Decide whether you need a small set of bare boards or a supplier-managed assembled build.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT Explore the comparison
These services suit different purchasing tasks. OSH Park’s catalogue focuses on pooled bare-board fabrication with defined service specifications. PCBPit offers fabrication and assembly, including component sourcing and agreed testing.
Work with our team to review your files, resolve engineering questions and agree on sourcing and testing before production.
Explore our assembly services →Upload a design for an OSH Park bare-board service and match it to the published stack-up and design rules.
Read our OSH Park review →Compare the deliverable as well as the ordering process. A bare-board order and an assembled-board quote cover different work.
| Your project requirements | PCBPitProject review & quotation | OSH ParkBare-board prototypes vs assembled builds |
|---|---|---|
| 01Plan the build | ||
| Starting a project | PCBPitShare your files, quantities and project requirements with the team for review and a tailored quotation. | OSH ParkUpload a design for a published bare-board fabrication service. |
| Engineering review | PCBPitDFM, BOM and stack-up review before production, with open technical questions surfaced for approval. | OSH ParkService-specific design rules and stack-ups guide preparation of your files. |
| Component sourcing | PCBPitTurnkey or consigned assembly. Discuss availability, sourcing constraints and acceptable substitutions with the team. | OSH ParkComponent sourcing is outside the bare-board fabrication scope. |
| 02Make & verify | ||
| PCB & assembly | PCBPitPCB fabrication, component sourcing, SMT and through-hole assembly from prototypes to production. | OSH ParkThe fabrication catalogue covers bare PCBs. Arrange component population separately from the board order. |
| Inspection & testing | PCBPitOptions include visual inspection, AOI, X-ray, SPI, electrical testing, ICT and functional testing, matched to the build. | OSH ParkBare-board fabrication does not include verifying a populated circuit’s functionality. |
| Additional manufacturing | PCBPitCNC machining and 3D printing can be included in the manufacturing conversation. | OSH ParkThe reviewed service catalogue covers bare PCBs; arrange assembly and mechanical parts separately. |
| 03Cost & delivery | ||
| Price & schedule | PCBPitAn initial response is typically provided within one business day for complete inquiries. Final price and lead time depend on the project. | OSH ParkPrototype services are priced by board area and commonly supplied in sets of three; assembly remains a separate cost. |
Our fabrication, sourcing and assembly services may suit your project when:
Imagine you need three small boards for a bench experiment. If you can assemble them yourself, bare-board fabrication may be sufficient. If you need ready-to-test units, include components, assembly and testing in the comparison.
Choose between bare PCBs, populated boards and functionally tested units. Those are different products, even when the layout is identical.
Confirm thickness, copper and finish before calculating impedance or choosing connectors. A fixed service cannot be treated as an unrestricted custom stack-up.
Add component purchases, soldering time, tools and any outsourced assembly. Board-area pricing alone does not represent the cost of a working prototype.
Send the same controlled manufacturing package to each supplier. Match the delivered quantity, parts responsibility and testing before comparing totals.
How to prepare your BOM →Include components, setup, assembly, testing, freight and applicable import costs.
The reviewed service catalogue is for bare-board fabrication. Treat parts procurement, component placement and functional testing as separate tasks rather than assuming they are included with the boards.
Several OSH Park prototype services quote a set of three boards by area. Compare the delivered quantity you actually need and avoid comparing that package price with a per-board assembled-unit quotation.
Use the published stack-up for the selected service. If you need a different construction, confirm an appropriate service or obtain a custom quote elsewhere before finalizing the layout.
It can be if you are equipped to source and solder the parts and validate the circuit. For fine-pitch packages, unavailable parts or a required test fixture, assembly support may be more practical.
Send Gerber and drill files, a BOM with exact manufacturer part numbers, pick-and-place data and assembly drawings. Include quantities, the board revision, test requirements and delivery destination so the quotation covers the build you actually need.
Use the same revision and quantities for each quotation. Include boards, components, setup, assembly, testing, freight and applicable import costs. Separate one-time tooling from recurring costs, and check whether unused parts or fixtures will be returned.
Yes, you can ask PCBPit to review an existing manufacturing package. Supply the original design outputs rather than a screenshot or an old invoice. Confirm stack-up, finish, panelization and approved component substitutions before ordering the new build.
Only when it is part of the agreed scope. Provide firmware, test inputs, expected results and any required fixture. An electrical continuity check or optical inspection does not establish that an assembled product performs its intended function.
Share your quantities, files and testing expectations with PCBPit.