JLC PCB’s PCB manufacturing review

I am working on a new project that needs a custom PCB, which ultimately means reviewing a new PCB manufacturer. In this post, we will review JLC PCB’s PCB manufacturing quality, capability, and cost in an Indian context.

If you have ever watched electronics videos on YouTube, you must be familiar with JLC PCB. They sponsor many DIY and technical videos on YouTube that revolve around topics related to PCB design, PCB manufacturing, or any PCB-related content.

Why JLC PCB?

There were a few reasons:

• The PCB I am currently working on is in the form of Batman’s batter rang. The batter rang needs to be in black for obvious reasons.
• PCB has a non-conventional shape, which our local suppliers might not love.
• Considering the above two points, this can increase the cost dramatically from local vendors where JLC does not mind a few customizations.
• Content for the blog. Also I want to review JLC PCB’s PCB plus assembly process as well.

The process:

After completing the PCB design, the PCB was approximately 76mm by 38.5mm. Aesthetically, the design has no exposed copper areas on the front, and all the components would be soldered. Hence, there was no good reason to go with an ENIG finish.

The whole process is similar to any other online vendor. You get an instant quote with the dimensions and processes you choose. Then upload the Gerber files and make the payment. You will need a Global Debit / Credit card in India with its international transactions turned on.

The unique thing about JLC is that after you place an order, you get to see what step of the manufacturing process your PCBs are in. While with most other vendors, it is like sending the Gerbers into a void.

What is the pricing?

So, I started with price comparisons with Indian vendors (PCB Power) and JLC PCB. I choose the cheapest shipping method available for JLC and a comparable manufacturing plus shipping time with PCB Power. The cost per PCB comes to Rs. 328 for PCB Power and Rs. 174 per PCB for JLC PCB, i.e. ~88% costlier.
Even if you consider the longest production lead time, excluding local shipping time, that is 11 days more than the total lead time from JLC. The PCBs still are 63% costlier. Cost-wise, it’s a no-brainer. However, this is due to the color of the solder mask I chose. For simple green PCB, PCB Power should be cheaper.
One peculiar thing I saw was the shipping cost to India vs the USA. It is 15 USD vs 1.5 USD. Don’t we live closer to China?

How did the PCB turned out?

Following are a few parameters that I consider while deciding the quality of PCB:

• Alignment:
  • Solder mask alignment was perfect.
  • The drills were also well-aligned. The drill holes were spot-on in the center of the pad, and there were no breakouts.
• Via & Pads:
  • The solder mask covered all the vias. The solder mask was even across the PCB.
  • Vias & Pads came out very well. There were no breakouts in vias.

Other Considerations:

• Board Shape:
  • Though the board shape was unconventional, it came out well.
• Silk Screen:
  • The silkscreen was very accurate. I didn’t see any bleeding, and the text was sharp.
• Gerbers:
  • The manufacturers mustn’t touch my Gerbers and JLC PCB didn’t.
• Manufacturers marking:
  • No one likes any manufacturer’s markings on their PCBs, especially on board like this.
  • JLC PCB will remove any PCB markings for no extra cost.
• Service
  • Cost: Costing, as discussed, is quite competitive compared to other Indian & international manufacturers, considering the added shipping cost.
  • Time to delivery: I ordered PCBs with a manufacturing term of 3 days and shipment term of 10- 18 days to get low cost, but luckily, they were delivered to me within 14 days.

Conclusion:

I am happy with how the PCB came out and that the edges were finished well. Next, I would like to try the JLC’s assembly services. In the mean time check out my review of PCB Power’s Rigid and Flex PCB manufacturing.