Panelizing and having break-off parts produced.
- Thread starter KR Sound
- Start date
steviejr92
Authorized Vendor
I would like to know as well!!!
KR Sound
Well-known member
Right on. I’ll have to see what the diff would be to have 20 small breakouts vs a 5x4 panel.
temol
Well-known member
Elecrow once charged me extra for 2 different projects in one gerber file. The same as in your example. Main board + 3pdt. The price increase is greater than for 2 separate files. According to the online jlcpcb price calculator, the increase is also high for 2 projects in one gerber.
Robert
Reverse Engineer
Things have changed a bit since they got new shareholders. (Was anyone else here contacted to participate in their yearly financial audit?)
You have to upload your state sales tax exemption form (ST-5) here:
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Robert
Reverse Engineer
With JLCPCB it usually isn't cost effective to panelize multiples of the same PCB, especially considering you'll have to break them apart and you're left with rough edges (if you've ever gotten FR-4 splinters you know).
I panelize 3PDT breakout boards and small things like that because it makes it easier to count and ship multiples. Getting a box of 10000 individual 3PDT breakout boards can be ... fun.
If you do panelize multiples of the same layout you can usually avoid the charge by ordering 20 or more panels, although at some threshold there is a surcharge for "excessive number of slots" if you have any non-round holes. Regardless of how many are in the panel it is still considered a single design as long as they are all exactly the same.
For something that ships as a set like the Kliche Mini above, I panelize for convenience, because otherwise I will forget your breakout board.
These do cost a little extra but it makes it much easier to ship (and keep up with) something that requires multiple parts.
I hand draw those panels. There are programs that can automate the process but I was never happy with the results and I wanted the surrounding frame to make them easier to ship. It's a bit of an involved process but I think the end result is worth it.
I panelize 3PDT breakout boards and small things like that because it makes it easier to count and ship multiples. Getting a box of 10000 individual 3PDT breakout boards can be ... fun.
If you do panelize multiples of the same layout you can usually avoid the charge by ordering 20 or more panels, although at some threshold there is a surcharge for "excessive number of slots" if you have any non-round holes. Regardless of how many are in the panel it is still considered a single design as long as they are all exactly the same.
For something that ships as a set like the Kliche Mini above, I panelize for convenience, because otherwise I will forget your breakout board.
These do cost a little extra but it makes it much easier to ship (and keep up with) something that requires multiple parts.
I hand draw those panels. There are programs that can automate the process but I was never happy with the results and I wanted the surrounding frame to make them easier to ship. It's a bit of an involved process but I think the end result is worth it.
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KR Sound
Well-known member
Right on- that clear things up a bit. I would think that with the volumes you produce they charge by total area? I’m thinking more about my $2 special for 5 and making panels to save a few bucks.With JLCPCB it usually isn't cost effective to panelize multiples of the same PCB, especially considering you'll have to break them apart and you're left with rough edges (if you've ever gotten FR-4 splinters you know).
I panelize 3PDT breakout boards and small things like that because it makes it easier to count and ship multiples. Getting a box of 10000 individual 3PDT breakout boards can be ... fun.
If you do panelize multiples of the same layout you can usually avoid the charge by ordering 20 or more panels, although at some threshold there is a surcharge for "excessive number of slots" if you have any non-round holes. Regardless of how many are in the panel it is still considered a single design as long as they are all exactly the same.
For something that ships as a set like the Kliche Mini above, I panelize for convenience, because otherwise I will forget your breakout board.
These do cost a little extra but it makes it much easier to ship (and keep up with) something that requires multiple parts.
I hand draw those panels. There are programs that can automate the process but I was never happy with the results and I wanted the surrounding frame to make them easier to ship. It's a bit of an involved process but I think the end result is worth it.
I know KiCad has some scripts available to panelize, but I haven’t checked them out. I might experiment with a few ideas for small runs.
KR Sound
Well-known member
Is there a standard size and spacing for them?
Never mind- there’s lots of info out there
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Mouse Bites PCB - Breakaway Tabs - V Groove PCB | ALLPCB - ALLPCB.com
The mouse bites, also called as perforated breakaway tabs, are the sharp edges, what are left over after depanelization when the PCBs are manufactured in a panel using break-routing / break-off tabs .
Robert
Reverse Engineer
There are a lot of different ways to do breaktabs.
I'll send you the dimensions for mine when I'm back at my computer. I created a breaktab component in DipTrace with the perforations and copper pour keepouts defined. I just drop them where I need them and then draw the board outline to accommodate.
I'll send you the dimensions for mine when I'm back at my computer. I created a breaktab component in DipTrace with the perforations and copper pour keepouts defined. I just drop them where I need them and then draw the board outline to accommodate.
KR Sound
Well-known member
I noticed that too the other day.
jessenator
Well-known member
It's odd. I did two-piece boost boards and didn't get dinged, then I did a ruby amp board with a break-off section for the toob socket and got a stern email about the surcharge.
The dual boost boards shared a ground plane, somehow, so IDK if that was the thing that didn't make them look twiceor what—don't ask, I was dumb and could figure out how to do separate ground planes in Eagle. I'm still dumb now, but I was dumb then, too.
The dual boost boards shared a ground plane, somehow, so IDK if that was the thing that didn't make them look twiceor what—don't ask, I was dumb and could figure out how to do separate ground planes in Eagle. I'm still dumb now, but I was dumb then, too.
jessenator
Well-known member
bumping this thread
I'm looking at getting some adapter boards done, and wondering if it's cost-effective to panelize with JLC, or just get these done at OSHPark, since they're so small (measured in mm)
Also thinking about doing pick and place if I went with JLC to save time since it's two components (the resistor is TH here, but I'd change it to SMD)
I'm looking at getting some adapter boards done, and wondering if it's cost-effective to panelize with JLC, or just get these done at OSHPark, since they're so small (measured in mm)
Also thinking about doing pick and place if I went with JLC to save time since it's two components (the resistor is TH here, but I'd change it to SMD)
z2amiller
Active member
Couple of things:
- If you have it done with PCBA, to use their 'Economic' service, you'll need to create the panel with mousebites instead of V-cuts which also means that you need to panelize it yourself rather than using the built-in JLCPCB panelization feature (which uses V-cuts). You can do V-Cuts with their 'Standard' PCBA but the minimum costs for standard are a lot higher.
- That board is super smol. JLC has an absolute minimum of 5mm, and an upcharge under 15mm on any one side. If you self-panelize with mousebites, I don't think this will be a problem since from JLC's point of view it is a single board.
- OSHPark might be reasonable in the US, since they charge based on size. It's been a while since I used them. I'm not sure what their minimums are but you might want to self-panelize anyway. https://docs.oshpark.com/troubleshooting/panelized-designs/ -- it sounds like there's no min size for their panels but they want the design to have a frame. Probably a good idea to design it with a frame if you self-panelize anyway, whether you go with JLC or OSHPark.