JLCPCB SMT Assembly Service

[milordy]

Post in the forum link of this script to proteus please.
I used altium, I was first generating BOM and CPL manually, and it was wrong, there was time that on the site jlcpcb did not even look like designator, even though everything is according to this tutorial (https://support.jlcpcb.com/article/81-how-to -generate-bill-of-materials-and-component-placement-list-from-altium), then found a script in a forum (http://club.szlcsc.com/article/details_10024_1.html) and was able to correctly display the designator, but positioned it looked wrong. I also tested on proteus, and did not have good results doing it manually, maybe with script help.

[mskeete]

Post in the forum link of this script to proteus please.
I used altium, I was first generating BOM and CPL manually, and it was wrong, there was time that on the site jlcpcb did not even look like designator, even though everything is according to this tutorial (https://support.jlcpcb.com/article/81-how-to -generate-bill-of-materials-and-component-placement-list-from-altium), then found a script in a forum (http://club.szlcsc.com/article/details_10024_1.html) and was able to correctly display the designator, but positioned it looked wrong. I also tested on proteus, and did not have good results doing it manually, maybe with script help.

There's no link as it's something I wrote myself last week just as the service was being opened up to more users.
I've attached the file. Rename from .txt to .pl and then run it from the command prompt (you'll need Perl (version 5) installed) with the name of your proteus PKP file.
It will create two new files in the same place.
You can upload the generated files straight away but I prefer to edit the BOM file and put the LCSC part numbers in.
That saves time in the long run if you have to go back and forth a bit between screens. e.g.

Only tested with my relatively old version of Proteus (7.8 SP2). Newer versions of Proteus allow you to do it a different way.
There's also a few rotation angle 'hacks' in the script for a few of the packages (around line 35). Every time I find a package that doesn't preview correctly, I update that section.

Let me know if it helps

[stoepie2002]

When I upload the gerbers and then my BOM and CPL, the tooling stops/fails to select parts from the library after 22 different components (IE different values). I need to select a lot of components manually. When I hit the search button the proper value component is found, but the package isn't, so that needs some clicking. A real pain as I need to repeat each time after correcting some rotation issues. 

If I add some optional SMT order codes, only the components with the order codes are there, nothing else. 

I contacted JLCPCB support, and they said it's a bug they are working to solve. Their support is fast and very friendly. Hmmm....

[stoepie2002]

I have modified the existing Eagle ULP file to generate the placement file for SMD components.

It now creates a BOM and a CPL file (as CSV), which work [for me, today] for JLCPB's SMT service.

I added an optional section where components can be defined (value + package combo) to offer rotation offset and optional order code abilities (line 25 onwards).

You will find the ULP file here. The board doesn't allow .ulp files, so please rename the .txt to .ulp.

Let me know what you think.

[SteveyG]

I've put my findings here:

[stoepie2002]

I've added an option to the CPL and BOM creation ULP.

It's now possible to add an attribute to a component, named "MOUNT" and to set the value to "NO".

That component will then not be in the CPL/BOM files (obviously, only SMT components make it to these files as it's for SMT production).

Attached is the updated .ulp (again as .txt) and some printscreens showing where and how to add the attribute in Eagle.

I'd like to receive your feedback.

[steenerson]

Thanks stoepie, I used the first ULP you posted and it worked great! I didn't try anything special with attributes/codes, just ran it as-is and then manually fixed rotations. I'll try the new one next time.

At first every part was showing up in JLC's viewer with an incorrect offset, all looked misaligned by the same x+y amount. The coordinates were all correct in the generated CPL file so I spent an hour tweaking my gerber files thinking something was causing 0,0 to be detected incorrectly, but in the end I just had to fix the rotations and somehow that fixed the alignment too.

I found that the site autofills the search field in the part selector with whatever the part value in Eagle is set to, so setting values to the part number is useful for some parts. It also splits up the same part with different values into separate lines, so I was able to populate a subset of some parts by appending 'DNP' to the values.

