I got these PCBs fabricated and some of the pads that hold electrolytic caps keep lifting on various boards. Is this a sign to never use this company to make PCBs again? What other signs are there for "cheap" (bad quality) PCB manufactures?

 

Use your best magnifying lens to look for "splinters" of copper hanging off the smallest traces. Keep looking for other fine details like parallelism in the long lines and curves, missing chunks of copper, divots, pimples, blisters...got the idea?

I'm just an amateur at this. The next guy will point out things I don't know about.

 

I got these PCBs fabricated and some of the pads that hold electrolytic caps keep lifting on various boards. Is this a sign to never use this company to make PCBs again? What other signs are there for "cheap" (bad quality) PCB manufactures?

Generally you get what you paid for and when you have questions about using a certain company's to build PCB for you .. Please post up a new thread and ask questions to see if anyone has used or had problems with them or see who everyone else uses ...

 

its good to have a look at some reviews about these pcb manufacturers.. quality wise sometimes price dictates it.. manufacturers take time in making them to assure quality..as Dr. killjoy suggests, making that thread brings out the review on most pcb manufacturers and you get some pro's and con's about it..

 

Some really "high quality" PCBs have inherent flaws,such as:

Using the same width tracks for power circuitry as for low level signals.

Using too small diameter holes for through hole components.

Running tracks too close to mounting screws.

Of course,these are mainly in the initial design,rather than manufacture.

Rebuilding failed boards with these problems is no fun!

 

If you want to keep using the same pcb people you could try increasing the size of tracks and pads.

I get very cheap pcb's and not had any problems.