[AlotOfReading]

This is exactly what prototype PCB manufacturers are for. If you're in the Bay area, SF Circuits (and a dozen others) will give you 24h/48h turnaround times. This is a highly commoditized service. Even the generic manufacturers like PCBway have options you can purchase for faster turnaround if you meet the constraints.

Don't move to Shenzhen. You don't have the social connections for that and it'd just give you a bunch of new problems.

[the__alchemist]

I am guessing, based on previous research into similar services, that this costs 20x more and doesn't do assembly. Is this accurate?

[AlotOfReading]

Some do assembly, some don't. Depends on the house and each one will have slightly different constraints on what they'll assemble. As for costs, it balances out with the costs of slower iteration. When EEs don't have fast turnaround (or too short schedules) they start loading all their little experiments onto the iterations they do have and you can end up with bloated BOMs, overspecified parts, and "good enough".

[michaelt]

Right, but JLCPCB pricing is like $5 for 5 boards. Maybe less. So paying 20x as much is still only $100.

You don't get many engineer hours for $100.

[brudgers]

And you can make $100/day when the product is in the market.

Of course everything is modulo working capital.

[RohKo]

Lol that's defo true - I'm driven to this thought as lead times are super frustrating!

[AlotOfReading]

You mention in another comment that you're London based. PCBTrain is probably a better suggestion for that locale [0].

[0] https://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/

[stingrae]

Sure but it comes at a huge cost penalty.

[mrbungie]

Moving to Shenzen also comes with cost penalties of many kinds. Bigger penalties than just shelling out more money to local companies.