[stoepie2002]

Hi steenerson, thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear it works for you as well.

I had similar placement issues, and after simply re-sending the same data things worked. I think JLC has some issues to iron out.

Adding DNP to a value is also a clever way to not process parts (Do Not Process?). Clever.

-David

[sokoloff]

Do Not Populate.

[stoepie2002]

Or Do Not Place...   

[stoepie2002]

So... I did a board that did not have the SMT's on the Top but on the Bot. And... the ULP didn't work, 

Tried a bunch of things to discover that the top side needs 'Top' and the bottom side indeed needs 'Bottom' instead of 'Bot'. 

Attached is the corrected version (rename from .txt to .ulp again)..

Sorry folks.

[juwi]

Well, I am a bit frustrated right now.
I think a lot of you have seen components out of stock. Nevermind, they will restock you might have thought...

Official answer to this question:

• ME: ads1262 is out of stock as you said, so it is now available right now dear , sorry for that
  what do I have to do to get it re-stocked?
  would you please answer this ?
  
• SUPPORT:   dear, i need to apply for ads1262 to get restock, waiting the approval from our manager. so it will take some times.
  
• ME:    but it is possible?
  
• SUPPORT:   can you jog our memory by email if no response by end of this week ? i can not guarantee it but up to our manager
  
  

For those who are not that well in asian communications, no answer means NO
Any further questions on that matter where left unanswered for many days up to now (still unanswered)

So - if a part is out of stock - you wont get it. And if it is now in stock and sells out - there is no restocking whatsoever.
Seeing this it is quite sassy to claim to have 30k parts, if you count mosfets, there is a LOT out of stock...
and with other parts too...

That really makes it less worth, for you cant even design to their library...

best regards
Julian

[Fire Doger]

Well, I am a bit frustrated right now.
I think a lot of you have seen components out of stock. Nevermind, they will restock you might have thought...

Official answer to this question:

• ME: ads1262 is out of stock as you said, so it is now available right now dear , sorry for that
  what do I have to do to get it re-stocked?
  would you please answer this ?
  
• SUPPORT:   dear, i need to apply for ads1262 to get restock, waiting the approval from our manager. so it will take some times.
  
• ME:    but it is possible?
  
• SUPPORT:   can you jog our memory by email if no response by end of this week ? i can not guarantee it but up to our manager
  
  

For those who are not that well in asian communications, no answer means NO
Any further questions on that matter where left unanswered for many days up to now (still unanswered)

So - if a part is out of stock - you wont get it. And if it is now in stock and sells out - there is no restocking whatsoever.
Seeing this it is quite sassy to claim to have 30k parts, if you count mosfets, there is a LOT out of stock...
and with other parts too...

That really makes it less worth, for you cant even design to their library...

best regards
Julian

how many hundred pcs did you order?

[mskeete]

I'm also hoping they restock certain parts.
I emailed them and suggested they add a "notify me when back in stock" button but I doubt that's going to happen

[juwi]

[...]

how many hundred pcs did you order?

The actual order was about 50,which is half of max possible. So the question how many hundred with a service limited to One hundred absolute is a bit...
Best regards
Julian

[cyberfish]

A bit strange that they don't have any connector in stock, basic or extended. Not even USB connectors.

[Fire Doger]

[...]

how many hundred pcs did you order?

The actual order was about 50,which is half of max possible. So the question how many hundred with a service limited to One hundred absolute is a bit...
Best regards
Julian

There is not max possible... 
Reel from TI is 2000 pcs (info from digikey reel price)
It's an expensive part with probably very low demand and 3 months Lead Time
It doesn't make sense for their business model to stock expensive parts that don't sell. They are 7$ more expensive from digikey (for whatever reason), other than their assembly offer I can't see why to buy it from them...
Even digikey has only 1k pieces (probably they got 1 reel and sold 1k in tapes from it).
LCSC is not the place to buy parts with Unobtainium, it's for generic cheap parts because their location is closer to the source.

