Low Volume Assembly

JonnyMac · 2014-11-05 12:43

I designed a board for a friend and he'd like to get about 100 built -- too many for me to do in my shop. Any suggestions on reasonably priced, low-volume vendors? Mostly SMD, a few T/H connectors.

T Chap · 2014-11-06 02:30

Reasonably priced, low-volume vendors? That is not easy. Can you post a pic of the boards? Are they panelized with fiducials? BOM?

Mag748 · 2014-11-06 06:04

This article

Cheap Prototype PCB Comparison

and this post

Cheaper PCBs

have been helpful to me in the past.

Hope this helps,
Marcus

Leon · 2014-11-06 06:08

I've used this company in the past, and was very satisfied:

http://www.asktechnology.co.uk/

They are in the UK, though.

Domanik · 2014-11-06 10:33

Contract Manufactures sure charge a lot to solder a few parts on a board. I've used a variety with different capabilities, be it BGA and inspection equipment, fine pitches like 25mil and less, or very small components like 0402. Most have pick and place machines but the setup, CAD, stencils, kitting, small runs drive up the cost. With a larger, complex boards the cost can be roughly 1/3 the total manufacturing cost, with the raw PCB and parts the other 2/3.

For the last 15 years my go-to small run and prototype CM has been Assembly Line, Inc. in Brookings, Oregon. They're a small company that pays attention to detail and has excellent workmanship. Here's a link:

http://www.assemblyline.net/contact.html

My contact person is Mary Coston, 541-469-0696 for quotes and status updates. Very nice person.
Here's the last board they did You can see the mod on the back I had them do at the last minute on all 50 boards.

I tested and inspected each board and they were all perfect. And the assembly cost was much less than any of the other CMs that quoted. Also, I use them for single board prototypes because they're fast and do a much better job of soldering than I could ever do. I used to do the DIP proto board hand soldering but that no longer works. I like doing proto-type boards with test points and debug aids designed in but sitting outside a silk-screened perimeter. Inside the SS is something close to the final product.

High Marks for these guys..

Dom...

Circuitsoft · 2014-11-06 11:04

I think SeeedStudio will do things around those quantities.

JohnR2010 · 2014-11-07 05:30

Domanik, can you give me a price range for a board like that at a quantity of 100 boards?

JonnyMac · 2014-11-07 08:39

Thank, Dom. I'm going to send them (and another possible CM) my friend's files.

Publison · 2014-11-07 09:08

..........PM sent.

Domanik · 2014-11-07 15:21

JohnR2010 wrote: »

Domanik, can you give me a price range for a board like that at a quantity of 100 boards?

I can't speak for another business, you'll have to talk to them for a quote. Just count the number of pins (solder hits), minimum spacing on parts, minimum part sizes, board size. A complete BOM in excel would really be best, that makes it easier to total it all up. The other place we use (again after trying others) is Screaming Circuits. They've done 14" X 14" boards, fine pitch, and BGA parts, all very good work and good communication. Screaming Circuits is higher end for tough boards, both prototype and production. http://www.screamingcircuits.com/

Don't let the name throw you, they are very good and have good pricing. You can get an online quote for full proto OR short-run or large run production. One of the nice things is they use a paper stencil that's only good for let's say a thousand (maybe more) boards. Whereas a metal stencil will last much more than that but cost $1,000. I've got one of the metal stencils but with board changes it's no longer useful. $1,000 boat anchor.

What works well for me is getting an online quote from SC and then another from Assembly Line. For the small boards I've seen here, including any of the Propeller boards, Assembly Line gives the most bang for the buck.
Dom..

Low Volume Assembly

Comments