How much do you pay for prototype PCB's?

[ian]

I'm curious how much you guys pay for prototype PCB's. I see ad after ad on the net for supercheap prototype PCB's and they're almost double what I pay. In fact, I'd like to make a web clearing house it's so bad, but I don't have the time or resources. Anyway, I pay about 25 cents a square inch, without any setup fee if I have enough boards made and accept an average 2 week turnaround. I see ads with several hundred dollar setup fees and square inch fees higher as well. Are you guys really paying these prices?

[Externet]

Hello Ian
I pay ~$4 to ~$13 for each board in the range of 2" x 3" to 6" x 3" for the quantity yielded by one standard fiberglass sheet, with lots of nice assistance from the manufacturer.
Miguel

[ian]

If I understand your post correctly (and my goodness it's vague!) you're paying about $1.00 per square inch? Not bad in low volume, fast turnaround, but what's a "standard fibreglass" sheet? I'm sure you and your manufacturer have your own standard but lets try to communicate with each other ok?

[Externet]

I do not know the size of the "standard" stock sheet of copper backed fiberglass material the PCB manufacturers use. It may be about 16" x 32" I have seen it but never measured, as was irrelevant in my designs.<p>Depending on the size of the project board, and how are they laid, many or few can be produced from that sheet.<p>Pricing fluctuates wildly with the number of layers, vias, vias sizes, drilling, tinning, gold plating and the shape of the board. <p>For prototyping, it is a convenient way to produce several boards... as many as the sheet yields, as there is little waste.
A telephone call to any of these PCB places will reveal the size they use.<p>Miguel with vague communication.

[gkicomputers]

Well Ian, I guess I am paying much more then you, I pay about $1/square inch, I just got a 56 square inch thru hole double sided board (standard FR-4, .062 inch thickness, 1 ounce copper, no gold) prototyped for $50 plus shipping (1 copy). 1 week delivery. So your telling me you can get this done for 56*.25 = $14. I kind of doubt that but if you are willing to disclose your prototype manufacturer I would sure like to give them some business!<p>I noticed you mentioned vaguely "enough boards" what the does that mean, its a protoype right? How many boards are you talking about to get the 25 cent/square inch? Also it would help if you describe the specification of the board itself.

[ian]

I don't think the manufacturers I use would make one board for that price. They charge a minimum fee of a few hundred dollars, but if I have a few different boards made and get more than 1 the price doesn't take long to drop. All of my boards so far are double sided with a 10mil spacing and no masks or overlays.
For instance, if you had 10 of those boards made it would cost you $500? 10 might be 9 more than you need but I usually have more than 1 board made when making prototypes. I guess you make a lot of mistakes.
Anyway, without a precise quote I suspect I could have a lot more of that board made for less than $350 although it might be a lot of boards I don't need.
Here's a specific quote I got a while ago...<p>Hello Ian, Here's the quote:<p>Setup is included in the cost
18" x 14" x 10pcs = $560.00<p>Sincerely,
-------------------------------------------------
That's 15 cents $US a square inch.<p> I'd give you the name of these guys but they're not set up for mail order and they're very friendly with me. I don't know they would appreciate me posting their name here. But like I said, if the prices I get are really lower than what's out there I may set something up to help you guys out. I do runs on a regular basis so I could even fit other boards in with my runs to save us both money. If you, or anyone else out there is interested in some kind of trial e-mail me at [email protected]. Don't take this wrong, I'm busy enough and I'm not trying to start anything up, but I might do this in a limited fashion to see if it works.
As for "nuts and volts".......don't delete this post, it's not an advert, but if something does come of it "nuts and volts" will be my first and main forum for advertising.

[gkicomputers]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ian:
I don't think the manufacturers I use would make one board for that price. They charge a minimum fee of a few hundred dollars, but if I have a few different boards made and get more than 1 the price doesn't take long to drop. All of my boards so far are double sided with a 10mil spacing and no masks or overlays.
For instance, if you had 10 of those boards made it would cost you $500? 10 might be 9 more than you need but I usually have more than 1 board made when making prototypes. I guess you make a lot of mistakes. <hr></blockquote><p>
Ok, I guess I am paying much less then you are, two hundred minimum really sucks, but if you gang up different boards then I can see how it would work out ok. <p>Obviously if I get more then one board made the price drops. Normally I get about 50 boards made if the prototype is ok, I pay about 5 cents/ square inch for this quantity. <p>Maybe if you order 50 of the example you gave your price would drop from 15 cents to 5 cents/square inch? I don't know, but if thats the case we are probably paying the same except I can get one prototype of one board done more cheaply (which may be of little advantage to you).<p>I'm not sure why your implying "I guess you make a lot of mistakes". I get one prototype made and if it's ok I get a run of them made, how does getting 10 prototypes made help anything, if its ok I just have to order more anyhow.

[carlm]

One of the best deals I've found for small quantity prototypes is at http://www.barebonespcb.com. 50-cents per sq inch, plus a $25 setup fee, no min quantity, plus next day shipping. That's 2-sided w/plated-thru holes. Drawback: no solder mask, no silk-screening.<p>For larger quantities with all the options, pcbnet.com, pcbpro.com, and e-teknet.com are very competitive, and have on-line quoting. I've used pcbnet.com, and got excellent boards.<p>- Carl