[juwi]

That was an example. And actually yes, you can't order more than 100 assembled boards.
So how does your argument make sense in a product (assembly, 5-MAX100) where they offer a library and have no stock on, dunno, 30-40% of the items?

The product is especially for LOW quantity assembly. So their stock has to match this.

Anyway

I got a mail back today, regarding the mosfet drivers I also asked for, they told me to look for what they have in stock and Design by that.

As I did this and ran into the issue that the stock of the fortier mosfet driver went from 1700 to zero in one day, I was not very pleased with the answer.   

I called them back and with a lot of misunderstanding I seem to have understand the following answer:

Sorry, we are working on a software solution for the frontend to order out of stock parts.

I personally give my understanding of that about 3 out of 10 that I got her answer right.
so, at last there seems to be hope. We will see.
they actually added components, Ws2812 leds are now present, only chips where few days ago.
and the two boards they assembled arrived today and I like the quality of their assembly.

We'll see.
yours
Julian

[Fire Doger]

Then I guess they are really on edge to offer max quantity, big runs doesn't bring them money?

I guess their library includes what has been programmed and addressed at least once in their assembly line.
I can't find something wrong on their side other than marketing bs.
And I don't find them comparable to anyone else to give them a rating.
They use only their pcb, and only their parts. That's puts them in a different category of assembly services which has its pros and cons...
And ofc the low price is a result of doing their thing like robots and don't offer good support... I don't find it bad, it's more like an other option in the market...

[OwO]

More like the only option if you don't want to waste lots of money and also don't want to solder 200 passives by hand. JLC SMT is one of the reasons I stayed in China in the first place, and it enabled me to prototype 10s of different designs a month while not getting back injury. It's good for what it's for - soldering passives for prototypes. Don't use it for production or expect to do zero soldering.

[spongle]

More like the only option if you don't want to waste lots of money and also don't want to solder 200 passives by hand. JLC SMT is one of the reasons I stayed in China in the first place, and it enabled me to prototype 10s of different designs a month while not getting back injury. It's good for what it's for - soldering passives for prototypes. Don't use it for production or expect to do zero soldering.

So how do you use a stencil to put down the rest of your parts?

If your answer is "you don't" then no thanks, I'll just build it properly in one reflow.

[stoepie2002]

On a few boards I've developed, I can get 200+ parts done bij JLC and then I have to manually add a dozen or so. I don't have any problem with that.

Some simple components should be basic components but aren't, which is frustrating.

[OwO]

So how do you use a stencil to put down the rest of your parts?

If your answer is "you don't" then no thanks, I'll just build it properly in one reflow.

I generally design my boards so that all JLC unsolderable parts are on one side. For the few parts that are on the same side as the passives I just tin the pads and use hot air. I generally avoid using a stencil for prototypes unless there are a lot of parts to solder because I find it wasteful.

[spongle]

So how do you use a stencil to put down the rest of your parts?

If your answer is "you don't" then no thanks, I'll just build it properly in one reflow.

I generally design my boards so that all JLC unsolderable parts are on one side. For the few parts that are on the same side as the passives I just tin the pads and use hot air. I generally avoid using a stencil for prototypes unless there are a lot of parts to solder because I find it wasteful.

Wasteful of what? A stencil from JLC adds like $5 to your order if you have it trimmed to fit in the box with your PCBs.

I'd rather not alter my designs to fit the constraints of some half baked PCBA.

[SteveyG]

More like the only option if you don't want to waste lots of money and also don't want to solder 200 passives by hand. JLC SMT is one of the reasons I stayed in China in the first place, and it enabled me to prototype 10s of different designs a month while not getting back injury. It's good for what it's for - soldering passives for prototypes. Don't use it for production or expect to do zero soldering.

So how do you use a stencil to put down the rest of your parts?

If your answer is "you don't" then no thanks, I'll just build it properly in one reflow.

You could design a stencil with cut-outs around already placed parts.