Speaking as someone who helps to operate such a unit at school (ProtoMat C20)...

It's loud. Tool breakage can be a problem if things aren't held down
well (0.6mm drills tend to break rather easily when caught on a piece
of tape). Holding down boards is a pain (unless you have some sort of
vacuum hold-down system, rather than the masking tape we use. The
software feels like a step backwards in time.

HOWEVER... with very little work, 20-60 minutes of waiting (depending
on board size, dual layer is a fair bit longer), and maybe a couple of
Advil, you can have a prototype board ready.

In my eyes, despite some rather glaring issues, it's totally worth it.

Also, get bits from www.northbaytechnical.com - they work just fine
and are about half the price that LPKF charge. Plus, for international
customers, they were VERY considerate with regard to shipping
arrangements to reduce duties and such.

On 3/11/06, Vasile Surducan <piclist9@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 3/10/06, Vitaliy <spam@maksimov.org> wrote:
> > Vasile wrote:
> > > This time I think you wrong. How many packages may be used these days
> > > on 2.54 (100mil) raster. I'm talking about real electronics on SMD or
> > > microwave with high desities and high frequencies.
> > >
> > > http://www.lpkf.com/products/rapid-pcb-prototyping/circuit-board-plotter/protomat-s-series/s62/index.htm
> > >
> > > you have a demo movie about speed there
> >
> > I'd be interested to hear from people whose company owns this or a similar
> > plotter.
> >
> > - How much should one expect to pay for one of these?
> >
> > The price is impossible to find on the LPKF website. Last year's article
> > lists the price as "under $25,000":
>
> last year offer:
> LPKF ProtoMat S62 (with machine hood)                12.500,00
> Vacuum Cleaner                                                        790,00
> Vacuum Table                                                           950,00
> Set of Accessories for LPKF ProtoMat S62 - 1/8"         780,00
> Brush head, bent with short antistatic brushes               25,00
> Vision system, camera supported positioning system 2.500,00
>         System requirements: USB 2.0
> Small Hand Microscope, magnification factor 60          220,00
>
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--
-Randy Glenn
Computer Eng. and Mgt. Year IV, McMaster University
Regional Student Representative, IEEE Canada

randy.glenn-at-gmail.com - glennrb-at-mcmaster.ca
randy.glenn-at-computer.org - randy_glenn-at-ieee.org
http://www.randyglenn.ca

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