SparkFun Electronics Forum

I usually use BatchPCB and they are brilliant for the price and the quality you get, but I have a project that really needs a different color board that the usual green, and am having trouble even finding a fabrication house that offers them.

Anyone got any preferences to houses they use (I'm in the UK but doesn't matter if have to use abroad services).

I understand the coloured part of the board is the solder resist, correct? So I am basically after alternate coloured solder resists. My first choice being white, but open to options.

None of the low-cost prototype services will be able to supply different solder mask colours, but any of the production board manufacturers should be able to do it. PCB Cart in China definitely can, and I'd have thought that Gold Phoenix can, as well.

If you want low-price, try iteadstudio.

Gold Phoenix will do it for an extra charge. I have used PCBcart for some white PCBs.
/mike

PCBcart is probably the most cost effective, reliable and with the color options you wanted. I just placed an order exactly 8 days ago. Today it will reach my place! Awesome.

Also being in the UK I do no know of any board manufacturers that will not supply a solder resist in other colours.

Apart from Green common colours available are Blue, Black & Red.
If you opt for white then you will want a black legend.

Given that a pool manufacturer will be putting your design with others it will be hard to get prototypes
other than Green unless you either pay more or wait longer AFAIK.

I foften got different coloured boards from Faraday Circuits but they are not a pool/prototype manufacturer.

seeedstudio does colours for a small extra fee.

Cool thanks for all the links guys.

I am just awaiting the fastest delivery time available from OpenPCB and I should be placing the order. I must say their prices appear fantastic, 300off of my board (16x50mm 2mm thick in blue PCB) only $0.31p each, plus a $40 one off tooling cost. Compared to here in UK the best local I found yesterday capable of doing blue PCB is £204 for 104off (single panel) coming in at effectively over £2 ($3.14) per unit, due to a £80 panel setup cost.

However that said, once you go through the entire cart and get to the end with delivery charge of another $45 for standard 8 day it starts to push close to the UK cost, so if there faster lead time pushes the delivery or costs up much more it will in fact be close to the UK price, and I may end up going local with the benefit of future orders not needing the £80 tooling cost, and higher batches bringing down the unit cost.

Where have you tried in the UK?
And what sort of board is it? single/double sided - plating etc?

P&M offer free tooling for new customers.

Tell them Matt the cadstar guy recommended them, Roger may recognise my name & give you a good deal.



(I have no financial connection to them - just been a customer in the past - oh and pass them every Friday)

angelsix wrote:Cool thanks for all the links guys.

I am just awaiting the fastest delivery time available from OpenPCB and I should be placing the order. I must say their prices appear fantastic, 300off of my board (16x50mm 2mm thick in blue PCB) only $0.31p each, plus a $40 one off tooling cost. Compared to here in UK the best local I found yesterday capable of doing blue PCB is £204 for 104off (single panel) coming in at effectively over £2 ($3.14) per unit, due to a £80 panel setup cost.

However that said, once you go through the entire cart and get to the end with delivery charge of another $45 for standard 8 day it starts to push close to the UK cost, so if there faster lead time pushes the delivery or costs up much more it will in fact be close to the UK price, and I may end up going local with the benefit of future orders not needing the £80 tooling cost, and higher batches bringing down the unit cost.

could you please post a link to openpcb? googling for openpcb returns some irrelevant results. thanks