| Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff |
| What to do with extra proto PCBs? |
| (1/3) > >> |
| analogo:
Cheap PCB prototype houses usually send 5 or 10 PCBs per order. But all my order are real one-off "prototypes": I just need one or two PCBs to test if the design is working. If it is, I will move to the next step and design another part of the circuit. Now I have plenty of useless PCBs. :-// What could I do with them? What do you do with your extra PCBs other than throwing them away? |
| Kjelt:
Then why order 5 or 10 if you know in front you will max need two? :-// It is like some people at the all inclusive buffet, they stack their plates full , only eat half and throw the rest away, it is a waste and can easily be prevented. ;) |
| ataradov:
With prototype boards you often have no option but to order 5 or 10. Even if you order fewer, they still send their minimal quantity. Non-standard orders interfere with their flow. I just store them and occasionally use them for prototypes, since they often have footprints that standard prototype boards don't have. I also keep at least one of which for historical record reasons. I eventually want to create a "wall of fame" (or shame, it depends :) ). |
| analogo:
--- Quote from: Kjelt on November 20, 2018, 10:10:28 pm ---Then why order 5 or 10 if you know in front you will max need two? :-// --- End quote --- What? Have you ever ordered from PCBWay or Elecrow? They do not accept orders for less than five boards. Usually you get 6 or 10. Our proto boards are just material to fill panels dedicated to more important and time-sensitive boards. Usually the important boards are ordered in multiples of 5, so we get 5. In the unusual (but not rare) case in which an important board is ordered in multiples of, say, 7 you get 7, and so on. I once asked them to manufacture only two and they said nope, we can't do less than 5. It makes no economic sense to them. Not many friends of the environment in those PCB houses, it seems. |
| ataradov:
--- Quote from: analogo on November 20, 2018, 10:21:00 pm ---Not many friends of the environment in those PCB houses, it seems. --- End quote --- There is nothing they can do about it anyway. There is going to be unused hole in the panel anyway. The additional cost of etching a design there is negligible for the environment. |
| Navigation |
| Message Index |
| Next page |