Market for small production runs of less than 100 boards

[mrpackethead]

Macrofab is the answer.

[iampoor]

Macrofab is the answer.

I need to look at them again, but IIRC they charge a ton for through hole parts and seem more targeted at making small SMD widgets and boards. I know plenty of people that build small productions runs of audio gear, and the requirements dont scale well to many contract assembly houses (Large, sparsely populated boards, and plenty of through hole parts). Of course, I could be completely mistaken, and should probably look again. 

[mrpackethead]

TH is always going to be expensive. 

[Nauris]

I wonder if there are any completely automated PCB manufacturing services using DLP technology for the mask, allowing you to scrap the need for masks.

Don't know about DLP but there are nice inkjet machines that print etch resist directly. No need for masks&exposure&develop. And solder resist and component print can also be just printed direct.
For example:
http://www.microcraft.co.jp/mjp/lineup/cpf.html

[DerekG]

And more details on conductive ink printers can be found here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/making-pcbs-using-conductive-ink-printer-(ie-voltera-v-one)/msg1295698/#msg1295698

[zeqing]

nice to meet you here,   how is the project krunch king now?

[iampoor]

nice to meet you here,   how is the project krunch king now?

I stopped selling them, putting it through a redesign after all the hardware issues I had. Where do I know you from? 

[coppice]

I wonder if there are any completely automated PCB manufacturing services using DLP technology for the mask, allowing you to scrap the need for masks.

Major PCB producers no longer use masks to make prototype quantities.

I think some places are using ink jet resist printers. Ink jet techniques are gradually working their way into all sorts of production processes, like putting images on ceramic tiles, where a thick layer of the "ink" material needs to be applied. This might mean ink jet techniques spread to more electronics processes. It might be how things like carbon pads and now applied to low volume PCBs.

Some places use projection techniques to expose a photoresist. I believe some of these systems use DLP tchniques, and some use a similar scanning technique to a laser printer.

[zeqing]

nice to meet you here,   how is the project krunch king now?

I stopped selling them, putting it through a redesign after all the hardware issues I had. Where do I know you from? 

i run a PCB assembly studio in shenzhen called makerfabs with some friends, and once i quoted for you.... your name really special that i still remember you after 3 years...