I understand people can make errors when generating gerbers but they can also make tons of errors when sending you the kicad files (like not including custom libraries).
Creating Gerber files is sometimes hard as different fabs require different Gerber files. Starting with the file extension ending with floating point precision.
One argument against uploading KiCad files is copyright as the fab could reverse engineer the PCB. But this does not count for open source projects and is really unlikely to happen.
I'm thinking about flashing microcontrollers, soldering components, inserting PCBs I to cases, putting them into packaging?
Obviously the holy grail would be for them to do everything in small batch runs and handle shipping for you too, but I'm also interested in services which may do only parts of this.
Their end-to-end webapp is phenomenal and a great break when you finish a design for a client and the premium is just worth getting off your back.
I keep trying KiCAD but with a paid alternative (Altium Designer) through work it doesn't compare. The key to electronics design is the library. There are a few alternatives which are tied to vendors, like DigiKey's Schemeit. They have decent libraries of parts. I would have figured that KiCAD would too, but the last time I tried it was pretty bad. Hope that's changed.
http://www.atmel.com/Images/Atmel-8128-Best-Practices-for-th...
To be honest, I don't think it so much of an issue any more. I have a library of parts I use regularly and just design footprints for new parts.
I'm my case, I doubt that Altium would have footprints for many of the parts I want to use anyway (quite often cheap connectors, switches etc). I feel like being comfortable with footprint design is an important part of the design process.
That said, there are many features of Altium that look very attractive. For example the push and shove routing.
This is a nice overview of the KiCad router: https://youtu.be/CCG4daPvuVI
For anyone using KiCAD also check out Xess's list of third part tools: https://github.com/xesscorp/kicad-3rd-party-tools.
there are also a number of third party libraries with a great number of common components. See for example this one by olimex:
"Once you receive your PCBs, you can simply use some solder paste and a hot air rework station to put everything together!" Right. Soldering SMT parts is not easy and takes practice. You need to practice on junk or practice boards (there are $3 kits for this) to get the technique.
Here's somebody who's good at it doing it.[1]
I sometimes do this stuff, but the magnifier and tweezers thing is hard work.
The pros all use lead-free solder now, but most hobbyists are still using leaded solder, which is much more tolerant of temperature variations.
I'd been using TechShop's SMT equipment, which is junk. It's getting better since I got a Puhui T-962 oven with all the mods to make it sort of work. I've gone lead-free, which makes it tougher. But I keep getting solder bridges between pins.
[1] http://www.stencilsunlimited.com/protoprint-e-manual-smt-ste... [2] http://www.smtsolderpaste.com/product-list.php?SMT-Stencil-P...
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=smd+practice...
I also recommend the excellent "getting to blinky" videos:
https://contextualelectronics.com/learning/getting-to-blinky...
Which teach the basics of Kicad too.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjETOA1pRgmQnav7lGc9g...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4BSO74u0VpY7FKJK5ul7...
Convert to PCB here: http://kalerator.clueboard.co/
