Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

From Your PC to Reality in 3 Easy Steps

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the build-me-a-robot-girl dept.

aelbric writes "PC Magazine is running an on some entrepreneurial businesses that are taking an interesting approach to prototyping and one-off manufacturing. Apparently, you can send in schematics for circuit boards to Pad2Pad, where they will quote, build and ship you a part based on your exact specifications. There is also reference to eMachineShop, for those of you more mechanically inclined, for building some home projects. Design the part on your PC, send it to the shop electronically, recieve custom built component(s). "

4 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. Express PCB by Computerguy5 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Or, if you're so inclined to design your own printed circuit board (PCB), Express PCB offers a reasonably priced service.

  2. Cheaper more flexible way to build electronics by Andrew+Sterian · · Score: 5, Informative
    Pad2Pad might be nice for rank beginners but as others have commented, you quickly hit the wall with their limited parts list.

    With freeware programs like Eagle available and really cheap circuit board manufacturing options, there's no reason to get locked into a service like Pad2Pad.

    Check out my Digital Design & Construction Wiki for lots of resources on do-it-yourself electronics design.

  3. Make your own circuit board by diagnosis · · Score: 4, Informative

    At work, we use www.protoexpress.com. They're similar to pad2pad for what we use them for, 'no-touch' custom circuits. No-touch means they don't do any verification of the board, and is what lets you get your own board quickly and inexpensively. We've had them do some pretty complex stuff without any problems. Their turn-around times are also very good (generally less than one week), and they are affordable and don't have any problems with small runs -- we often do only 2 prints of a new design.

    Of course, a significant portion of the time involved in this is in populating the board. Soldering 2,000 points is never any fun.
    ----------------------
    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  4. We're getting packet echo in here... by Christopher+Thomas · · Score: 4, Informative

    Obligatory link to the previous slashdot post about the same article, five days ago.