what is the current turn around time for 4 layer boards? If I were to submit an order today for a 4-layer board (~4" x ~1"), what is the likely delivery time?
Only a few people around here design 4-layer PCB’s, so the people at BatchPCB have to wait for other designs to come in to make a full panel… 
From the top of [this page:
Please Note: 4 layer boards may take much longer to fill up a panel until demand for them goes up - currently (May of 2008) you should expect a
lead time of at least 2 - 3 months. If we can get the word out that cheap four layer production is available here that will go down but for now please
be aware that the lead times are different.
](OSH Park ~)
FartingMonkey92:
Only a few people around here design 4-layer PCB’s, so the people at BatchPCB have to wait for other designs to come in to make a full panel…From the top of [this page:
Please Note: 4 layer boards may take much longer to fill up a panel until demand for them goes up - currently (May of 2008) you should expect a
lead time of at least 2 - 3 months. If we can get the word out that cheap four layer production is available here that will go down but for now please
be aware that the lead times are different.
[/quote]
I communicated directly with someone at SFE about 4 layer turn around times. The truth is, they have never had enough demand to to fill a 4 layer panel. As a result, they have never had any 4 layer panels made for the BatchPCB service. That means the turn around time would be an eternity unless something amazing happens soon (doubtful!)
I tried to squeeze my board onto one of their existing panel jobs, but SFE only make a couple of products that need a 4 layer board. Of course, those are slow selling products, and they have enough boards to last a while. Not only that, they are already panelized for max mfg. efficiency. The SFE person also told me they tried to see about having some extra SFE boards made for their product that uses a 4 layer board, but it ended up being completely impractical (i.e., it would require them to drive up the price of a product, or become a charity)
They tried! I tried! We tried! No love for 4 layer boards!
They also said the 4 layer service will most likely be removed from the new website; why offer something that may never happen?!?
On that note, who else in this forum has 4 layer designs? Are we all waiting for each other to submit designs, or are there so few of us that the pooling service will never be able to fill a panel?](OSH Park ~)
I’m working on a six layer design, and have used four layers in the past.
I’ve never considered Batch PCB even for double-sided designs because they just take too long for me.
Leon
**Traitor!**leon_heller:
I’ve never considered Batch PCB even for double-sided designs because they just take too long for me.
leon_heller:
I’m working on a six layer design
I don’t see any value for posting your view of BatchPCB.
It doesn’t help the OP, advance the thread, and appears
to be yet another leon_heller is better than you remark.
It is something that SFE will be selling. 
It looks like I’ll need eight layers for another design of mine.
Leon
leon_heller:
I’m working on a six layer designIt is something that SFE will be selling.
I’m surprised SFE would offer a six layer service
when the four layer service is failing.
You’re refusing to use the existing BatchPCB service,
because its slow, yet you plan to use a future six layer
one?
BTW, this forum is called “PCB Deal Details” not “leon_heller’s blog”…
They will just be one of my distributors for the product. It won’t be made by BatchPCB , of course. I’ll use one of my usual suppliers for the prototype.
I thought you wanted a discussion.
Leon
I’m pretty sure leon meant that Sparkfun would be selling a PRODUCT that has six layers, not a BatchPCB service for six layers.
leon_heller:
I thought you wanted a discussion.
More to the point the OP wanted this specific question answered:
The OP:
what is the current turn around time for 4 layer boards?
It was posted in the Sparkfun forum called PCB Deal Details
How on earth did you decide to post this comment?
leon_heller:
I’m working on a six layer design, and have used four layers in the past.I’ve never considered Batch PCB even for double-sided designs because they just take too long for me.
I’m trying to understand why leon_heller frequenty posts off topic?
Also in this case how leon_heller’s comment helps the OP in any way?
510rob asked “who else in this forum has 4 layer designs?”
Leon
leon_heller:
510rob asked “who else in this forum has 4 layer designs?”
Quoted out of context, nice try leon_heller!
510rob:
The SFE person also told me they tried to see about having some extra SFE boards made…They tried! I tried! We tried! No love for 4 layer boards!
They also said the 4 layer service will most likely be removed from the new website
On that note, who else in this forum has 4 layer designs?
How did that become an open door for leon_heller blogs today? [*QRM, [OM, Over?[/i]](Amateur radio operator - Wikipedia)*](Q code - Wikipedia)
Well, based on the recent announcement, I placed a rather expensive order for a couple of prototype 4-layer PC boards. I hope the panel goes through soon!
Created On: Feb 4, 2009
Right now we have a four layer panel that has been filling for a couple of months and it is still only 25% full!
…So here is the deal - I have resisted dropping support for four layer boards at the request of some of the members; but we really need to do more of these to keep it up. You can help with this by either ordering some four layer designs or getting the word out that you can have them done cheaply here. I will say “four layer PCB” a whole bunch here in hopes that google will pickup on it … but other than that there is not much we can do but just try to get the word out. A panel is only 10" x 15" so we don’t need millions to fill one - but we do need more than we have been getting to turn a panel in a reasonable time.
We will try to send the current panel soon - even if it is not completely full (which we did with the last panel). I would like to give everyone a couple of weeks to respond and get on the current four layer panel. If response is good and we don’t lose money on this panel again we can keep support for four layer PCBs. If not … sadness might happen.
Please Note: Four layer orders should be made separately from two layer boards - the turn around time is different and we have to ship them separately.
Thanks from us and all the four layer PCB proponents - now go out and design some cool four layer stuff, ok?..
4 layer boards? I’d be interested in knowing what the current turnaround on 2-layer boards is. I’m sitting on “Paid” for 5 boards that fit in a 2.7 in square for 13 days.
I wouldn’t get too worried yet. I’ve noticed that the order statuses don’t update sometimes in the order you would expect them to. I had an order that went from Paid to Invoice Printed and I had the board in my mailbox a few days later.
Got ya - I wondered if there might be some delay in updating. I had no idea what to expect, except for the example scenario in the FAQ, and I was 10+ days “behind schedule” based on that (or my understanding of it). It’s all good, though - I emailed, I got a response, and my boards are in line at Gold Phoenix right now. Next time, I’ll know…