> Lawrence Lile wrote:
> >
> > My boss wants me to price up the equipment we would need to be able
> > to produce up to 100 pre-production prototype circuits in our lab.

Tjaart, in his most elegant and gentlemanly style, relpied
>
> Unless you have really big bucks to spend on manufacturing, stay
> away! The time saved on some guy soldering the smd devices, will be
> spent on the same guy watching the pick'n place machine, or the
> oven, or both. The CNC drill will always screw up half the boards,
> and your etching will always have open and short circuits hidden
> from sight.
>
> The cheaper, faster, and more economical way is to have PC boards
> made up (We pay around USD45 for 1 square meter through hole PCB on
> a three day turnaround) Take these boards to your usual manufacturer
> and let him populate it for you. This has two extra advantages : 1)
> Every manufacturer have their own little requirements, and they'll
> soon point it out. 2) You can assess the quality to be expected from
> the layout.
>


I tried to explain this to my boss, who "knows not whereof he
speaks".   I think i'll concentrate on the ability to make ONE
prototype surface mount prototype (which we can only do very
clumsily).  I'm going to look into the toaster oven reflow oven idea
very seriously, maybe a dipenser for solder paste instead of a
syringe, and a better magnyfying glass.  We could also cook up a
solder pot for nothing, since we make things that (except for the
fact they are intedned to cook food) would work fine.

Prototype houses, here we come!


Best Regards,

Lawrence Lile