Instead of a weekly order, 2 layer circuit boards are now sent to the fab when the panel fills up. This means panels are going out 2 to 3 times a week instead of just once a week.

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New ordering website! OSH Park!

4 layer orders are now every two weeks. Email "laen@oshpark.com" for the schedule.

I'm planning another beta 2-layer medium-run order on April 1st, 2013 for people that want at least 150 square inches of their boards. Specs are the same as the prototype order. Lead free, stellar quality, purple boards, $1 per square inch. Details here.

Order Status

Keep up to date on the order status updates and to be notified of when the next order will go out:

What is this?

I've been coordinating a group circuit board order. By combining dozens of small boards into large panels, and doing a lot of volume, we're able to get the costs down to levels that are more hobbyist friendly.

It's $5 per square inch for three copies of your two layer design. So, a 2 square inch design would cost $10, and you'll get three copies of your board. Shipping within the US is included, and there are no setup fees.

Your two layer boards will be shipped within about 14 days of the order date.

For four layer designs, it's $10 for three copies. So, a 2 square inch design would cost $20, and you'll get three copies of your board.

Four layer boards will be mailed within 16 days.

Who's eligible

Although this was started primarily for the DorkbotPDX community, it's open to any hobbyist anywhere. Shipping in the US is free, and international mailing is a flat rate of $5USD for standard first class, $15 for USPS Priority Mail, or $35 for USPS Express Mail.

Your order helps us continue doing it!

What you get

Three 2-layer boards (see design rules below)

Soldermask on both sides

Silkscreen on both sides.

The Costs

Two layer: $5 per square inch for three copies of your board.

Four layer: $10 per square inch for three copies of your board.

Board area is rounded down to the hundredth of an inch. If your board is 2.71828183 square inches, your total bill will be $13.55. No setup fee, and domestic shipping by first-class US mail is included. International mailing is a flat rate of $15 for USPS Priority Mail, or $5 for standard first class

Payment is by Paypal or by credit card through Google Checkout.

How to submit your order

First, try uploading the board at OSH Park as either an Eagle .brd or a set of Gerbers.

If you just send a brd file, you'll get the default "Names" and "Place" and "_tsilk" layers on your silkscreen. If you want something else, please use the CAM job below and edit it to your liking.

If you're making Gerbers from Eagle, please use this CAM job.

If you have any problems with the website, feel free to mail me at pcb@laen.org

Help!

If any of this is confusing, or you'd just like some help with your board, feel free to drop me an email. I love helping people with their designs.

Design Rules

(Eagle DRU File: http://content.laen.org/pcb/LaenPCBOrder.dru ) The minimums are:

6 mil trace width

6 mil spacing

15 mil clearances from traces to the edge of the board

13 mil minimum drill size.

7 mil minimum annular ring

..That's not to say that you should design for the minimums; it's best to make your traces and spacing as wide as your design will tolerate, but if you need it, we're paying for these minimums so feel free to use them!

Four layer boards have the same minimums and will be made with 1 oz copper for the external layers and 0.5 oz copper internally. No blind/buried vias.

File Format

Although I can deal with a lot of file types, here's what I prefer. Don't sweat it if you don't know what any of this means or you're not sure if your files match up. I'll figure it out. :)

If you can just send an Eagle brd, and you're fine with the default of having just the Name, Place and _tsilk/_bsilk layers on the silkscreen, then do that.

If you're sending gerbers, make sure they're rs-274x (the default in any modern package), and are "positive layers" (also the default).

If you're using something other than Eagle: Set your drill file to 2:4 precision, no zero suppression, absolute positioning, and (if using kicad) "minimal header" and make sure "mirror y axis" is OFF.

If you're using DipTrace, it helps me if your filenames have a board name in them ("Board1-Top Layer.gbr" instead of just "Top Layer.gbr").

Enjoy!

-Laen