JLC PCB Prototype Assembly - Incredibly Cheap

[ev4n]

Hi,

It's about to launch (i was told end of July):
https://jlcpcb.com/smt-assembly

From everything i've read here and playing around there are a couple of ways of using this:
1) Browse LCSC for stock, then search Altium GIT libraries for the same part
2) Using EasyEDA browse components using the "SMT" library option and drop them on a blank schematic. You can then export the schematics and PCB footprints.

Option 2) looks like the best way to go since you can check the stock levels and maybe the symbols/footprints/part numbers etc will be more compatible with their system.

I've created a template Altium project with JLCPCB rules, stack-up for 4-layer board and placed a bunch of common parts (0402, 0603, 0805 caps/res etc) on a blank schematic. Will share once i've had a chance to submit using their SMT line.

[bd139]

Thanks for the heads up. Really interested in this. 

[mrpackethead]

pcb fab spamming ?

[bd139]

Possible but it's on topic and informative and 100% in context in this case so I'm ok with it.

[sokoloff]

Possible but it's on topic and informative and 100% in context in this case so I'm ok with it.

I'm always on guard for slippery slopes, but I have to agree 100% in this specific case.

[Simon]

Thats funny' two first time posters immediately hitting it off, hm, OK I'll pretend for now, flinch and your out!

[voltsandjolts]

Yeh, spam. But I am a little bit excited about it so its OK by me.

The 'basic' component list is useful, just getting passives fitted would be a big help.

[EEVblog]

pcb fab spamming ?

Looks that way on the surface, but not evidence behind the scenes.
Another paid PCB voucher program thing if real users promote in other forums?

[thm_w]

1) Browse LCSC for stock, then search Altium GIT libraries for the same part
2) Using EasyEDA browse components using the "SMT" library option and drop them on a blank schematic. You can then export the schematics and PCB footprints.

Option 2) looks like the best way to go since you can check the stock levels and maybe the symbols/footprints/part numbers etc will be more compatible with their system.

For 1) I assume you just mean search through online Altium libs to see if anyone has created it, and there is no official LCSC lib.
2) is cool, didn't realize they had an "Export to Altium" option, surprising.. must mean a lot about the state of the tool in China.

edit: I tried placing one part and altium wouldn't open the schematic file, didn't bother testing further.

[mrpackethead]

1) Browse LCSC for stock, then search Altium GIT libraries for the same part
2) Using EasyEDA browse components using the "SMT" library option and drop them on a blank schematic. You can then export the schematics and PCB footprints.

Option 2) looks like the best way to go since you can check the stock levels and maybe the symbols/footprints/part numbers etc will be more compatible with their system.

For 1) I assume you just mean search through online Altium libs to see if anyone has created it, and there is no official LCSC lib.
2) is cool, didn't realize they had an "Export to Altium" option, surprising.. must mean a lot about the state of the tool in China.

Its very widespread because you can "buy" a copy for 50RMB @ the Huaqiangbei Electronics Market.

[ev4n]

Details on the 'official' library are here (i had to use google translate):

http://club.szlcsc.com/article/details_963_1.html

I don't know who's maintaining it.

The EasyEDA library seems to be complete with symbols/footprints for all the stocked parts. It took me about 15min to create a library with 10 unique parts - good enough for me. I prefer to keep a separate library per project anyway. It's probably quicker than Digikey's symbol/footprint tool.

[Harvs]

Given the cost of a stencil is almost as much as their NRE (which includes the stencil, but you don't get it in the end), when this is up and running there as long as it's not a PITA to get libraries configured for them, I can't see any reason not to use the service (or a similar one from someone else).

[mskeete]

I found that link a few days ago but thought it was already mentioned here otherwise I would have posted it.

Can't wait.

[ev4n]

I pushed them for an updated date and got the following response So i guess sometime this month...

[SMTech]

Interesting, slightly limited perhaps if you want specific brands of things there's some huge gaps in that list. Green green green

[thm_w]

The EasyEDA library seems to be complete with symbols/footprints for all the stocked parts. It took me about 15min to create a library with 10 unique parts - good enough for me. I prefer to keep a separate library per project anyway. It's probably quicker than Digikey's symbol/footprint tool.

This is kind of surprising, they have symbols/footprints for these oddball parts, but then when you go to search by parameters often a lot are missing or not available to search by..
Wonder if they've automated the symbol generation to some extent, or pulled from an existing library.

[Harvs]

So is anyone else running a competing service?

In particular I'm thinking of the very fast turn time on a standard library of parts.  I haven't seen anything else like it from the other suppliers I've used.

Being able to order a prototype board with the majority of jellybean parts mounted for an extra 24hrs really would be a significant change to how I'd do prototyping.

Though I don't understand the 2/4-layer limitation.  A number of times I've used 6-layers on a low quantity design where it made the design easier and quicker to route (and hence cheaper when time is factored in.)  But it would be no different to actually assemble the PCB.

[Harvs]

So I politely asked about the 6-layer thing, the response I got was:

"Thank you for your support,but it is our of our capability now."

So effectively a non-answer.

[mrpackethead]

Was not quite entirely clear where the repo was. but anyway.


git clone https://gitee.com/JLC_SMT/JLCSMT_LIB.git

[sokoloff]

It may be that they don't make 6+ layer boards in the same factory as the PnP equipment and can't take the 6 layer boards in as full panels for downstream processing. Or, it could just be that they predict that not enough people order 6 layer boards for assembly that they'd be running full panels (of mixed boards) and placing components on 1% of the board area or having to handle the 1% of boards by hand (not as panels).

[OwO]

They are using one big stencil per panel and that only works if there are enough customer designs to combine onto a panel, all of which must be PCBA orders.

[Harvs]

That makes sense re volume of orders for 6-layer.  I guess in time that'll change.

Just looking at their website now, the price has gone down even further.  So now the setup fee is less than buying a stencil. Unbelievable...

"Prices start at $7.00 set up fee,$0.002 assembly fee per joint. No stencil charges"

[TimCambridge]

I looked at one part: XC7A75T-2FGG484I. Around $130 at Digi and Mouser, $26 at LCSC. A mistake I expect, or is this another wrinkle in the Chinese market?

[ataradov]

The prices are probably real, I also noticed a few ICs that are way too expensive on DigiKey, yet very cheap on LCSC. But I've been tracking availability over time, and it is not good. So you may get those 50 pcs, and nothing after.

[mrpackethead]

I looked at one part: XC7A75T-2FGG484I. Around $130 at Digi and Mouser, $26 at LCSC. A mistake I expect, or is this another wrinkle in the Chinese market?

Digi and Mouser are extremely easy, but extremely expensive.