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by kevin428 hours ago |
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upvoteby seddona5 hours ago|
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You can upload Gerbers/ODB++ if you like. We also sign custom NDA's. We count many of the worlds largest corporations as customers so this is pretty standard.
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upvoteby kevin423 hours ago|
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Here's what the documentation says:

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In order to receive a quote on CircuitHub, you will need to upload the original design files from your EDA tool, or an export that carries the same data. This allows us to provide instant quotes and automate the manufacturing process to lower lead times and cost. Currently, our platform works with Altium, KiCad and Fusion 360 files, and with ODB++ and IPC-2581 exports from any design tool, including Cadence Allegro and OrCAD.

We do not accept Gerber files on their own because they do not contain all of the design and assembly data required by our automated process. We do use your Gerber files when you upload them together with an ODB++ or IPC-2581 export, or with Fusion 360's EAGLE exports, which describe the parts.

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Other vendors don't require this. They just need the gerbers, BOM, and CPL files. That's way different than source files or ODB++/IPC-2581 exports, which is basically the same thing as source.

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upvoteby bobmcnamara2 hours ago|
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IPC-2581 is the future.

Good riddance to the compatibly hellhole of 30 different flavors of Gerber/Gerberx/NCdrill

EDIT: haven't even mentioned everyone's different goofball CSV BOMs

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upvoteby quanto4 hours ago|
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Would you address other concerns voiced above? They are pretty serious points or allegations. Also, a PCB sourcing should not require a custom NDA when the selling point is convenience, legal protection, and speed vis-a-vis overseas sourcing.
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upvoteby kevin424 hours ago|
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Then there's either a usability issue or a bug. I uploaded gerbers but it wouldn't let me continue unless I uploaded schematics and board files.

And why should I have to sign an NDA? You aren't giving me any confidential data, I am giving it to you.

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upvoteby barbazoo3 hours ago|
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>> We also sign custom NDA's

> And why should I have to sign an NDA?

I think you misunderstood?

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upvoteby kevin423 hours ago|
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What did I misunderstand? Their documentation (https://docs.circuithub.com/importing-a-project/files-requir...) says:

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For additional legal protection of your intellectual property please sign our NDA.

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To make it worse, you can't even read what their NDA says without signing up with your email address on a third party site.

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upvoteby solyin2 hours ago|
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Yes. If you're that risk adverse that giving your email address in 2026 to a site is too much of a burden, you're going to be a problem customer and they don't want your business. They're in business to make money and it's a business transaction and if you can't cross that low threshold, you're more trouble than you're worth as a customer.

Isn't capitalism neat‽

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upvoteby anonymous9082131 hours ago|
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Funny how you frame this like it's a problem for the customer. The business needs customers to survive, the customer does not need the business to survive. The customer is in the business of giving money to people who aren't going to abuse their data. If you can't cross that low threshold, you're more trouble than you're worth as a business, and you're not getting paid. Isn't capitalism neat?
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upvoteby tty4563 hours ago|
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I second the use of NDA/privacy gaurantee as default. It shouldn't be opt-in with friction. Of course if I want to use a custom/overriding NDA then i'm happy to contact you to review.
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upvoteby dyauspitr5 hours ago|
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It’s several steps up from Chinese manufacturers already however where they will almost certainly use your design for something else if it suits them and you have no protections.
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upvoteby kevin424 hours ago|
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I agree up to a point. It's like the difference in giving someone binary or source code. Yes, someone can reverse engineer gerbers into a schematic, but that's a lot different than handing over the schematic, which includes more information about the design than the gerbers do. It's much easier to look at a schematic and say "oh, that's a circuit I want to use" than it is to look at gerber files and think that.

I have some level of confidence that JLC is going to protect my IP. They are big and if someone's IP leaked it could be devastating to their business. Their legal agreements are a lot more detailed and favorable than what's currently on circuithub.

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upvoteby dyauspitr2 hours ago|
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Pretty much any new product gets a Chinese copy within a year. How are you so confident JLC is not the source of atleast some of these. Also there is no other alternative so they have that security.
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upvoteby kevin422 hours ago|
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That's fair. But gerber files are just a step up from reverse engineering a physical PCB. For a fairly simple, 2 layer PCB, the actual hardware will be easier to reverse engineer than gerbers alone.

So even if nobody ever sees my schematic or gerber files, they could still clone a lot of products if they just have someone spend some time with a multimeter on a device they buy.

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upvoteby dyauspitr14 minutes ago|
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Yeah, or at this point just get an LLM to verify it and explain the circuit.
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