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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Review for Shenzhen2U.com PCB Fabrication
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bigmik Guru  Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2971 |
Hi All, This is a review for Shenzhen2u.com Printed circuit board manufacture.. Whilst I will state upfront they offered me a coupon on my next order If I wrote a review on a forum for them I feel that it could be of interest and beneficial to many people on this site. I have used many different PCB manufacturers in my time of designing PCBs (going back to around 1980) and I have to say that Shenzhen2u.com are by far the cheapest I have used.. But whilst cheap is good it is not the only reason to consider using them.. Their quality has been superb, in fact as good as the best boards I have bought from else where.. They claim to be able to manufacture down to 6mil (0.006") track thickness and spacing and I can confirm that I used 6mil tracks/spacing on my tiny (15mm x 15mm) NanoMite PCB, in fact the `shorting pads' are actually 4mil but they have etched perfectly with no sign at all of problems.. Here are their minimum widths and clearances 
Here are a couple of more pictures of boards I have had produced by them. MuP 
RS485 Board I did for Work 
So far I have had 10 orders and 13 runs of boards produced by them.. I have been happy with the quality of every single board I have had them produce.. Shenzhen2U.com charge (all prices in US$) $8.90 for QTY 10 5cm x 5cm or $11.90 for 10cm x 10cm panels. Postage via snail mail China or HK post is approx $11 but this varies slightly from order to order. Standard mail does take around 2-3weeks to arrive but if time is an important consideration then they offer DHL shipping which I have had delivery times of 3 days and 5days for the 2 orders I used it on. If you check the option to `send pictures before shipping' you will be sent a link to photos of your boards, such as these new ones I have on the way to me now. SMD BackPack170 and MuP-TTL Photos Placing an order is easy, all you need to do is ZIP your gerbers and upload it via their web form and they will check it and if OK start producing the boards for you.. Manufacture takes about 5 business days but this has varied by a couple of days in my experience.. These last boards were shipped 4 days after ordering. Anyway I would recommend Shenzhen2U for your printed circuit boards. If You have any question I am happy to filed them for you. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9753 |
Yes, I also use SH2U, and have settled on them as my default PCB manufacturer. I just ordered some more boards myself yesterday. I also like the fact that they can do multi-layer. While many other PCB houses can also do multi-layer, SH2U are definitely the cheapest for multilayer, and I have not had any issues with them. SH2U can do 4-layer and 6-layer, which is good. Not that many PCB houses will do 6-layer at hobbyist level. If you need 6-layer, that is!!!!! Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5157 |
I have no issues with regular members posting positive reviews of any product they have bought or service they have used. Negative reviews are a different matter, best to tread carefully or steer clear. I've had to delete a few of those, even if I agree with the posters comments. Also, for any coupon you get from the supplier for your positive review, you own me a beer. I'm keeping track. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2971 |
Thanks Glenn, I dont know if I can afford to ship a XXXX up to you.. You might have to wait till you come to `Sunny errr Icy' Melbourne and I will give you some proper beer.   
Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9753 |
Yeah, I also got the email saying "Post a review about our service on a forum and get a discount", but I elected not to. NOT because I did not like their service(quite the opposite in fact), but I figured it would be considered a form of spam by Glenn, which, in SOME ways, it is I suppose depending on how you look at it - not that I am accusing you of being a spammer in any way, shape or form, Mick! It was a good review and I agree with all you wrote. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2971 |
Hi Grogs, Giz and All, To be honest I wasn't going to bother... The coupon offered is worth (up to) $8 so the next order of boards would be $3.90 plus postage.. Not a big deal but I DO like their service and as there seems to be more and more people on this forum designing their own boards I figured that `forget the $8' it was worth letting people know what they can get out there.. People are making their own PCBs and that is good but is it worth it? I used to make PCBs and drilling the holes was a right royal pain.. and honestly it is dearer especially considering you can get 10 PCBs (with say 4 boards on each with panelising) for about $25-$30aus inc post.. In fact I was considering a `design by committee' with freely available gerbers for one of MatherP's display modules.. I was thinking to put the $8 towards getting a run done via an `opt-in' order system. The problem there is that I will be away for nearly 2 weeks and may or may not have net access and the options of displays have been changing almost daily.. A new PCB board may be out dated by the time they arrive.. I think the cheapo SPI 2.4" and 2.8" TFT touch modules are a deal in themselves as they are so cheap and there is not much variation there but the parallel modules are a bit different, methinks. When I get back we will see what we can possibly come up with unless someone else wants to pick up the baton and run with it. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5157 |
Nah dont consider it spam, provided its a positive review and relevant to the web site. I was going to do a review myself eventually, I bought a digital AC/DC clamp meter from Amazon for half what you would expect to pay, and its been a little beauty. But will save that till later. Fact is, these sort of reviews are beneficial to the forum and its members, especially when they come from regular members. In this example, we all know Mick has made a lot of circuit boards in the past, so if he says Shenzhen2u have a good service, then we know they do. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| viscomjim Guru Joined: 08/01/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 925 |
Mick, thanks for the info. I was using Itead for my stuff but for my new project, I will give these guys a try. The only thing I can't find info on is the via size. I know you use autotrax dex, so when you are routing and hit the space bar to go to opposite layer with a via, what size do you use to send to S2U? When I am routing I just hit the space bar and up pops a via. I never considered the size and probably should before I send my boards out to them or any other place. Also, I can't find info on the panelizing. I think you mentioned before something about using a silk screen line for them to use as a scoring line. What size boards can you use to panelize smaller boards on and how do you let them know where to score them? Thanks!!!! |
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kiiid Guru Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
Just had a look at them. 10 pieces of 4-layer 5x5cm ENIG boards with blue soldermask, just the specs of my ELLO-1 board which I am working on at the moment, come to $71.90. Hardly the cheapest I must say. Noa Labs for comparison, which has been the factory of my own choice for a while, make very the same order for $54.40, and their quality is steady excellent. I can can recommend them to everyone for PCB or PCBA services. Here is the exact board which is the word about. 
