How to get professionally printed circuit boards, cheap

From Breadboard to Pro-Printed Circuit Board: A Cost-Effective Approach

Facing a project requiring electronics and perhaps a microcontroller? After breadboarding your prototype, the next step often involves soldering components onto a perforated board – a time-consuming and often fragile solution. A far superior approach is professional circuit board printing. While this might seem expensive, it's surprisingly affordable, especially for multiple units. I've personally used this method for diverse projects, from a fireball-shooting trampoline to simpler designs, and the boards remain functional years later without breaking the bank.

To maximize value, consider what features you can eliminate. Do you need a silkscreen (component labels)? If you're the sole builder, it's often unnecessary. Similarly, a solder mask (a protective coating) can be skipped if you're confident in your soldering skills. This is where Barebones PCB excels. They offer minimalist two-layer boards with plated-through vias at exceptionally low prices (if you've found cheaper, please share!).

Their straightforward website requires only three inputs for pricing:

• Quantity
• Y-Dimension
• X-Dimension

For example, two 2" x 3" boards cost $23.70, but ordering 20 drops the per-unit cost to $4.80. This highlights the significant cost savings for projects requiring multiple boards.

My initial projects involved persistence-of-vision displays using LEDs and a microcontroller. I chose professional printing for two key reasons:

• I was working with surface-mount components, making DIY etching impractical.
• The boards were destined for bicycle wheels, demanding durability.

The process is straightforward:

1. Schematic Design: (Most DIYers use Eagle; I prefer gschem).
2. PCB Design: (Most DIYers use Eagle; I prefer PCB).
3. Gerber Export: Generate the circuit board files.
4. Upload Gerbers: Submit the zipped Gerber files to BarebonesPCB.
5. Production & Delivery: Allow five business days for delivery.
6. Assembly & Enjoyment: Assemble your boards and put them to use!

Should you later require a more polished board with a silkscreen and solder mask, consider Advanced Circuits. Barebones PCB often offers a discount on subsequent professional orders.

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