pcb panalizing - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: hsn93
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 09:54:16 am
content: hello,im reading about pcb manufacturing ...i played with few instant quote pcb .. they provide "different designs in 1 panel" and it increase the price ..so i had a question, what if someone put different designs in 1 panel ? why they still take money ? its the same quantity and dimensions ..

author: Fire Doger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 11:02:58 am
content: Last time I checked fee was ~10$ for each extra design, no matter if you order 10pcs or 1k.So the reason is not about manufacturing, it's somewhere in setup process, that's why it is charged only once.Although I can't understand the difference in setup process between 2 different designs, they just copy paste your design in a bigger panel together with other orders.Why electrical connection matters?The other reason that I give is because if you add many designs in cheap offers (100x100 for ex.) they loose potential money.I have ordered a pcb from PCBWay with 6 different "designs" in it (5 mechanical for enclosure) , clearly not connected, with milling between them, mouse bites and some big cutouts for connectors, they didn't charge a penny more and I have no idea why.Maybe because I kept pure square outline and copy pasting in big panel was easier?

author: hsn93
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 11:49:57 am
content: Quotethis is exactly my question,i dont know how to do it because i've no experiencebut this is the idea that came in mind when i saw the price difference which i know its not hard process ..now it cost more, around 20$ .. eventhough i put "panel by customer" which is the "copy paste" thing,,, right ?i can see in JLCPCB they say its hard for seperating but dont they just ship all the panel ?https://support.jlcpcb.com/article/49-pcb-panelization

author: josip
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 06:15:29 am
content: Quote from: hsn93 on April 17, 2018, 09:54:16 amITEAD not charge for multiple designs, they charge if you want from them to cut it. I ordered 5x5cm with 2 and 3 different designs without price increase, and I cut boards by myself.

author: Fire Doger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 08:16:54 am
content: When you order separate pieces they use very big FR4, they put your boards with others and they try to fit as many as possible. This means that maybe 1 of your board is top left corner, next to it someone's else PCB and then 1 more yours etc... (From what I have seen in YouTube videos)At the end they mill all and pack them.If you check panel (either by you or manufacturer) your boards will be in a small FR4 all together without someone's else PCB.If you need V-Groove you can't do it in big FR4 with many boards because of the process, it cuts a straight line from end to end. You have to use panels. (Also from YouTube videos)I assume:If your board is a panel (made by you without V-Groove) and you order it as single pieces they just copy paste them on big FR4 and there is nothing different in setup. (That's why they didn't change me more)If you order as a panel the setup is different from regular and somewhere there is extra cost for different designs. Maybe on verification, idk...Some manufacturer may work different or they don't separate them, I have seen in this forum that Allpcb did charge extra for separate designs (in same board) ordered as regular single pieces. (As the example in my previous post)I don't know if your manufacturer does it but many will check PCB files before manufacturing and payment and if there is extra cost or something wrong they tell you and you can cancel the order.If your manufacturer is hungry for customers probably you can nagociate it too.