I'm in need of some advice.

gimpod

As some of you know I designed and was selling Custom SDA Crossover PCB's well I've run into a bit of a problem getting a new batch made the manufacture can't seem to get it right and yes it's the same manufacture that made the first batch of boards. I ordered a new batch on 02/16/12 and got them on 03/06/12 well let's just say I was not pleased. Here's the e-mail I sent them on 03/07/12.

Hello I got my order yesterday and being a very satisfied previous customer let's just say I'm not very pleased. Of the ones I've checked out electrically there fine but cosmetically there crap I wouldn't even give them away let alone sell them. On the 25 I've checked out the solder mask is really funky, wrinkly in spots and some kind of funky stuff or something that won't come off etc.., The silkscreen is ether offset to the left, bottom or both. The packing was terrible they were just thrown in a over sized box stuffed with a little paper and shipped. If you want to see what I'm talking about check out this link for pictures http://www.gimpod.com/boards/boards.html
So I would like to get them all replaced or get a refund.

Received on 03/08/12

Please ship back the boards so that we may reinspect and initiate a remake.

Order Processing

It took me a couple days to figure how to ship them back on there dime using UPS but I finely figured it out. Here's the e-mail reply's I've gotten from the manufacture when asked about the status of the boards since.

Received on 3/26/12

Regarding your order #XXXXXX

We have received the returned boards and have initiated a remake of this order.

Order Processing,

Received on 4/4/12

Regarding your order #XXXXXX

Thank you for your e-mail and inquiry.
Your order is in progress and expected to ship early next week.

Order Processing

Received on 4/19/12

Regarding your order #XXXXXX

Thank you for your e-mail and inquiry.
We have experienced some issues during the remake.
We expect to complete the order early next week and ship immediately upon completion.
Please excuse the delay.

Order Processing

Received on 4/30/12

Regarding your order #XXXXXX

We are writing to inform you that after inspecting the remade boards, we have concluded that the boards are comparable in quality to the boards which you returned.

Please reply and advise whether we should ship the boards, remake them or cancel the order.

Quality Control

And this was my reply this morning.

To whom it may concern,

Since you "have concluded that the boards are comparable in quality to the boards which you returned" which after inspecting the boards I sent back you decided to remake them due to the poor quality and took over a month to do so. This is obviously unacceptable and DO NOT ship them.

As far as doing a remake or canceling the order and refunding my money, I'm going to need a couple days to decide as I need to speak with my customers and see what they want to do. I will give you my decision by Friday at the latest.

A very disappointed customer.

So I guess it comes down to 2-3 choices.
1. Have them remake the boards again and hope they get it right this time (I really don't understand what there problem is) .

2. Cancel the order and hope I get all my money back (most likely not as I'm sure they'll charge me something for this fiasco). Then see if I can find someone else that can make them. The down side to this option is it would take a lot longer and cost me more as I would want to order a set of boards as a test so I can check out the quality and workmanship before ordering a batch run.

3. Cancel the order, Take the financial hit and call it a day and be done with the whole thing. I really don't like this option as I would like to keep these boards around for you guys.

Anyway I would like to hear what you guys think about this situation.

codyc1ark

Option one, you shouldn't feel like the guilty party because of their mistake. Let them have another go at it, they fessed up the second time so it would seem to me that they want to deliver you a quality product... Just my thoughts, good luck!

headrott

Tony,

I would have them remake the boards until they can actually make a quality run of the boards. This will cost them more money and hopefully teach them a lesson that their customers really do care about quality control. This way it doesn't cost you more money and too much effort on your part and puts the responsibility on them (as it should be).

Greg

maximillian

For my job I get my low run boards made at https://www.eiconnect.com. I order about 10-20 prototype runs per year. I have even ordered metal PCB's. May not be the cheapest option out there but they are very flexible and have good product. Ask for Melody - wonderful lady.

F1nut

Tony, can you get these folks on the phone to find out why they are having these quality issues and what they plan on doing about it?

amulford

^^^That's what I'd do. Get the president, ceo or whatever and ask him what the problem is. this isn't Samsung, ya know...

drumminman

F1nut wrote: »

Tony, can you get these folks on the phone to find out why they are having these quality issues and what they plan on doing about it?

+1, often it helps to talk with someone to sort out what the "real" issues are. They remade the order once with the same result, so they did try and correct the mistake.

You may uncover something that's easy to resolve, and it probably won't hurt.

polrbehr

Regarding your order #XXXXXX

We are writing to inform you that after inspecting the remade boards, we have concluded that the boards are comparable in quality to the boards which you returned.

Please reply and advise whether we should ship the boards, remake them or cancel the order.

Quality Control

Not sure I am understanding this. Why don't they simply send you a sample of the remade boards for your inspection, and let YOU decide if they are up to YOUR quality control standards? It would be helpful if you had one of the original boards from the first production run to compare it to.

It seems like this has taken almost two months to remedy this issue; way too long if you ask me.

I like the idea of a phone call, too. At the end of the day, if this does not get resolved to your liking, I suggest posting the email address of whoever is in charge of 'quality control' in this thread, and letting Club Polk voice their displeasure as well. Seems it worked before... lol.

gimpod

Here's what going on, I asked them to send me some pictures of the remade boards which they did along with a note saying that if I decided to go for the remake that they would use an outside manufacturer to make the boards. After looking over the pictures I decided to have them remake the boards using the other manufacturer as they are clearly having some issues with there manufacturing process and quality control. I got an e-mail from them this morning saying that they have initiated a remake of this order utilizing the outside manufacturer. So it looks like it'll be another 3-4 weeks figuring 13 working days to make the boards plus shipping if there aren't anymore problems.

Now even though the issues seem to be cosmetic it still leaves me to wonder about the other aspects i.e. are all the holes in the right place, how consistent is the width of the non copper areas and is it the correct width, is the copper layer consistent in thickness, how well is the copper adhered to the substrate, etc.... I mean if they can't get the cosmetics right what else isn't right. If the overall quality is such that I won't buy them then how could I even think of selling them to you and be willing to stand behind them 100%.

As far as any additional financial hit if there is one I will eat it (I don't think there will be as they seem to be willing to do whatever it takes to make this right). I truly appreciate the offers to help, Call me old fashion or retarded but I don't think it would be fair to ask you guys to makeup for someone else's screw up. If I end up taking a hit or even a loss so be it, it's part of the risk you run when doing something like this.

Thank you all for your advice and comments, it's appreciated. ~ gimpod

F1nut

No way you are taking a financial hit on this. If the new boards cost more, so be it.

mrbigbluelight

F1's statement is dead on and right, IMO.
This isn't your fuggup; you're obviously doing the right thing. If they wind up costing more, then it shouldn't fall on you.

headrott

They shoudln't cost more. They should just be made correctly with no fee penalty. It was the manufacturer's fault and not anyone else's. They should be hit with the penalty of having to manufacture the boards again this time correctly. Tony should not be hit with a penalty as it was not his fault. Let the blame fall where it should, on the manufacturer.