Nick C.
No quicker, more expensive, and lower-quality than OSHPark and Chinese fabs
My ValueSpec order (randomly selected substrate and solder mask) was manufactured on 0.8 mm board with matte green mask. While the PCBs work fine, they aren't without fault and the overall experience left a lot to be desired. Pros: ✔️ Smooth edges, with no mousebites or protrusions ✔️ Made in the USA Cons: ❌ My boards were cut obscenely crooked on one side, exposing copper and truncating silkscreen. ❌ Very poor silkscreen resolution: Thick and sloppy, with dull edges. ❌ No quicker to fab than OSHPark's basic service tier (8-9 days), and considerably slower than SeeedStudio (4 days). ❌ More expensive than both OSHPark and Chinese fabs. ❌ Cumbersome, opaque Gerber upload process: Files must be manually renamed prior to uploading and each layer given a very specific filename, and the website has no Gerber viewer to preview how boards will turn out. ❌ ValueSpec (the only affordable service tier) doesn't even allow choice of PCB thickness, which can be critical with THT boards. ❌ Tracking number not provided unless you ask for it.