An Idea of Saving Money in PCB Prototyping

[ezpcb]

Set up fee are required by all PCB Prototyping manufactures. The fee is calculated by types of PCB. There's a way of saving money: jointing several PCB boards into one big board, then ask the manufacturers to devide them as your wish.
I had just told one of my new customers to joint 3 boards together, he is very exciting but I lost $120 set up fee...It's a bad idea for me, isn't it?

mike


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www.ezpcb.com

 

[Andrea]

Hi Mike,

but if you joint more PCBs into one how do you manage production? I suppose you have to manufacture the same quantity of PCBs for each kind, so this solution is ok only if the boards are related to the same project or system.

Did I understand well, or is it possible for example to manufacture 1K pcs of one PCB and 10K pcs of the other?

Andrea

 

[ezpcb]

Hi Mike,

but if you joint more PCBs into one how do you manage production? I suppose you have to manufacture the same quantity of PCBs for each kind, so this solution is ok only if the boards are related to the same project or system.

Did I understand well, or is it possible for example to manufacture 1K pcs of one PCB and 10K pcs of the other?

Andrea

Hi Andrea:
You are right, the jointed PCB must have the same required quantity. That's why I said "In Prototyping". Infact the customers needn't to pay the setup fee when the quantity reachs several hundreds.
mike


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www.ezpcb.com

 

[juggernaut7]

Andrea, to answer your question, you could step and repeat 10 smaller images on the same panel as one larger one to get your 10:1 ratio. V-score route everything and if you are clever and leave thieving area along the sides, you could even break the panel into two smaller panels, one containing the 1-up and the other containing the 10-ups and assemble them both seperately using the same hold down fixture.

 

[ezpcb]

Andrea, to answer your question, you could step and repeat 10 smaller images on the same panel as one larger one to get your 10:1 ratio. V-score route everything and if you are clever and leave thieving area along the sides, you could even break the panel into two smaller panels, one containing the 1-up and the other containing the 10-ups and assemble them both seperately using the same hold down fixture.

That's great for prototyping,
But not economical for mass production.
And such jointing are not allowed by most manufacturers.

mike