USA PCBA

[stern0m1]

Any recommendations for a US-based PCB assembly manufacturing company?

For relatively small jobs. From prototypes to a few hundred pieces.

Easy to deal with and cost are important considerations.

I've used an overseas company for a number of years and I was very pleased with them however I want to see how much more will cost if we could do it at home in the USA.

When I looked into it years ago couldn't find anyone in the USA with half-decent prices.
Thanks!

[stretchyman]

OSHPARK.

However no idea why you'd use them as the are X4 the cost. I used to and quality is very good. However so is JLC at 1/4 cost.

J.

[stern0m1]

I am not familiar with JLC.
Do they manufacture in the USA?

[thm_w]

I am not familiar with JLC.
Do they manufacture in the USA?

No JLCPCB is in china, and not sure why they recommend oshpark as they don't do assembly.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricalEngineering/comments/150iepj/low_cost_prototype_pcb_assembly_in_the_usa/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PrintedCircuitBoard/comments/t7qz34/us_alternatives_to_oshpark/
https://pcbshopper.com/

[rounin]

Screaming Circuits, last I used them they were pricey for small jobs and not terrible for 50-100 parts - the setup fees were kinda high.

IIRC they use Sunstone for the PCB (or you can send them the pcb). They do the PCBA in house. They are in Oregon.

I've switched to JLC mostly. Even with shipping and tarrifs and inventory risk of having parts in China (instead of on my shelf), it has been much cheaper and faster. We'll see if that stays true next year.... There is a small domestic shop I use for hand PCBA sometimes too. Lots of those around but can be hard to find, usually ends up costing $$$.

Off topic rant: I wish JLC would hold the parts under a carnet, if you consign them parts you have to pay VAT/import tarrif into China, and then US import tarrif again. But even after that it is still cheaper. I worry about the future of US prototype manufacturing.

[oPossum]

https://www.macrofab.com/

https://cybercitycircuits.com/

[globoy]

https://www.macrofab.com/

https://cybercitycircuits.com/

Do you have an idea of generally how expensive these vendors are?

You have to submit a RFQ to get any pricing from cybercity.

macrofab has an online demo of their quote process using an Arduino Uno clone PCB assembly.  This is cool but the prices I got are not.  At qty 250 they are quoting almost $88 per board for a 22 day turn, $84 for a 54 day turn. 

[ebastler]

Off topic rant: I wish JLC would hold the parts under a carnet, if you consign them parts you have to pay VAT/import tarrif into China, and then US import tarrif again. But even after that it is still cheaper. I worry about the future of US prototype manufacturing.

I believe that this works better when you task JLCPCB with ordering the parts, via their Global Sourcing option. At least for having parts ordered from the US to China, then shipped to Europe on the populated PCBs, I don't think I paid duties twice. (I did pay them once, for import into Germany, as expected.) But I don't know whether it also works for shipping parts from the US and back, avoiding duties entirely?

[kylehunter]

https://www.macrofab.com/

https://cybercitycircuits.com/

Do you have an idea of generally how expensive these vendors are?

You have to submit a RFQ to get any pricing from cybercity.

macrofab has an online demo of their quote process using an Arduino Uno clone PCB assembly.  This is cool but the prices I got are not.  At qty 250 they are quoting almost $88 per board for a 22 day turn, $84 for a 54 day turn.

Yeah, Macrofab will be that way, since they farm out the assembly, you're paying two different shops. We actually are set up to do assembly for them.

If you want to shoot me over anything to quote, I certainly would love to take a crack at it.

Kyle

[rounin]

I believe that this works better when you task JLCPCB with ordering the parts, via their Global Sourcing option. At least for having parts ordered from the US to China, then shipped to Europe on the populated PCBs, I don't think I paid duties twice. (I did pay them once, for import into Germany, as expected.) But I don't know whether it also works for shipping parts from the US and back, avoiding duties entirely?

Yeah, I do buy parts from Global Sourcing or domestic jlc/lcsc stock as much as I can. A couple times I had stock when they didn't though, and had to send my parts to China which they treat as a import. Also sometimes the prices for Global Sourcing are inflated.

But I don't know whether it also works for shipping parts from the US and back, avoiding duties entirely?

Unfortunately no, have to pay on both sides. I did some more looking, and apparently I was wrong, ata carnets doesn't allow importing parts for an assembly that is later exported. Lol, guess that is why they don't do it.