufacturers have contractual rules.

If one wants to keep one's job, one follows the rules. Non-compliace means loss of contract. That means loss of jobs, usually, if not entire businesses.

Ya reckon? Who's paying through the nose for their supplies?

Unless the O/P has similar restrictive "rules", your predicament isn't at all relevant to his/her enquiry.

for low quantities, do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Francesco

I use PCB-POOL (pcb-pool.com) in Ireland. Low cost for pcb, silkscreen, solder mask, and if you do surface mount, a free stencil. They are also known as Beta Layout.

Maurice Givens

for low quantities, do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Francesco

From PCB-POOL, for 5 pieces of 4" x 6", 2 layers, FR4, 0.0629" copper, solder mask, silkscreem (both sides), electroless nickel gold, stencil, 8 working day delivery, for $42.80 ea. ($214 total cost)

Francesco BPC Electronics are a good all round manufacturer

Rgds

Henry