PCB Service for 3 Copies / ~50 sq in / Panelized?

What PCB fab would be good for a few sets of ~50 sq/in panelized boards?



The above graphic (click for larger) is actually ~100 sq/in but in practice, if I get 3 copies of each, I would probably only do ~50 sq/in at one time because I can submit different combinations of boards to get the right number of whatever I need. Meaning I don't need all of the boards every time.

The 4pcb $33 service doesn't allow paneling. OSHPark's medium run service is for 10 copies. So what would be good for this?

In case you're wondering, this is supposed to be a modular system of boards that stack together using standoffs for building different types of pro-audio gear. If anyone is interested, I'm happy to share the Eagle file.

you should check out Seeed studio. They only offer up to 5 different designs per panel so you would have to make 3 different panels. It might work out cheaper.

Also I would suggest contacting Tinysine. They also have a minimum order of 10 pieces but they always work out to be the cheapest from my experience. They have a maximum of 3 designs per panel, but it still might work out being cheaper separating your design into 5 different panels and ordering 10 pieces of each. I can't tell from your picture but if the boards are each under 10cm long then you should be able to fit 3 of them into a 10cm x 10cm panel which would cost about $40 per panel (10 pieces).
or about $75 per panel (10 pieces) if you need to order the 15cm x 15cm panels.

Tiny sine are pretty friendly too so it’s worth actually sending them an email asking if they could accommodate more designs per panel.

With the price of Itead Studio and Smart Prototyping (I think the fab house is the same), I do not panelize anymore ...
Smart prototyping is offering a panelization option at a low cost.

Why did you need Osh's medium run? You're getting three copies of each board and they charge by the square inch, so you should be able to get three copies (per the thread title) of each board made instead of panelizing.

Depending on the board size, though, even getting ten copies at iTead is sometimes cheaper than getting three from Osh, but the boards aren't nearly as nice.

Has anyone tried Dirty PCBs?

  http://dirtypcbs.com/

Apparently they just use whatever cut rate service they can source so they might come out "dirty". But they might not. They might be perfectly functional. It seems I could get 10 sets of 5 boards (outer rectangle is 12cm x 19cm) for $61 USD + $25 shipping to the US using DHL China which is a non-guaranteed 3-9 day service. Even if half of the boards were trash, it would probably still be worth it. Heck, I always screw up the first run anyway.

The same job with Seeed would be $177. Most of the boards are 4.7" long (~12cm) so it does not qualify for the < 10cm option.

OSH Park would be $179.

Regarding panelizing, these services all seem to do it in different ways. With Dirty PCBs it seems I would have to add "mouse bites" (breakable perforations) between boards so that physically it's all one board. This equates to basically adding arcs between boards with a series of small holes. I can only assume this is just done manually although with a little copying and pasting it shouldn't be too hard.

Panelizing with Seeed looks like a matter of adding routing layer lines. But it's not clear if there should be any space between the boards making up the panel. Unlike the other services, they do v-cuts.

OSH Park just needs 0.1" space between each board using it's own dimension layer outline and then they automatically add the "mouse bites".

If you are prototyping there are places like PCB fab express which offer bare bones service, so no solder mask or silkscreen at a discounted rate.

I use Gold phoenix for panels of small PCBs. They have a $100 special for about 10x14" panel IIRC.  Good deal, and I've always gotten extra PCBs.

Interested in that 1176.. Which rev and have you tested it?  What's the board size?

thanks!

Yeah, Gold Phoenix PCB does look like a good deal. Paneling w/ 5 designs is an extra $30. For comparison, the 5 design panel described above looks like it would be $130 USD shipped. Not bad. Although it's not clear how many sets of boards I would get.

The 1176 board is 4.7" by 1.5" but it's just the preamp, GR circuit and op-amp based meter circuit. I followed the rev T schematic on the gyraf website. The preamp and GR circuits don't change much so I suspect I could make any of the later revisions but in practice I would use the transformer IO board, DOA board as a driver and two LM3915 boards for VU meters so it would not be a traditional 1176. However, my best guess at this point is that the real character of the 1176 is related to the distortion created by the interaction between the preamp and GR circuits (particularly in "slam" mode). So I would expect mine to sound very much like an 1176. I have not had any of these boards made so I have not tested anything. It's all still pie in the sky at this point but I am about to order at least the boards necessary to make the power supply and a mic pre as a proof of concept.

Make your 10x14 panel, squeeze everything you want in there.  Whatever number you put on the panel, you will get a few extras. My experience is, the smaller the PCB, the more extras you get. 

I just got my boards from DirtyPCBs.com. I did the entire panel of 14 designs with total dimensions 25cm x 24cm for $177 USD shipped. Total time 12 days.

I don't have all of my electronics stuff out right now so I can't test them yet but they look good to me.

Not a bad deal.

ioplex said:

I just got my boards from DirtyPCBs.com. I did the entire panel of 14 designs with total dimensions 25cm x 24cm for $177 USD shipped. Total time 12 days.

Click to expand...

I assume you're in the US. What shipping option did you choose?

-a

Andy Peters said:

ioplex said:

I just got my boards from DirtyPCBs.com. I did the entire panel of 14 designs with total dimensions 25cm x 24cm for $177 USD shipped. Total time 12 days.

Click to expand...

I assume you're in the US. What shipping option did you choose?

-a

Click to expand...

My last dirty PCB order used DHL... apparently they fly it to memphis or something like that then drop it in the post office system for the last few days of surface travel...

For me a week to 10 days for DHL, 3 weeks for free shipping. but it may vary for you +/- days based on distance of last USPS leg.

JR

Andy Peters said:

ioplex said:

I just got my boards from DirtyPCBs.com. I did the entire panel of 14 designs with total dimensions 25cm x 24cm for $177 USD shipped. Total time 12 days.

Click to expand...

I assume you're in the US. What shipping option did you choose?

Click to expand...

I used DHL China (not DHL Hong Kong which was actually $1 less but I wondered what I got for an extra $1) for $39 USD to New Jersey USA. It was picked up late on the 18th and delivered by a DHL (not USPS) on the 21st. So it took 3 days (actually about 2 days 20 hours). I got a tracking number as soon as it was picked up, the tracking was very detailed and the ETA was exactly right. I had to sign for it. Not sure if they would have left it if I wasn't there.