I believe they are in Poughkeepsie, NY. I first heard of them via PIClist discussion about a year and a half ago. Alden Funny NYPD wrote: > That's a place very close to IBM headquarter, and not so far from New York City, isn't it? > > Funny N. > Au Group Electronics, http://www.AuElectronics.com > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Alden Hart > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 8:28:48 AM > Subject: Re: [EE] Market for low-volume PCB assembly? > > I just did a project using Mettrix Technologies > (http://www.mettrix.com/) for short run PCB and manufacture - 200 units. > They were quite good and reasonably priced, with fast turn as well. We > had some component problems (my supplier, not theirs) that they helped > me work through. They are located in New York state and can do offshore > as well. > > Alden > > > John Day wrote: > >> At 11:21 PM 11/23/2008, you wrote: >> >> >> >>> Ack!... I was posting this from Nabble in the [EE] sub-forum, but changed the >>> tag to [OT], and forgot to change to the other sub-forum. >>> >>> China still does not seem to be a good option for the low-volume folks, such >>> as myself. My usual batches are ~500 pcs at a time, but I find that lately >>> I'm doing specialized versions of my products to specific customers' >>> requests -- mostly just different layouts, but very short runs of under a >>> couple hundred pieces each. >>> >>> >> I have had a lot of success, as have clients, with http://myropcb.com >> who have offices here in Canada to support the North American market >> with seemingly knowledgeable production and engineering talent. Just >> recently they did a series of jobs for me, including a 150 piece >> fab/assemble run and a 200 piece fab/assemble along with another >> longer run. We supplied the parts. Total time from "soup to nuts" was >> under 4 weeks including shipping to North America. >> >> Their on-line quoting system seems to work well and in fact so far >> they have always billed us the price that system generated. Unless it >> is an unusual quote requirement the system generates the quote in moments. >> >> I supply gerbers, NC drill files and pick-place files, all generated >> automatically by Altium Designer which is my choice for EDA software >> and a box of components. They like things in reels but are happy to >> handle cut tape. >> >> >> >>> Part of the reason I'm looking into my own >>> equipment is that the quote cycle time for each product or even each version >>> of a product is significant and it makes short runs very painful. It's >>> amazing how much time I can waste just going back and forth with CEMs trying >>> to get quotes. >>> >>> >> That is certainly true with CEMs in North America. Most of them >> really don't want to do the low volume, price sensitive jobs. >> >> However just recently these people: >> http://www.electrocircuit.com/index.html have done a job for me with >> 100 of one board (through hole hand soldered, 100 pieces), 650 of >> another (2 sided, SMD components on both sides) and 150 of another >> with components on one side only. Price was in fact competitive with >> China. End to end time was about two weeks, we supplied parts, they >> supplied everything else. >> >> For another client I have used: http://bramtronics.com also. They did >> an excellent job, very knowledgeable staff and pricing for fab and >> assemble was not out of line with Chinese prices. >> >> >> >>> I'm thinking I can cater to those in a similar situation -- >>> at least for a short time to help offset the machine costs. >>> >>> >> I know folk who have tried the same thing. Usually they have ended up >> costing me more to use! They require a lot more hand-holding from me, >> have less experience and detailed knowledge about the processes >> involved. And in the end most of them have regretted the decision not >> to use CEMs, whether local or Chinese. Because they end up spending >> far more time and effort doing what they are not so expert at. >> >> Regards, John >> >> >> >> >>> Cheers, >>> -Neil. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Apptech wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Posting guide: >>>> This had a valid [EE] and valid [OT] tag. >>>> Only one tag should be uised per post. >>>> I've made it [EE]. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> But is there really a market for this? I've know of product >>>>> manufacturers >>>>> doing this to offset the cost of their very expensive equipment, and >>>>> allegedly it works for them. But I also hear there's an increased rate >>>>> of >>>>> CEM failures nowadays, so I have to question the market nowadays. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> I don't know about your market. BUT if you look at how much people in >>>> China >>>> will do the same thing for it may give you some idea. Figure their semi >>>> skilled labout rate at maybe under $1 /hour and their charge out labour >>>> rate >>>> at maybe under $5/hour. And maybe free. >>>> >>>> GMail recently popped up an ad for the following people in the depths of >>>> China (OK - only 4 hours from Beijing by road). Possibly because I had >>>> been >>>> to Shijiazhuang recently and was discussing PCBs. Power of the hive mind. >>>> >>>> www.ourpcb.com >>>> >>>> They SOUND extremely good and extremely cheap. They may prove to be >>>> neither, >>>> but who can say. >>>> Statements like "parts for prototypes free" may scare off some of their >>>> competition. >>>> NEVER ask for a level playing field. >>>> >>>> In the same city I saw a rather neat pick and place machine. It was about >>>> 30 >>>> feet long and 6 feet wide and used about 20 pairs of hands working at >>>> stunning speed to populate SMD PCBs with parts. Probably cost under >>>> $20/hour >>>> to run and probably ran 10 hours/day. They also had a "real" one in an >>>> adjacent room, but thte fact that they ran that and the manual one >>>> suggests >>>> it was better/cheaper/faster (choose any 4) for some tasks. >>>> >>>> >>>> Russell >>>> >>>> -- >>>> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive >>>> View/change your membership options at >>>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> View this message in context: >>> http://www.nabble.com/-OT--Market-for-low-volume-PCB-assembly--tp20652930p20654686.html >>> Sent from the PIC - [EE] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >>> >>> -- >>> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive >>> View/change your membership options at >>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist >>> >>> >>> -- >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG. >>> Version: 7.5.549 / Virus Database: 270.9.9/1807 - Release Date: >>> 11/23/2008 10:59 AM >>> >>> >> >> > > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist