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Just curious, what about "PCBA" services i.e. those places that make the PCBs but also mount / solder components for you? Is it generally possible to give them
by gregsadetsky 3y ago
Just curious, what about "PCBA" services i.e. those places that make the PCBs but also mount / solder components for you?
Is it generally possible to give them a BOM and ask to populate a whole board (i.e. order and receive a completed board, without having to solder everything)? Or are there necessarily going to be parts -- like the Cypress or Lattice chips here -- that the PCBA vendor will probably not have access to?
I'm just imagining a middle point between "here's a BOM" and "here's a finished product you can order" (with all of the regulatory issues that you're describing).
Could there be a "click here to have it created & soldered for you, but for this to still be a DIY thing" i.e. one click order-a-finished-board?
- mschuster91 3y agoSpirit of the law vs letter of the law.
- wrs 3y agoTo order assembled boards from JLCPCB you just have to upload the PCB design files and BOM/placement files and give them a credit card. People are even recommending ordering the Cypress part from LCSC (JLCPCB’s parts division) already. So they might be able to completely assemble this with a straightforward enough order process. However, the minimum assembly order is two boards. Edit: Another potential issue is that their in-stock parts do vary, so you wouldn’t be guaranteed of a successful order from an old BOM. The designer would probably need to update the files periodically.
- iancmceachern 3y agoGetting the boards physically manufactured is just the tip of the iceberg. There is typically FCC testing that costs tens of thousands, emc/emissions testing, and then dafety testing (UL, etc.) If it's required. It can cost hundreds of thousands to do all those things just to legally be allowed to sell your product in any real quantity.