Hi

I am interested in having an open source PCB design manufactured. I was originally looking into home etching and found some great examples; but after eventually getting the open source Gerber files to open in some software and looking more closely at all the dimensions I realise that the design is quite small and uses SMT components.

As I have zero experience I was wondering how I would proceed with getting a design manufactured.

Should I simply find a PCB manufacturer and send them the designs with all the components?

Can anyone offer any experience on this?

Thanks a lot.

 

I solder my SMD's self. With a little trial and error I'm guessing you can to.

I made a list over PCB manufacturers and I think some of them also solder components.

PCB Houses

What region in the world are you, Dirk the Daring?

 

Thanks for the list nerdegutta.

I am in the UK.

I did find some encouragement here also: http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1057

I will have a practise, when I buy the correct tools!

 

If you are making a number of pcbs then it's pretty cheap to get them produced in China, would need to see what components you are trying to attach to say if you will be able to solder them yourself, some smd parts are pretty unfriendly when it comes to soldering by hand.

 

There is no need for some special tools, maybe just magnifier to precisely see what you are doing. You can order cheap two side PCB from China with you design (for example 5 x 5 cm for 1$ / board). Just use (custom) small pads in design for surface mount elements, and it will be able to solder them on lower temperature in second. Or you can find some local service that have also option for automatically mounting all parts on PCB, but I guess it will not be cheap.

 

It all depends on how many boards you need. http://oshpark.com will make you 3 boards at a price of $1.33 for square inch with free shipping worldwide.

 

I can't talk for everyone but unless you have a place to store and use the chemicals and equipment that are extremely hazardous then I find a china pcb company or stick with oshpark ... I plan on trying out a oshpark myself but have to find time to design a pcb..

 

It seems quite difficult to get the designs in a format that's useable by manufacturers using free PCB design software. I have tried Eagle, Diptrace, Designspark.

I am only using free versions of said software.

Diptrace seems like the only software that will allow me to open the PCB designs that I am using (a gerber file of a lvds- hdmi converter from chalk-elec: http://www.chalk-elec.com/?page_id=1284 ).

I can then get printouts of the designs, if I was to proceed with creating PCBs manually.

But PCB manufacturers want different formats, usually Eagle.

Tricky.

 

It seems quite difficult to get the designs in a format that's useable by manufacturers using free PCB design software. I have tried Eagle, Diptrace, Designspark.

I am only using free versions of said software.

Diptrace seems like the only software that will allow me to open the PCB designs that I am using (a gerber file of a lvds- hdmi converter from chalk-elec: http://www.chalk-elec.com/?page_id=1284 ).

I can then get printouts of the designs, if I was to proceed with creating PCBs manually.

But PCB manufacturers want different formats, usually Eagle.

Tricky.

It used to be that pcb manufacturers didn't like Eagle and would only take things like gerbers but that time has gone now and many do take Eagle files directly. Generating Eagle outputs even as gerbers in pretty easy you just use the built-in cam processor, look up on google I'm sure you'll find a guide on how to do it. You may of course not like Eagle on the basis that it takes some getting used to but that's a different thing all systems need some effort especially at the beginning.

 

I get boards from here all the time.. best pricing I've found..
http://imall.iteadstudio.com/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping.html

They accept gerber and eagle I think.. I just use diptrace and send gerbers.
They will even do assembly for you. (never priced that or used that though)

 

I am giving these guy a try, ebay 230864219277.
$45 for qty5 5x7 boards.
Gerber file needed.
Max.

 

It seems quite difficult to get the designs in a format that's useable by manufacturers using free PCB design software. I have tried Eagle, Diptrace, Designspark.

My experience is near all take Gerber files. I have no trouble making these right out of Kicad.

Other free Programs may also work but this one I have many good experiences with.