Settings

You can specify various option settings for how you want your circuit board to be made, where you want it shipped, and other information. For example, you can specify whether you want a silk screen and/or solder mask.
To specify Job Settings:
  1. Choose Job | Settings.
  2. Click Specifications and specify the desired options. Click here for more information.
  3. Click Address and enter shipping/billing address.
  4. Click Payment and enter payment information.
  5. Click Special and provide the requested info.
  6. Click Summary to review settings.
  7. Click OK.
Pad2Pad remembers your order settings so you won’t have to enter them again for additional orders unless your shipping/billing information changes.

Pricing

You can determine the price of your boards instantly.
To price a circuit board:
  1. Enter the information in Job | Settings… | Address so that the correct shipping charges can be calculated.
  2. Choose Job | Price… The Price dialog appears.
  3. Enter the quantity of boards desired.
  4. View the table of price / time combinations.
See also Online Pricing and Reducing board costs.

How to Order

You can order your boards without ever leaving our software.
To order boards:
  1. Choose Order | Place Order
  2. After completing the required information, press the Send button.
  3. Pad2Pad automatically encrypts your credit card number and other ordering information before sending it over the Internet for your security.
  4. Your order will be sent to Pad2Pad.com for production.

In case of problems ordering:

  1. Choose Edit | Preferences | Ordering | Indirect.
  2. Choose Order | Place Order to create an “.pnc” file.
  3. Send the  “.pnc” file by e-mail to order “at-sign” pad2pad.com.
  4. Check that you receive a confirmation e-mail.

Assembly overage table

When supplying parts to Pad2Pad for assembly, please provide these approximate overages.
Cost of component > V Qty of boards $0.01 – $0.10 $0.11 – $0.99 $1.00 +
1-33 4 2 1
34-99 6 4 2
100-333 10 6 4
334-999 15 8 6
1,000-9,999 2% 1.5% 1%

Reducing board costs

Here are the two main factors to consider if looking to reduce costs:

1. Size and quantity of PCB’s.

The cost of a PCB is determined mainly by the overall area. A more compact layout will reduce your cost.

2. Board material

Use standard FR4 board material with 0.062″ thickness and 1 oz copper weight.  Choosing non-standard materials may increase board cost and delivery time Choosing non-standard manufacturing settings may increase board cost and delivery time. For creating PCB’s on a budget, check out our low cost PCB prototyping service!

Manufacturing Time

When selecting a price/time combination please note:
  • Manufacturing times shown in the price dialog are estimates – they are not guaranteed.
  • Pad2pad may schedule your job on a more expensive faster process. Even so, the faster more expensive option does not always win. You might pay extra for fast manufacturing and actually get slow manufacturing. Similarly you might pay less for slow delivery and actually get fast delivery.
  • Prices are not adjusted up or down based on early or late actual delivery time — even if the actual delivery time coincides with an alternate price / time combination.
  • While Pad2Pad strives to ship on time, there are many factors that can delay delivery which include but are not limited to:
    • manufacturing complications
    • supplier delays
    • equipment malfunction
    • labor shortage
    • order volume
  • Times are estimated in business days and don’t include weekends or holidays.
  • Manufacturing time does not include transit time.

Multiple boards

It’s possible to order up to six different 2-layer boards on one panel.
To order multiple boards as one panel:
  1. Choose File | New to create a separate design for your panel.
  2. Choose Edit | Select | All and then Edit | Delete to delete the default board outline.
  3. Open one of the boards to be added on the panel, choose Edit | Select | All, Edit | Group or make footprint (choose simply to group), Edit | Copy
  4. Switch to the panel design and choose Edit | Paste.
  5. Repeat the above two steps for all the boards.
  6. Switch to the panel design and position the boards so there is at least 2 mm space between boards.
  7. Choose Job | Settings | Specifications | Advanced, check “Panelized with tabs”, Panel configuration: 1×1

Ordering different 4-layer boards on one panel is not possible.

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