What Is NextPCB Rev0 PCBA Service?

1. Table of Contents
2. What Is NextPCB Rev0 PCBA?
3. How the Process Works
4. Where Components Come From
5. What's Supported
6. Rev0 vs. Standard Turnkey PCBA
7. Who It's For

What Is NextPCB Rev0 PCBA?

Rev0 PCBA is NextPCB's turnkey PCB assembly service built around one idea: get from uploaded files to production without touching an inbox. The entire process — DFM/DFA checks, component matching, and final pricing — runs automatically online. The quote you receive is the price you pay, with no engineering clarification emails (EQs), no surprise charges, and no back-and-forth before the boards go into production.

The name is a nod to where most hardware projects actually start: the zeroth revision. You have a design, you need a physical board to test it, and you want it as fast as reasonably possible.

How the Process Works

To get started, you need three things: Gerber files (including drill files), a BOM, and a centroid (pick and place) file. The platform accepts output from all major EDA tools — Altium, KiCad, OrCad/Cadence Allegro, Eagle, DipTrace — and also takes native .kicad_pcb files directly.

Once uploaded, the platform runs automated DFM and DFA analysis powered by NextPCB's HQDFM technology. This goes beyond basic clearance checks. The system inspects for issues that actually cause production holdups: via-in-pad, pad sizing, overhanging components, insufficient spacing, incorrect land patterns, and other IPC-relevant problems. Any flagged issues appear in the interface for you to review and respond to item by item — everything is visible and traceable.

After the design checks clear, the platform matches your BOM against available inventory and generates a final, locked-in quote. At that point, what you see is what you get: no amendments, no follow-up from an engineer asking for clarification, no additional charges once you confirm.

The target turnaround is 7 working days.

Where Components Come From

Rev0 PCBA exclusively sources parts from HQ Online — NextPCB's own in-stock inventory of over 600,000 components, held at stable, factory-direct pricing. This constraint is intentional: using only immediately available stock is what makes the 7-day lead time realistic.

Any parts in your BOM that aren't available through HQ Online won't be populated. Before submitting, it's worth checking availability at hqonline.com to make sure your design maps cleanly to in-stock parts.

What's Supported

On the PCB fabrication side, Rev0 handles 1, 2, 4, and 6-layer boards, sized between 50×50mm and 150×250mm. Orders are limited to 5 or 10 assembled pieces, with a single design per order (no pre-panelized files; NextPCB can panelize for you). Solder mask is green only, outer copper weight is 1oz, and supported surface finishes are HASL, lead-free HASL, ENIG, and OSP. All boards are produced to IPC Class 2.

On the assembly side, SMT, THT, and mixed assembly are all supported, including double-sided population. The smallest supported passive size is 0201 (0603 metric), and BGA pitch goes down to 0.4mm. Inspection is visual and FQC, also to IPC Class 2.

Special processes — half-hole plating, impedance control, production reports, and non-standard requests — are outside the scope of Rev0. For a full breakdown of what's available, see the PCB Assembly Capabilities page.

Rev0 vs. Standard Turnkey PCBA

Rev0 and NextPCB's standard Turnkey PCBA service serve different situations.

Rev0 is optimized for speed and predictability: fully automated, no human engineering review in the loop, in-stock parts only, and a fixed final price. It suits engineers who know their design well and want a fast physical sample without a managed back-and-forth process.

The standard Turnkey PCBA service is the right choice when you need more flexibility — customer-supplied components, globally sourced parts, extended process options, hands-on engineering support, or you're moving toward volume production. It's a more involved service by design.

Who It's For

Rev0 assumes you're confident in your design files and don't need a manufacturer to co-review your intent — you just need boards quickly. If you're at the feasibility, functional testing, or proof-of-concept stage and your files are clean, the automated workflow gets you to physical hardware with minimal delay.

If your project involves customer-supplied parts, special processes, or you'd like engineering input before committing to production, the standard Turnkey PCBA path is the better fit.

First-time Rev0 PCBA orders qualify for free assembly, up to $500 USD.