[sdiy] PCB Panel Recommendations

[Tom Bugs]

Similar to Mark, I'm still tending to use PCBcart for panels, having 
tried others like JLC & PCBway.

The issues are only ever surface cosmetics - scratches, blemishes, 
error-marks, not things that are particularly a worry for regular PCB 
production, but which will never look acceptable for a front-panel.
Yes, despite trying the 'superb' quality from JLC & emailing about 
careful handling, the results were never good enough.

So, yeah, I still get some variance with PCBcart and often have large 
quantities that must be discarded - this *really* feels bad - such an 
incredible waste!
It seems hit & miss as to which runs come back great and which come back 
with nasty surface scratches.

One thing I've been trying, partly because my panels are kind of double 
thickness (3.2mm vs 1.6mm) is to order double quantities in 1.6mm, so 
that any bad ones can go on the back.
But this isn't a perfect route due to occasional circuit requirements 
etc. - it only works for 'passive' panels, not ones with touch-plates etc.

So, yeah, still the one area that continually manages to tickle my goaty 
bits...

Tom

On 05/08/2022 11:09, mark verbos via Synth-diy wrote:
> My company did a touchplate keyboard that uses glossy black and red layers. We had to reject about 25% of the black ones even after they charged us an extra fee “to make it look good”.
> We also did a touchplate keyboard that is matte black with white print and gold plating (like Instruo or Make Noise) and so far have rejected more than half of them. Tony from Make Noise once told me that if it appears to be how it was manufactured, they roll with it but if it looks like they scratched it, they chuck it.
> We use PCB Cart. I wouldn’t recommend using matte black, especially on a 4 layer board with blind Vias and a huge amount of gold plating (they are CRAZY expensive).
> But, maybe you are comfortable with more “variation” or a more “lived in look” than we are.
>
> I think I can say with some certainty that Jason from Instruo is not flying to China to inspect the production line, if that’s what you mean.
>
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>> On Aug 5, 2022, at 5:56 AM, Mike Beauchamp <list at mikebeauchamp.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Chris,
>> I'm curious about what qualities issues you've noticed with JLC? I'm currently considering them for an upcoming job and haven't had issues with them so far (but never used them for aesthetically important stuff)
>>
>> I noticed they have a new feature for a "high quality" silkscreen layer, which could be helpful for front-panel PCB uses.
>>
>> I haven't seen Instruo's stuff in person yet (maybe someone will have some at Knobcon?), but is that not just a matte black resist with gold enig finish?
>>
>> It might be more about your PCB software and the resolution available when converting graphics directly to copper layer etching?
>>
>> Also Pete Hartman made a really good point that Instruo would definitely be discarding flawed boards during an inspection if there's some sort of inconsistencies that come up occasionally.
>>
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> On 8/4/22 16:58, Chris McDowell via Synth-diy wrote:
>>> Howdy list,
>>> I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions or insights for where to get quality PCB panels for eurorack modules. I've used itead studio and PCBWay in the past, JLCPCB most recently, but they all have had some quality issues and inconsistency. I look at Instruo, for example, and am jealous of tasty and consistent they look :) though maybe I'm just imagining that they're better!
>>> Any recommendations out there? This would be for black / matte black, exposed ENIG finish for graphics.
>>> Cheers,
>>> Chris M.
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