Hello PCBWayers, this Q&A 002 is about the common questions about PCB order-placing. And we invited Bella, one of our senior Service Representatives, to answer those questions. Bella has been worked at PCBWay for more than 4 years now, and her professionalism in work always makes people feel very reliable. Let's go check it!
Q1: Which kinds of files are supported for PCB fabrication on PCBWay ?
Bella：Currently we could check Gerber file, .pcbdoc, .pcb file. Just in case that you only have Eagle file, Kicad PCB file, or other PCB design files, our blog has provided some tutorials about how to generate Gerber file. Just go check them.
Q2: Could you briefly introduce the Quick Order to us?
Bella：Sure. We have been committed to providing our customers with a more convenient and efficient way to place orders, that's why we offer 2 ways for you to get the instant quotations. Actually, you could tell the characteristics from its name, it's quick.
Q3：What's the difference of Quick Order between the standard order process?
Bella：Differing from our standard PCB process, there’s no need to fill out the information of PCB like dimension, space of tracks, etc. Just upload the Gerber file, since our parameters tool could catch all the information automatically. If the default specs of PCB are all correct, then you may save this order to your cart. Our engineer will check the design and finish the review before your payment.
Q4：How long will it take for the engineer to review the order？
Bella：Actually, it depends on what kind of orders you've created. For regular PCBs, normally takes 10-20mins, and for Flex or other boards with special techs normally takes a few hours, as the design is more complicated, we need to analyze the file carefully. As for Assembly orders, it normally takes one day, cause we need to check the price of components unit by unit, which is time-consuming. If any orders are urgent, you may contact your own customer service whose e-mail address could be found at the upper right corner of the web page, then your orders could take priority for review.
Q5：:After the file has been passed the audit successfully, is it possible to change the parameters of the order, like solder mask color?
Bella：Yes, of course. For the quantity, the option of lead time, solder mask, and silkscreen color, you may change it by your own. Moreover, for other specs like board thickness, surface finish, etc, just contact customer service or go for the online chat to meet your needs.
Q6：When the gerber is under review, what will the engineer check for?
Bella：Three parts. The first one is the completeness of the file, we’ll check if the design has all the layers or not, namely, copper layer, silkscreen layer, solder mask layer , etc.
The second one is the basic information of PCB, such as dimension, layers of copper, minimum hole size, etc. If there is anything different from those specifics having been set up, then we will adjust according to design.
The last one is capability, such as the space between BGA or pads of IC. It might be hard for us to check the function of design since they are unfamiliar with the design, so it might be necessary to ensure that the function of PCB is good.
Q7：Why the final price deviates from the estimated price sometimes?
Bella：For standard PCBs, normally, there won't be a price difference if the information you fill out online is completely according to your design. However, for FPC or other boards with high-techs, there might be price difference, cuz it's hard to take all the complicated techs into account when we build this calculation system.
Moreover, if you do have any questions, our customer service will always answer your doubt patiently.
Q8：How to combine multiple orders to pay and ship together?
Bella：There are two cases. If all the orders are not paid, you may just check all of them in your cart and pay, then they will be shipped out together. If you want to combine some unpaid orders to ones under production, then you may click the button" combine shipping" and choose the related group number for payment, then they will be shipped out together. If you don't know how to operate by yourself, then contact your own customer service for help, please.
Q9：What are the process for repeating order at PCBWay?
Bella： Find the orders that you want to repeat under the list of "Completed "and then click the button “repeat order". All you need to do is choosing the quantity and submit it.
Q10：What to do if there’s a need to change something for the repeated order?
Bella：Customers can add a note about changes when creating repeated orders online, our engineer will change the specs of order according to the note. Please do remember that for repeated orders, we will use the exact same working file of the previous order. So if there’s any change in the file, it would be a better choice to create a new order instead of repeating an order.
Q11：How to leave the review?
Bella：Well, just two steps. Find the orders under the list of "Completed", and click the button" Leave feedback". Then you could rate your customer service and leave your ordering experience or suggestions to PCBWay. You know, we'd always like to see your reviews of our service and productions, since that's what makes us improved and keeps us moving forward. Any feedback would be highly appreciated.
Q12：How to get our service more quickly and effiently?
Bella：After registering, you may find the contact information of your customer service at the upper right corner of the web page. If there is any issue, you could contact us by e-mail, skype or you can just call us directly. I believe that they will give you timely and professional enough responses.
If you have any questions about your orders, just leave a comment below or send a message to feedback@pcbway.com.
