3 ms·

Custom PCBs can be gotten from Aisler, based in the Netherlands

sokoloff 1y ago
I haven’t quoted Aisler, but I did talk to three or four US-based PCB/PCBA houses for a hobby project I was working on that ended up selling around 100 units. The US houses were 20-50x JLC/PCBWay at prototype volume and 10-25x at low volume. Their proto assembly turn times were only a day better. Unless something has to be done in the US for some specific reason (export controls or contractual reasons), I don’t see how to justify doing it on-shore.
progbits 1y ago
I live in EU and like the idea, both as support for local economy and lower environment impact from shipping. I've tried aisler instead of jlc/pcbway twice and I regret both orders. For more money I got the boards later, of worse quality and with bad customer support experience when one of my orders was lost. Sorry but they simply are not anywhere close to the chinese options.
- voidUpdate 1y ago
  You should probably let GreatScott know that so he stops getting sponsorships from them :P
  - progbits 1y ago
    Good for him to get the money. I skip all these with sponsorblock, can't trust them to give honest review. Nobody should either. On the other hand if I already know I want to use a product I search for it on youtube and if I find a video with coupon in the description from a channel I know (or least seems decent) I use it. Make the advertisers think it works and pay more, and I get a discount.
all2 1y ago
Or OshPark out of Oregon, USA. If you need kiting and assembly of the board there are plenty of board houses on the West Coast that will do it for you.
- the__alchemist 1y ago
  OshPark is fine for bare PCB, but as you point out, they don't do assembly. What does it cost to get a prototype or small production run of a smallish, assembled PCB using OshPark + one of the West coast board houses? I want what you say to be true, but I'm suspicious, unless something has changed recently. My research indicates unless you're looking at 10k+ quantity, it will cost OOM more than Shenzhen. But, I'm not familiar with the specific services you mention.
  - all2 1y ago
    Depends. I've seen fairly complex micro controllers go for about 200 per board assembled for a short run of 10 to 20

I haven’t quoted Aisler, but I did talk to three or four US-based PCB/PCBA houses for a hobby project I was working on that ended up selling around 100 units. The US houses were 20-50x JLC/PCBWay at prototype volume and 10-25x at low volume. Their proto assembly turn times were only a day better. Unless something has to be done in the US for some specific reason (export controls or contractual reasons), I don’t see how to justify doing it on-shore.

progbits 1y ago

I live in EU and like the idea, both as support for local economy and lower environment impact from shipping. I've tried aisler instead of jlc/pcbway twice and I regret both orders. For more money I got the boards later, of worse quality and with bad customer support experience when one of my orders was lost. Sorry but they simply are not anywhere close to the chinese options.

voidUpdate 1y ago
You should probably let GreatScott know that so he stops getting sponsorships from them :P
- progbits 1y ago
  Good for him to get the money. I skip all these with sponsorblock, can't trust them to give honest review. Nobody should either. On the other hand if I already know I want to use a product I search for it on youtube and if I find a video with coupon in the description from a channel I know (or least seems decent) I use it. Make the advertisers think it works and pay more, and I get a discount.

all2 1y ago

Or OshPark out of Oregon, USA. If you need kiting and assembly of the board there are plenty of board houses on the West Coast that will do it for you.

the__alchemist 1y ago
OshPark is fine for bare PCB, but as you point out, they don't do assembly. What does it cost to get a prototype or small production run of a smallish, assembled PCB using OshPark + one of the West coast board houses? I want what you say to be true, but I'm suspicious, unless something has changed recently. My research indicates unless you're looking at 10k+ quantity, it will cost OOM more than Shenzhen. But, I'm not familiar with the specific services you mention.
- all2 1y ago
  Depends. I've seen fairly complex micro controllers go for about 200 per board assembled for a short run of 10 to 20