[time-nuts] OT: ExpressPCB (cross-post from volts-nuts)

Didier Juges shalimr9 at gmail.com
Sat Dec 10 07:38:05 EST 2016


There is a free tool (Robot Room Copper Connection) that will take EcpressPCB files and spit Gerber files. It is actually a full fledged PCB design software that seems to be significantly more capable than the ExpressPCB software even though I have not used it as such. 

Alternately you can send some money to ExpressPCB and they send you the Gerber, but only if you have actually bought the boards from them. So I usually get my first 3 prototypes from ExpressPCB and if I need to make small changes and feel comfortable buying production quantities without a second set of prototypes, I make the mods and get the Gerber from CC.


On December 9, 2016 2:07:10 PM CST, "Dr. David Kirkby (Kirkby Microwave Ltd)" <drkirkby at kirkbymicrowave.co.uk> wrote:
>On 9 December 2016 at 19:58, BIll Ezell <wje at quackers.net> wrote:
>> Sorry if I'm behind the times, just did a new project that required a
>pcb,
>> and ExpressPCB is my go-to vendor for one-off boards. I just noticed
>they
>> now provide the low-cost boards (fixed size, 3x5, quantity 3) that
>I've
>> always ordered with silk screen and solder mask for $71. I got my
>latest
>> boards that way and they're beautiful. No relationship to them, just
>a happy
>> customer. You can still get the barebones boards for $51.
>
>You also lock yourself into one vendor. There's other free software,
>like Kicad, where you can export files that many PCB manufacturers
>use. So you avoid vendor lock-in.
>
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in
>
>If the company goes belly up, where are you going to get any more
>boards made, without starting from scratch?
>
>Anyway, it is a bit off topic.
>
>Dave
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