http://rittle.org -------------- |
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| Phillipko Newbie  Joined: 09/01/2017 Location: United StatesPosts: 2 |
I use another PCB manufacturer called Seeed Studio from Shenzhen, China too. As cheap as Shenzhen2U,and reliable. |
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plover Guru Joined: 18/04/2013 Location: AustraliaPosts: 306 |
Well after many many weeks I think I have managed to get a little double layer board finished. I would light to try using ShenZhen2U. I have made Gerber files from Autotrax Dex, have renamed them using Mick's bat file (had to modify bat file to use a * instead of %1 [no idea why that was necessary but it worked] Zipped all the gerbers and the drill file, uploaded for an instant quote. Webpage seemed to lock up for an hour. then I seemed to get an message that files were ok plus the webpage now showed all my selections in red. That was it. Nothing else has happened. I treated this as a verification of files and I have not set up and account or any other identification (of me) at this stage. So how do one actually place an order? I must be missing something, I have read quite a number of posts here but missed the one spelling out how to get the order process under way. The latest I have done is setting up and account, but even with this I did not find any pointers. Any hints welcome? |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2971 |
Hi Plover, I usually log in first (You need an account to order). Add a PCB Prototype to the cart, Enter the PCB details and then click UPLOAD ZIP file with all the gerbers zipped up. I cant remember exactly what happens but it is obvious when the upload was successful (Maybe you have popups blocked on your browser) but it usually is no more than 10 or 15 seconds or so. Then I go through the usual checkout process where I select shipping type/cost I want. It is all pretty straight forward but until I do more boards I cant describe the exact step by step of the process. Kind Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| plover Guru Joined: 18/04/2013 Location: AustraliaPosts: 306 |
Thanks Mick will follow your lead, that sounds like you are doing something by ordering. When I am logged in I struggled to understand I am in the "shop" I think that is how I will describe it, the important item was to add a "prototype" which then takes you through selecting the board specification. As I already had been through this with running a quote, I recognised what was going on. From then I was right. well a bit unnervingly fast, the zip file was uploaded in a few seconds and accepted. All done within a minute. After all this was done I looked in my emails and noticed that I had received an email with a discount voucher, too late to apply, will try to apply that on the next order. There was also an email showing what I had ordered. Picking up the order number and then going back to my account and ask for tracking I can see the system is processing. Interesting it seems Australia has a special 'line' I wonder if Australia is processed on one particular line or workshop, cost me a bit extra. just over $us 1 extra Part of the email I received, 'instantly' (US$ quoted, total AU$30)  Tracking process started Notice top left, Prototype)  Now when I forget again, hopefully I will remember that I make record here and recording this page in my text file notes. |
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CaptainBoing Guru Joined: 07/09/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2171 |
I always use JLCPCB. can't fault them. The latest board they just finished for me has yet to arrive - a weird shaped MM for a Harley Davidson. Got 10 of then for $2.00 + $7.53 shipping. They have also produced my MM boards for general purpose micro-controllers, the quality has been consistently excellent. The latest (Mk5) arrived a couple of weeks ago x50 and I really have to save I can't fault them for quality, price and speed (which is more than can be said for my laying up capabilities).  I use these boards in a slide-in 3D printed frame or clip down case in reasonable quantities. JLC and I have no affiliation so the above is my honest and personal opinion |
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| CYBERLAB Newbie Joined: 08/08/2017 Location: MexicoPosts: 26 |
hello CaptainBoing, I have a pcb designed with sprint layout 6 ready to send it to its production in pcbgogo, but after reading your post cotize in JLCPCB and in effect I get it for less than half, but I have a problem when I upload the gerber files and I see them in the gerber viewer of JLCPCB they are not shown correctly, but if I use a gerber viewer online, they are displayed correctly, have you had something similar or do you know something about it? first of all, Thanks. |
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| CaptainBoing Guru Joined: 07/09/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2171 |
Hi cyberlab. I have never had any problem with the gerber & exellon files that I generate from Eagle 7.2 When you say they don't view correctly what is the problem? the online viewer at JLC is limited in resolution so zooming right in often shows that the tracks are "rough" etc, but this is the down to the resolution of the viewer. You can get in touch with them to discuss any difficulties - their support it OK so I think if you sent them the two examples you have (JLC+other) they would be keen to comment - hey there's $$$ involved |
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| CYBERLAB Newbie Joined: 08/08/2017 Location: MexicoPosts: 26 |
hello CaptainBoing, I want to thank you for the information about JLCPCB, I order 100 pcs of my printed circuit and they were less than 10 dollars plus 17 dollars of shipping, I sent my gerber files and exactly 7 days I have them in my hands assemble the first circuit and it worked perfectly, thanks again!       |
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| CaptainBoing Guru Joined: 07/09/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2171 |
crazy price isn't it? glad you are all sorted |
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