If you are attempting to design and market an electronics product and need of a printed circuit board manufactured, you will have to start with prototyping the design. You can make the required printed circuit board prototype all by yourself or you can hire a company or a supplier who specializes in assembling them. However, manufacturing a printed circuit board prototype all by yourself is not an easy task, since you will need assembling and fabrication facilities. This is not a cheap prospect especially if you want to set up these facilities only for prototypes. Outsourcing printed circuit board prototype manufacturing to a company that specializes in manufacturing is a relatively more cost-effective idea. If you want to outsource your printed circuit board prototype manufacturing, you can use the following guidelines to your advantage:
Which Supplier is the best?
You can save a lot of your precious time if you choose to deal with those vendors who have the facility of providing instant Quotes and online PCB Prototype orders. Some suppliers provide a standard “one size fits all” approach on the specifications, but others are friendlier. Suppliers that provide both, a fairly simple cookie cutter quick online quote and a more advanced full spec quoting capability for advanced circuits are generally well rounded. Generally, an online PCB quote facility is very easy to use. The system asks for certain details regarding the PCB prototype including the material, thickness and other specifications. The main objective for hiring a prototype vendor is to save cost so the online quote system should also be able to provide you with all the cost-related aspects of the prototype before you place an order.
How much will it cost?
The cost of manufacturing is inversely proportional to the number of units produced. It means that a large quantity of PCBs will cost you considerably less than a small quantity of the same product. PCB prototypes are, however, manufactured in small quantities because the design of the circuit is not yet finalized. A professional PCB manufacturer possesses the technical know-how which is essential to keep your costs under control. The manufacturer can spread the cost of PCB over several of his clients by setting up an assembly that can be used for making many prototypes. This keeps the overall cost of PCB prototypes comparatively low. Generally one should look for suppliers who have engineering staff available to check the input data and contact with any issues immediately. Most suppliers also have web specials that they offer for new and existing customers.
How long will it take?
When you are choosing a vendor for the purpose of Quickturn PCB prototype manufacturing, you must keep in mind the factors that affect the lead time. If your required prototype has an uncommon design or if it will consist of a material that is rarely used, the vendor will want more time than is usually needed. The reason for such delay is that very few of his customers will require the same material and design. With the help of an on-line quote, you will get a price as well as the tentative lead time. Some suppliers will provide costs and lead times in a matrix to help you choose the best option for your needs.
File Format for PCB Design
When you are choosing a PCB vendor for manufacturing your prototype, you must make sure that they have the ability to work with the file format that you will be providing them. Gerber format is the most widely used file format. If you are using any format other than the Gerber, then make sure that the vendor is comfortable with that format. There are a few PCB manufacturers who also provide designing services. This maybe a good idea since the manufacturer possesses the required technical expertise that enables them to deal with all the pre-assembly issues.
http://quickturnprotos.com/about-us is the only supplier from the Chicago area to provide High Quality, Cost Effective PCB Prototypes with an on-time or Free guarantee also offering Same Day turnaround.
Quick Turn Protos - Home of Cheap PCB Prototypes 