[StavrosK]

I disagree that it won't save time, if just for the fact that 30 minutes is less than 9-12 days. I usually need neither the quality nor the quantity that these fabs will give me, so being able to quickly make a PCB is definitely worth it for me.

[wpietri]

That makes a lot of sense to me. One of the reasons I stick mostly with software is that it allows for much quicker iteration. That increases both my ability to explore a space (when working divergently) and polish a product (when I'm in convergence mode). Hardware is, well, hard.

Iteration speed can make a huge difference in outcome. I read that the average consumer electronics company goes through 3-7 physical product iterations. Apple, on the other hand, went through more than 100 generations of prototype for the first iPod.

Obviously what you've done here is just getting started, but it points in a really interesting direction. A 3D printer with swappable heads for plotting and an add-on PCB etching kit should definitely have a market. That would mean recurring revenue for PCB supplies at a good margin, too.

[tomstokes]

> That makes a lot of sense to me. One of the reasons I stick mostly with software is that it allows for much quicker iteration.

4-5 day turnaround from OSH park is quite fast. Keep in mind that you usually need to order parts from Digi-Key or another supplier when you finish the design anyway. If you have a mistake on a PCB, it's faster to use a tiny stitch wire than to make a whole new PCB.

On a professional level: You can always buy fast turn PCBs if you need them ASAP, but you'll pay for it. Usually cheaper than paying engineers to fiddle with finicky PCB milling or etching machines, though.

> Obviously what you've done here is just getting started, but it points in a really interesting direction. A 3D printer with swappable heads for plotting and an add-on PCB etching kit should definitely have a market.

Chemical etching is more of a novelty these days. A cheap CNC mill produces much better results without the mess and uncertainty of chemical etching: https://hackaday.com/2018/01/04/guide-why-etch-when-you-can-...

On the professional level, several manufacturers make dedicated PCB mills: https://www.lpkfusa.com/products/pcb_prototyping/machines/ These machines have helpful features to index tools to the surface and align the panels as you flip them over for two-layer designs.

[marcosdumay]

I have extra parts at home, exactly because of this. But I can not order extra PCBs with my future mistakes corrected. So it's either make them myself or try a single design, spot my failure, correct, order a new one, wait a week or two until I have some more free time to mess with it.

Or avoid PCBs completely, what is clearly the best option whenever possible (what is becoming less and less common).

[StavrosK]

To be fair, modern EDA software helps a lot with not making mistakes. If your schematic diagram and tolerance settings are correct, it is pretty hard to get the PCB wrong. Every time I had a problem with one, I had made a mistake in the schematic (and once the fab house mistakenly bridged pads because my tolerances were too tight).

I wholeheartedly recommend KiCAD if you aren't already using it.

[HeWhoLurksLate]

Seconding KiCAD. Their software is fairly intuitive- especially if you're used to Linux- and it's super helpful for making sure that your designs are logical and stuff, and you can also use it to figure out how to best breadboard your designs as well.

[StavrosK]

I disagree and think saying it's intuitive is doing people a disservice. It's not intuitive at all, but it's more intuitive than the alternatives and it won't take you very long to learn how to use it.

If you don't get it immediately, don't worry, that's normal. Just watch some tutorials and you'll be good to go in a few hours.

[sokoloff]

Digikey, Mouser, and Arrow, for the most part, give me next business day delivery for cheap (often free). From Arrow, I think the minimum is only $50 for "free" overnight shipping.