Re: [EE] PCB Manufacturers.

I have been using JLCPCB for the last few years. KiCAD has a plugin for 
them also. Here in the USA they have the usual FedEx, DHL, and UPS but 
they also have Global Standard Direct Line which is very cheap (about 
$1.50) but it takes about a week and a half to get to Rome, NY, USA. 
This was recently added, in last year or so. With DHL I can order on 
Monday and have them on Friday.

Allen Mulvey

On 2/22/2025 4:57 PM, Dwayne Reid wrote:
> Hi there, David.
>
> I'm in Canada - my results may not jive with where you are.
>
> We currently use:
> JLCPCB
> KINGCREDIE
>
> JLCPCB gets by far the majority of our work.  But Linda at KingCredie 
> is a joy to work with and I still do all of the flex circuit boards we 
> build with them.  They are somewhat more expensive than JLCPCB but the 
> help Linda have give to us in the past has to count for something.
>
> JLCPCB offers several different ship options: DHL, UPS, FedEx. FedEx 
> is alway the most expensive, so we don't use them.  DHL and UPS seem 
> to see-saw back and forth as to who has the better ship price.  I just 
> go with whoever is the least expensive at the time of order.
>
> Be aware that ordering a SMT stencil results in two packages. This 
> approximately doubles the cost of shipping as compared to just getting 
> the bare boards.  But the stencils are always perfect and it is far 
> simpler to just accept the extra cost of shipping.
>
> I used to send RFQ's to several dozen different PCB suppliers.  I quit 
> doing that when I found that I was mostly ordering from JLCPCB.
>
> It looks like you are in the UK.  Maybe check out PCBWay.
>
> Also - maybe check out the current version of KiCAD for your layouts 
> and schematics.  Although I have dabbled with it, I still stay with my 
> old standbys: EE Designer II and CADint.  But I would be all over 
> KiCAD if I wasn't so heavily invested in my current tools.
>
> dwayne
>
>
> At 10:56 AM 2/22/2025, David C Brown wrote:
>> I know that this has been done to death but there might be new 
>> ibformation.
>>
>> Since retiring I have been building circuits on stripboard which is 
>> never
>> very satisfactory.
>>
>> So I have resurrected the copy of PROTEL which fell into my cardboard 
>> box
>> when I required and designed proper circuit boards.  It is convenient 
>> that
>> the schematic editor, Tinycad, can output Protel nelists.
>>
>> Now I need a cheap manufacturer.  In the first instance I will put price
>> above quality since, in my experience,  first attempts usually 
>> contain some
>> flaw that necessitates a redesign..
>>
>> Also can anyone recommend a free Gerber viewer now that GCPreview is no
>> longer free?
>> __________________________________________
>> David C Brown
>
>
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