Affordable custom made PCBs

[ubiyubix]

Hi,

your ATmegaxx8 and ATtiny2113 target boards are great little experiment boards. I have used them in a few projects and now I have some ideas for minor changes to the ATmegaxx8 board. For example, allow for DIP-16 packages in the prototyping areas instead of DIP-14. This would fit 74HC595 shift registers, L293D motor controller, etc.

Technically this wouldn’t be a problem I believe, but I have no idea how do this for $3 a pop in small quantities. How did you manage to make those target boards so cost efficient, well really cheap actually? I understand that your design is single layer to keep the cost down. Nonetheless I have not found a pooling PCB fab house that would do this at this price in small quantities. 

Do you have any suggestions? How do you make the boards for your products in general?

Kind regards,

– ubiyubix

[Windell Oskay]

We actually fabricate the target boards in quantities of 500 or more, so it’s somewhere between low and high volume.

I’d recommend OSH Park for small quantities– their quality is impeccable, and the pricing is quite good. 

[ubiyubix]

OSH park is what I have used for two projects in the past. I fully agree with you that their pricing and quality is very good. Heck no, it is awesome!

I guess I have to accept that I can’t get near the $3 price tag with the small amount of boards I have in mind. Anyway, thanks for your answer and keep up the good work.

– ubiyubix

[Ugi]

I have also used OSH park with great success.  Depending upon the size and options you want, the basic boards from ITead Studio are stunning value for a 5×5 cm ($10 for 10 copies IIRC).  I do remember that 10 boards delivered to the UK was less than £10 and they have been faultless so far in several orders.  You do need to be prepared to wait for them thou’ as they are shipped from China and the courier charge wipes out any cost benefit.  

You don’t get the gold or the purple solder mask of OSH park but they are so cheap for the effort saved that I have virtually given up using perfboard.

[Author]

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