JLCPCB is all over youtube advertising. I haven't seen any other PCB places advertise much. I've reached out to a couple places the US and they didnt' even respond for quotes. Does anyone have any suggestions for printed circuit boards outside of China?

 

I have ordered couple of PCBs from OSH Park. Better quality than from JLCPCB or PCBWay.

 

+1 OSH Park.
They also have 6-layer prototype service.
https://docs.oshpark.com/services/six-layer/

https://manufacturingreports.com/review-osh-park-pcb/

 

JLCPCB is all over youtube advertising. I haven't seen any other PCB places advertise much. I've reached out to a couple places the US and they didnt' even respond for quotes. Does anyone have any suggestions for printed circuit boards outside of China?

That is what is referred to as "targeted advertising." Someone (probably Google) knows of your interest and thus serves you ads based on what you've searched for.

It gets even weirder when there are times I have not searched something, just spoke to someone about it (outside of Alexa's ears) and POOF I get served ads for it the very next day.

On target: I've used JLCPCB several times, both personally and professionally, and have always been very pleased with their output.

FYI: I just did a comparison of a PCB I had JLCPCB make for me, vs OSH Park. $24.50 for 10, included shipping, from JLCPCB vs $74.80 for 3 from OSH, shipping unknown.

 

I just ordered from JLCPCB - $12 shipping gets boards to my front door in 5 calendar days and they are perfect with smallest trace and gaps of 0.010"

I had castellated holes on one board bit I didn't pay for "castellated holes" add-on. The boards were fine except for a little streamer of copper by each hole that I needed to slice off. It would be an issue for for 200 boards but it was fine for 5 boards. The price for castellated hole service on a small number of boards is kind of high.

the new option of aluminum core boards at the same price of regular boards is really amazing at JLCPCB.

I'd really like to know specific points of difference or defect of the JLCPCB vs osh Park. I have never been happy with Osh park, slow service, weird purple boards, super slow web site and expensive ($5 per sq inch per board)! Extra charge for black "after dark" boards and 12 to 21 days until shipment.

There are a few other PCB companies in China that will soon be offering low volume prototype service - they will be advertising soon. JlcPCB has been inching into their volume for mid-volume pcbs so they will push into JLC's prototyping space in response -as is the case with competition and capitalism (in China)!

 

I've reached out to a couple places the US and they didnt' even respond for quotes.

4pcb I have used them many times.
Custom Circuit Boards It has been a while.
DigiKey People at work use DigiKey.

 

4pcb I have used them many times.
Custom Circuit Boards It has been a while.
DigiKey People at work use DigiKey.

I find it interesting the most of the "per piece" prices exceed the total order for 10 pieces from JLCPCB, including international shipping.

 

I find it interesting the most of the "per piece" prices exceed the total order for 10 pieces from JLCPCB, including international shipping.

When you're subsidized by the 'party' ...

 

I find it interesting the most of the "per piece" prices exceed the total order for 10 pieces from JLCPCB, including international shipping.

Agree, I use JLCPCB and get 10 boards for the price of 1. It cost me the same for DHL 3 day from China as shipping for 60 miles. It is true the US board house make quality. I fixed bid some projects and every bit saved goes in my pocket.

 

When you're subsidized by the 'party' ...

The Osh Park website says only their purple solder mask boards are made in USA. They actually charge more for the black boards - with a three week lead time so I assume those are made in China - too bad Osh Park doesn't share the"party" subsidy with their customers. The purple solder mask looks amateurish and I wouldn't ever use them in a project that a customer would see.
I wonder if "the party" subsidizes lead time too. How does that work?

 

When you're subsidized by the 'party' ...

Does the party only subsidize PCBs or do they subsidize iPhones too? When I did some work in China, setting up a Chinese chemical plant, 'the party' was much more about charging for penalties, surcharges and operating licenses - the Chinese company we were supporting never found the "party subsidy" line at the CCP offices.

 

I've reached out to a couple places the US and they didnt' even respond for quotes.

Then, can you really feel bad about taking your business over seas? I have paid $15 total for boards and expedited international DHL shipping from JLCPCB, had them delivered and built my prototype before the local PCB companies returned calls to our purchasing department.

 

The Osh Park website says only their purple solder mask boards are made in USA. They actually charge more for the black boards - with a three week lead time so I assume those are made in China - too bad Osh Park doesn't share the"party" subsidy with their customers. The purple solder mask looks amateurish and I wouldn't ever use them in a project that a customer would see.
I wonder if "the party" subsidizes lead time too. How does that work?

For me it's all about the end product quality as I've used both suppliers for various projects with various options. Sometimes on the same board where the cheaper JLCPCB option is used early on in the process and Osh Park on the final spin.

https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/looking-for-pcb-manufacturer.170879/post-1525578
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/male-header-pins-punching-through-pcb.165323/post-1458432
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/...c-controlled-battery-array.32879/post-1488589

 

JLCPCB and PCBWay are very good options for prototype PCBs and for projects where product cost margin is small and/or board quality issues can be tolerated. Those PCBs milling accuracy varies about 20-30 mils which is very annoying if PnP machine is counting board reference from physical board edges. I have received boards with shorted layers if onboard track width/clearance density is higher than 6/6 mils which is also very annoying if populated board behaves weirdly and you have no glue why.
So i order most prototyping stage and less demanding boards from PCBWay and higher quality boards from local (European) fabs. Interestingly the smaller form factor ENIG-finished boards aren't very much cheaper in China than here.

 

JLCPCB and PCBWay are very good options for prototype PCBs and for projects where product cost margin is small and/or board quality issues can be tolerated. Those PCBs milling accuracy varies about 20-30 mils which is very annoying if PnP machine is counting board reference from physical board edges.

Doing PnP based off of a board edge is a crazy bad idea. Look up how to use a feducial - you will be a much happier and accurate person.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=aeW66c9oN5Y&usg=AOvVaw16mKAHqcZzQSxhkpZi1OhI

 

Doing PnP based off of a board edge is a crazy bad idea.

I use fiducials IF there are any present in the current PCB. Stencil printer depends from adjustments/mounting holes in PCB but if there isn't any then we are facing to same misalignment issue if we are forced to use board edges as reference.
It is pointless to argue that mediocre quality is good enough or not, it depends from margins set to current project.

 

I use fiducials IF there are any present in the current PCB. Stencil printer depends from adjustments/mounting holes in PCB but if there isn't any then we are facing to same misalignment issue if we are forced to use board edges as reference.
It is pointless to argue that mediocre quality is good enough or not, it depends from margins set to current project.

My point is, PCB manufacturers never post tolerances for edge cuts that come close to what is possible with fiducials etched into the copper from your gerber file's copper layers - draw the fiducials yourself so you know exactly where they belong.

 

I have JLCPCB put the parts on the board. I or they will place the " feducial " holes and put the parts on the board based on that.

 

I think the main point here is "good enough" is often good enough.

 

I think the main point here is "good enough" is often good enough.

Except when one implies that paying extra for a US-made board that happens to be cut more accurately than another overseas manufacturer is necessary for accurate PnP placement - using fiducials (added by board mfg or oneself) is the right way to do things.