Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Comments, discussions, links about/to suppliers of goods and services related to DIY Engine Management Systems.
Post Reply
toalan
Wideband Wizard
Posts: 241
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:53 am
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by toalan »

Hi,

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/fusion ... Path=64_12

Basically you send them the pcb files and you order a few pcbs at cheap prices. They will keep the design on file and let others order the same pcb directly from them. Max is 10cm x 10cm for that type of stuff, I am not sure if it will work for FreeEMS.

"The initiator make a board (maybe own design or any work under open source license), get 5 pieces PCB for just $30, we share the manufacturing costs and produce extra. The extra PCB will be stock by us and listed on a very affortable price like 5-8$ with minimal shipping cost. (About 2-3$ flat rate). You may share the $30 with other people, end up getting an industrial standard one for less than 10$."

Specification

* FR-4 material 0.4-1.8mm thickness
* 6mil spacing minimum
* 6mil traces minimum
* 10mil minimum drill size
* Board Outline precision ?.2mm
* Soldermask both sides
* Silkscreen both sides
* 1oz Copper
* No limit on the number of vias
* No limit on pads or components
* Color: Green
* 100% E-test
* Only one design per serivce."

Their specs are very good for prototyping and pricing is the best I have come across. Price is not so good for large volume.
User avatar
SleepyKeys
LQFP144 - On Top Of The Game
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:52 pm
Location: Arizona
Contact:

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by SleepyKeys »

Interesting!
Thanks
seank
You snooze, you lose!
User avatar
Fred
Moderator
Posts: 15431
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:31 pm
Location: Home sweet home!
Contact:

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by Fred »

A mate linked me this a while back, pretty interesting little service :-)
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
MotoFab
1N4001 - Signed up
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 1:23 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by MotoFab »

I'm in for interesting too.

This sample board though, uses Hot Air Solder Level to cover the pads. Which doesn't work very well for the smallest SMD discretes and small fine pitch leadless packages. The surface is too uneven, and total solder-per-pad is too variable. The components fall off during placement, or tombstone during reflow. The uneven surface also interferes with the solder stencil. Electroless plating is the best choice for flat and planar pads.

For almost everything else, I don't know how you beat their Domino deal at 12¢ a sq. cm., a $49 set up fee, and free shipping.
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/protot ... 64_12.html

Image
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/images ... F00016.JPG
toalan
Wideband Wizard
Posts: 241
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:53 am
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by toalan »

HASL is ok for proto stuff, I have used it for QFN devices and 0402 packages, soldering with a fine tipped iron.

I tend to use a stencil + paste now, so the "bumpy" finishing does not really matter that much to me.


I have a pcb that is 80 cm^2 in qty of 100, myropcb can do it for 300 with shipping, ~$3 per PCB

seeed studio would have cost me, 80x0.12 + 49 = $1009, ~$10 per PCB

PCBpool quoted me $500 without shipping, PCBpool's PCB quality is the best I have ever come across, their PCB has a silk sheen to it and the default tinning is a chemical tin that makes the pads super flat. Also worth mentioning that their prototype prices are very competitive and they include a free metal stencil. Their silkscreen is crappy for fine text, aside from that everything about pcbpool is cream of the crop.
MotoFab
1N4001 - Signed up
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 1:23 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by MotoFab »

Well that is some kind of pricing from myropcb. I am not even used to that, I'm sure I could get used to it.
User avatar
Fred
Moderator
Posts: 15431
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:31 pm
Location: Home sweet home!
Contact:

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by Fred »

Thanks Alan! Good info.

Someone who is in winter (not me!) and reading this should cross link to the thread on PCB manufacture that I think I started a while back (though it might have been someone else).

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
User avatar
jharvey
1N4001 - Signed up
Posts: 1607
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:17 pm

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by jharvey »

I think you mean this link.

http://www.diyefi.org/forum/viewtopic.p ... t=batchpcb

Here we discussed batchpcb and other mfg's.
User avatar
Fred
Moderator
Posts: 15431
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:31 pm
Location: Home sweet home!
Contact:

Re: Seed studio for open sourced PCBs

Post by Fred »

Yep, that's it, thank you! :-)
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
Post Reply