Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs • Hacker News Board

Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#1

Post by elijahparker » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 2:21 PM UTC

Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs
seeedstudio.com

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#2

Post by elijahparker » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 2:24 PM UTC

I've used their service in the past when it was limited to 4 layers and have always been very happy with it. I had to find a new source for my last 6-layer board that was much more expensive.

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#3

Post by blackguardx » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:06 PM UTC

elijahparker wrote: post #2

I've used their service in the past when it was limited to 4 layers and have always been very happy with it. I had to find a new source for my last 6-layer board that was much more expensive.

pcbcart.com has always been my choice for chinese PCBs. They have really good capabilities compared to budget board houses.

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#4

Post by 2bluesc » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:12 PM UTC

I used their 2-layer service a while back it wasn't impressed, primary issues were solder mask wasn't up to spec, silkscreen was rough, and some copper was removed from areas that should have met their spec.

I wound up going with pcbway.com on the same gerbers and have used them many times since.

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#5

Post by schwarrrtz » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:18 PM UTC

Seeed also does a fair bit of open source work - I've used their CAN library and the associated Arduino shield fairly extensively, and it's worked out quite well. Would recommend.

https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/CAN_BUS_Shield

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#6

Post by SkookumCoocher » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:20 PM UTC

I currently use goldphoenix. How do they compare to them?

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#7

Post by Etheryte » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:26 PM UTC

Since I've ever only done rather simple boards: when would you actually need 16 layers? How complex of a component are we talking about when it would be feasible to use that many layers?

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#8

Post by honkhonkpants » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:26 PM UTC

I hope I never see the day I have to route 16 layers.

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#9

Post by TaylorAlexander » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:27 PM UTC

I've had over 8000 PCBs produced through Seeed, including 4000 assembled PCBAs, and I'm generally pretty happy with them. I can run a global electronics business out of my apartment because of Seeed.

We did have one major production issue where a critical part was substituted for an out of spec part without authorization and without anyone at Seeed knowing about it. [1] That was very frustrating. But once I came up with a software fix, Seeed had their local rep Erin (who is amazing) take the 3000 boards I had, set up a programming station I provided in her basement, and run a 30 second programming and calibration routine on each one. The boards work now.

So yeah. Even with as easy as Seeed makes it, production issues happen. But I'm sticking with Seeed for future production runs.

Seeed if you're reading this, can we get an option for silkscreen color on your fusion service? Thanks!

[1] https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flutterwireless/flutter...

Re: Fusion – One-stop prototyping service for PCBs

#10

Post by honkhonkpants » Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 3:32 PM UTC

Etheryte wrote: post #7

Since I've ever only done rather simple boards: when would you actually need 16 layers? How complex of a component are we talking about when it would be feasible to use that many layers?

Usually you might need this if your software fails to route with "only" 14 layers.