I was just thinking i've seen huge amounts of circuits online which are allowed to be used free of charge providing you don't make any kind of profit from it, which is fine but has /anyone/ ever come across a company who does this?..

Step 1. You find the circuit online, complete with the circuit print and the components.

Step 2. You go to BuildACircuit.com (Could be Anything) you submit the plans, or a link to the actual circuit.

Step 3. You pay.

Step 4. 2 weeks later, a package is sent to you containing all the electronic components along with the PCB board, all you have to do is solder it all together...


The only tricky part is if you're trying to source tricky components to buy, so obviously there has to be some give and take when it comes to the circuit design, maybe you could swap a couple of components, or take a look at all of their stock and make sure they're able to supply what you need.

I've seen heaps of circuits i'm dying to make, but I have no way of constructing the PCB and i'm not great at drilling.. all they have to do is stock that circuit to sell on to others if it proves a success. Maybe this exists already, but i'm sure there's something in this

 

Actually kitting is probably much more expensive than the PCB. Been there done that. As for PCB houses, they are out there in big numbers. They are expensive too.

If you are actually selling kits it gets cheaper. Quantity always brings prices down.

Laying out a PCB is work, hard and long. That is not going to be cheap. Right now you send your plans, the layout you made, to the PCB house for them to manufacture. If you got it wrong they are not responsible, you bought the boards. They do not do this for you.

It is all part of the hobby, your personal time is cheaper than for hire by a long ways. As for drilling and whatnot, you get better with practice. I doubt you are going to get anyone to do this for your cheaply, I've spent around 4 hours tonight designing a 25 LED sequencer, and will easily spend 8 more hours before just the paper work is done.

 

Now if you were to kit the parts together and send them a complete PCB layout you might find such a business, as you will have taken to extremely labor intensive steps out of the process. It would then be a minor step up from simply making a PCB (assembly is easy at that point).

I have seen several Chinese companies that do something close to that.

 

If you have the time: http://4pcb.com/ will work about anything in if you're non-profit or student status.

They will want Gerber & ncdrill files but they've got free software as does my preference: Http://www.diptrace.com

They will also check your design through http://www.freedfm.com and point out any problems.

 

I like SeeedStudio.com - $20 for 10 PCBs 5cmx5cm 2 layer, or $40 for 10 PCBs 10cmx10cm 2 layer. They will do assembly too, if you are making a few.

 

oh nice thanks folks... ill check them out!