Hi guys, anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. Thanks. -- Dmitriy Fitisov ---------------------- http://www.radier.ca/pic/pictimer.php
PCB: www.olimex.com
Started by ●January 26, 2004
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
In article <6P0Rb.658$gx6.444397694@news.nnrp.ca>, Optimist <never2much@optimizm.com> wrote:>Hi guys, > anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? >Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes.I allllmost did but their Eagle related strangeness finally scared me off. If he hadn't been a little slow to respond to one of my attempts to meet his silkscreen requirements we might have gotten it worked out, but I gave up an did a complete relayout to make a board I could reasonably etch at home. -- Ben Jackson <ben@ben.com> http://www.ben.com/
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
Optimist wrote:> Hi guys, > anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? > Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. > Thanks.I highly recommend them for prototypes, very good quality, fast service. -- Steve Sousa
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
In comp.arch.embedded Optimist <never2much@optimizm.com> wrote: They are a good source for inexpensive prototypes. However I found that their pads delaminate pretty easily if you do hacks or repairs. I am a pretty good tech and own a temperature controlled soldering iron, but found that I usually could not pull a part from a board without pulling the "plate through" out with the part. Maybe I'm not as good as I think I am after 20 years in the business, but this doesn't happen with boards I've had made at other PCB manufacturers. YMMV, DLC : Hi guys, : anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? : Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. : Thanks. : -- : Dmitriy Fitisov : ---------------------- : http://www.radier.ca/pic/pictimer.php -- ============================================================================ * Dennis Clark dlc@frii.com www.techtoystoday.com * * "Programming and Customizing the OOPic Microcontroller" Mcgraw-Hill 2003 * ============================================================================
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
"Dennis Clark" <dlc@io.frii.com> wrote in message news:4014a796$0$70301$75868355@news.frii.net...> In comp.arch.embedded Optimist <never2much@optimizm.com> wrote: > > They are a good source for inexpensive prototypes. However I found that > their pads delaminate pretty easily if you do hacks or repairs. I am a > pretty good tech and own a temperature controlled soldering iron, but > found that I usually could not pull a part from a board without pullingthe> "plate through" out with the part. Maybe I'm not as good as I think I am > after 20 years in the business, but this doesn't happen with boards I've > had made at other PCB manufacturers.Hmm, that's an interesting observation. Do you think they might use the solder/copper-sleeve hole inserts instead of actually doing a electroplate?
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 23:36:12 -0500, "Optimist" <never2much@optimizm.com> wrote:>Hi guys, > anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? >Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes.He's good...but this guy's better www.custompcb.com Better insofar as he's more flexible and takes Protel files so you don't have to futz around with stacks of gerbers. Both of them are better than the US proto boardhouses which look wonderful until you add on all the gottchas and gold plated shipping. M
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
"Optimist" <never2much@optimizm.com> schreef in bericht news:6P0Rb.658$gx6.444397694@news.nnrp.ca...> Hi guys, > anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? > Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. > Thanks.I have used his service 3 times now, and the quality is good. Very low prices also. The order protocol is a bit of hassle, you have to confirm the order by fax. Try to limit the hole sizes to his standard tool rack, each non-standard size is + $5. -- Thanks, Frank. (remove 'x' and 'invalid' when replying by email)
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
"Optimist" <never2much@optimizm.com> writes:> anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? > Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. > Thanks.At least from the European point of view the price is very low and quality quite reasonable for proto work. So, I can recommend their service. However, do not expect top quality. The boards are fine, and they work, but small details are a bit rounded, and the pads may delaminate (I've noticed this, too) when removing components. There may also be manually removed copper bridges. So, I would not use their boards in production, only for prototyping. I have always sent the files in Gerber/Excellon formats (as with any PCB fab), and they seem to handle those fine. - Ville -- Ville Voipio, Dr.Tech., M.Sc. (EE)
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
Ville Voipio wrote:> "Optimist" <never2much@optimizm.com> writes: > > >> anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? >>Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. >>Thanks. > > > At least from the European point of view the price is very > low and quality quite reasonable for proto work. So, I can > recommend their service. > > However, do not expect top quality. The boards are fine, and > they work, but small details are a bit rounded, and the pads > may delaminate (I've noticed this, too) when removing components. > There may also be manually removed copper bridges. So, I would > not use their boards in production, only for prototyping. > > I have always sent the files in Gerber/Excellon formats (as with > any PCB fab), and they seem to handle those fine.I agree - I've used them for prototypes but not for production. Holes aren't drilled all that accurately (probably why they have a large annular ring requirement) and I find that the pads come off easily as well. I did have a lot of trouble once getting them to accept my files, and eventually (after a lot of messing about and sending them several versions) established that their Gerber checking software (Gerbtool from Wise) had a bug (not really their fault). Wise admitted they had a bug and subsequently issued a new version. An interesting point. I had put the silk screen across a couple of SM pads when designing my footprints, and their boards had it removed by their software, so I didn't bother about it. I subsequently had some production boards made by another company from the same files and they came back with the silkscreen on the pads. Leon -- Leon Heller, G1HSM Email: aqzf13@dsl.pipex.com My low-cost Philips LPC210x ARM development system: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller/lpc2104.html
Reply by ●January 26, 20042004-01-26
----> Buy from the good old USA and you won't be sorry> anybody used www.olimex.com to order PCB? > Looks inexpensive at least for prototypes. > Thanks. > -- > Dmitriy Fitisov > ---------------------- > http://www.radier.ca/pic/pictimer.php > > >