General Project Guidelines

 

 

Welcome! The following document will help you understand how the formatting of your design project affects the automated processes provided to you.


General FAQs

 

Q: How many projects can I load at a time?

Load only one project at a time. Each project will walk you through a set of requirements gathering.

If you attempt to load multiple projects in one .zip package, the system will ask you to select one. Once complete, you can load additional projects separately.

Q: What are the board default options?

Below are the default options for automatic pricing. You can specify alternative preferences for more accurate prices.

  • Green Soldermask

  • White Silkscreen

  • 1 oz copper

  • HASL-LF finish

  • FR-4 material

  • No controlled impedance

  • These settings cannot be changed

Q: How are layers used for pricing calculations?

Layer pricing is calculated using an even number of layers, so a 7-layer board costs the same as an 8-layer board.

Boards with more than 8 layers may require a manual quote due to non-standard stocked material.

Q: Do I need to use a standard PCB board size?

A single PCB can be almost any size, limited only by the panel size of the manufacturer.

Typically manufacturers use a standard panel size of approximately 450 x 600 mm [18 x 24 in].

Other panel sizes are available but may require a custom quote.

Q: What does an invalid package look like?

File formats other than ODB++ and Gerber project files.

Packages containing multiple revisions of the same project or multiple projects.

Q: What is the maximum number of files I can have in one project?

500 files.

Q: What is the maximum size of a project?

500 megabytes.

Q: Do I have to upload my board files to get a quote?

No file upload is needed. You can provide basic info to proceed with an estimate.

Q: What if I want to provide my own PCBs and only need assembly?

It is highly recommended that you upload your board files as some of the files are essential for the assembly process. However, in case you choose to skip the file upload, you will still have the option to notify us that you will supply your own PCBs. The pricing will be based on the components required and the estimated labor.


Project Formatting FAQs

Q: What design formats are supported?

ODB ++ and Gerber formats are supported.

Additional files in the project collection can be included as long as the design files are in one of the above-mentioned formats.

Supplementary files like PDF drawings etc. are acceptable and will flow through in the manufacturing package.

Q: Where do I get those formats?

Export from your favourite eCAD design program (Native eCAD files are not supported).

Q: How should I name the files so they can be read automatically?

Gerber file names must follow a reasonable naming convention - either the file name should include the layer type (e.g. top_silk, bottom_copper, etc.), or you can use commonly recognized file extensions.

Example:

Q: How should the project be packaged?

Gerber files should be in a zip/compressed folder. Alternatively, you can multi-select and drag and drop individual files.

ODB++ projects must be in a compressed file, typically .tgz.

Supplementary files like PDF drawings etc. are acceptable and will flow through in the manufacturing package.


BOM Formatting FAQs

Q: How can I get an estimate on a PCB assembly?

Include a Bill Of Material (BOM) inside the project package, and you will receive a pricing estimate for a complete assembly (if your selected supplier provides assembly services).

You can also upload a BOM separately during the Part Sourcing step.

Q: What file formats are accepted?

You can upload .xls, .xlsx or .csv files.

NOTE: only the first sheet of a spreadsheet will be processed.

Q: How can the tool find my part numbers in a spreadsheet?

BOM files must be formatted with reasonable column header names to identify the information automatically.

Example of a well-formatted BOM:

A note on substitutions:

Substitutions must be on the same row as the original part with part numbers in different columns.


Example Project, BOM and XYRS Files

Download this project to see how the files are named and review BOM formatting. You can also use this project to test PCBSalesCenter.


Troubleshooting

  1. The most common reason that users don’t receive a price automatically is due to the name of the Gerber files. If there are no identifiable names or extensions, the layers cannot be assigned automatically and a price cannot be calculated. Make sure to check both the file names and extensions of your Gerber files.

  2. The second most common problem is duplicate projects or multiple projects in a single zip file. Make sure there are no old revisions or panel files in subfolders.

  3. Check if your BOM file has “BOM” in the file name.

  4. Ensure the first sheet of the BOM contains part numbers and a clear header.

  5. It’s possible that your board contains features/attributes that your selected supplier does not support for automatic pricing (e.g. too large for a standard panel). In this case, once you complete your board and assembly specifications, you will be prompted to request a formal quote to obtain a price.