Re:High tariffs become 'real' with our first $36K bill
by avsteele on Thursday May 08, 2025 @02:00PM
(#43929223)
OK, can you name one you've used/been happy with?
Re:High tariffs become 'real' with our first $36K bill
by Workaccount2 on Thursday May 08, 2025 @02:13PM
(#43929376)
I don't know where you are located, but if you just search google maps for "electronics assembly" you can find places to call. You really want something nearby because it is pretty much the only upside that you can go and talk to them while going over the board and you don't have to hassle with shipping. You can also go inspect the first few boards done before they do the whole run.
Re:High tariffs become 'real' with our first $36K bill
by avsteele on Thursday May 08, 2025 @02:37PM
(#43929682)
I mean in this case the upside for me is no tariff. I don't mind paying some premium for assembly in USA.
Perhaps I'm missing something, but I haven't ever had to 'go over' the board with PCBWay. Maybe why they are so cheap, but I've only ever had one quality issue.
I send the gerbers and pick and place and take it from there. I approve photos If they have any question (which is rare) its over email. I don't even mind sourcing the parts/pcb/stencil myself. Its the components which make the tariff painful.
They are also insanely expensive if you are used to China prices. Boards with 10-15 components being $100+ each. Couple that with a domestic PCB manufacturing which is ~10x the cost of China, you are looking at something like an Arduino costing $250.