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Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:14:41 -0700
From: Colin D Bennett <colin AT gibibit DOT com>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: [geda-user] board fab
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On Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:50:26 -0500
John Griessen <john AT ecosensory DOT com> wrote:

> On 04/27/2012 08:41 AM, Colin D Bennett wrote:
> > Oliver Schinagl wrote:
> >> Seeed charges 9.99 USD for 10x 5cmx5cm. So that's 50 cm^2  for
> >> >  9.99. That's 80 of those mini pcb's. Even if I break 50%
> >> > from not being able to cut properly, I still have 40 PCB's
> >> > for 9.99 with free shipping (I think, but even so).
> > I didn't realize you were making quite a few boards.
> >
> > Wow, that is cheap.  That comes out to only US$0.26/in^2.
> > How is the quality?  I might use that for larger boards or
> > bigger runs if it is decent.
> 
> Wouldn't it be 2.54 x 2.54 = sq cm/sq in = 6.45.  Then the 50
> cm^2 ==> 7.75 sq in which means the price is $1.28/sq. in.

The Seeed Studio Fusion PCB service 
<http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/fusion-pcb-service-p-835.html>
price is for ten boards.
10 USD / (10 boards * (5 cm * 5 cm)/board) or about 0.2578 USD/in^2.

> dorkbotpdx's medium run deal is:
> http://dementeddiode.org/blog/2011/03/a-medium-run-service-for-open-source-hardware/
> "multiples of 10, and with a minimum of a 150 square inch
> another beta run on May 9th" "$1.30 a square inch.  Postage
> included, and no setup fee. The first “beta” run would be $1 per
> square inch."
> 
> so they would sell the same area for $7.75, $10.07, but those
> areas don't make minimums.
> 
> It's a similar price.  The boards are tab routed, so edges will
> have a rough spot where a tab is broken off.

True.  Taking a large, flat file to the edge really improves it,
and it's no problem for a few prototypes, but for more than a few
it is tedious, so if you want clean edges it may not be the best
choice.

> I've had good results with myropcb.com, where I could add gold
> plated edge connectors and still be under $1/sq in. with no rough
> spots, and packaged in shrink wraps of 25 each with silica gel in
> them.  The turn time was less than 3 weeks -- 1.5 or 2 wks I
> think. Payment was by paypal, no need for a wire transfer, Hong
> Kong dollars or RMB money changing. Those prices were 14 months
> ago, might have gone up.

Good to know about myropcb.com, I will take note next time I have
a medium run to do.

Regards,
Colin