PCB prototype boards
For over 50 years, Tate Circuits has been trusted as a UK PCB manufacturer and PCB supplier, supporting engineers with fast, reliable, and competitively priced printed circuit boards. Since 2009, our dedicated prototype and small-batch facility in Shenzhen has allowed us to deliver the best of both worlds — UK service and support with offshore factory pricing.
When you need PCB prototypes, speed and quality matter most. That’s why our factory runs rapid prototyping lines alongside high-volume production, ensuring you can test designs quickly, refine them with confidence, and move smoothly into larger batch manufacturing.
👉 Watch our prototype & small batch PCB factory video tour to see how we produce everything from single prototypes to multilayer boards at speed.
🔗See our prototype and small batch production in action in Shenzhen
Why Engineers Choose Tate for PCB Prototypes
When it comes to prototyping, we know what matters most:
➡️ No minimum order quantity (MOQ) — order just a single prototype PCB if that’s what you need.
➡️ Fast turnaround times — prototypes produced in as little as 1–2 working days on our express line.
➡️ Flexible lead times — standard 5 working day builds plus FedEx air freight direct to the UK.
➡️ Accurate and transparent quotations — no hidden charges for small runs.
➡️ UK-based technical support — talk directly to our engineers in Lichfield for pre-production checks.
➡️ Design for Manufacturability (DFM) included — every order is checked before production starts.
➡️ Certified quality — manufactured to ISO9001 and UL standards.
➡️ Global customer base — supplying prototypes to industries including automotive, medical, LED, industrial electronics, consumer electronics, test and measurement, and defence.
The Value of Prototyping PCBs
Ordering a prototype PCB is often the fastest and most cost-effective way to:
✅ Validate your design before committing to volume production.
✅ Test reliability under load, especially for multilayer or heavy copper designs.
✅ Shorten time to market by identifying design flaws early.
✅ Reduce long-term costs by preventing expensive rework later.
✅ Gain stakeholder confidence with a physical, working proof of concept.
Our Shenzhen prototype facility was built with exactly these goals in mind — giving engineers a safe, reliable bridge from design to production.
See Inside Our Prototype & Small Batch Facility
We believe transparency builds trust. That’s why we’ve created a dedicated PCB factory video tour, filmed inside our prototype and small batch production lines in Shenzhen.
In the video, you’ll see processes including:
Precision laser drilling for fine-pitch designs.
Copper plating and deposition for conductivity.
Solder mask application and curing.
AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) for every layer.
Final inspection and testing before dispatch.
👉 Watch now: Prototype & Small Batch PCB Factory Video →
How the Prototype Ordering Process Works
We make ordering prototype PCBs as simple as possible:
1️⃣ Send us your Gerber data via our online upload tool.
2️⃣ Receive a fast quotation from our UK team.
3️⃣ Design for Manufacturability (DFM) review — we check your files and highlight any issues.
4️⃣ Manufacturing begins immediately — on our express prototype line if you select urgent service.
5️⃣ Inspection & testing — electrical test, AOI, and dimensional checks included.
6️⃣ Shipping via FedEx air freight — boards delivered to your desk in just a few days.
Our process is designed to help engineers move from design > prototype > production with confidence.
Technical Capabilities for Prototypes
Our prototype and small batch PCB factory in Shenzhen is equipped to handle a huge range of requirements:
Layers: from simple single-sided prototypes up to complex 36-layer multilayer boards.
Copper weights: from 0.5oz up to 15oz heavy copper designs.
Board thickness: 0.2mm to 7.0mm.
Surface finishes: HASL, ENIG, OSP, immersion silver, immersion tin, hard gold.
Substrates: FR4, aluminum PCBs for heat dissipation, ceramic substrates (Al₂O₃, AlN), flex and rigid-flex.
High-frequency PCBs: 500MHz to 10GHz for RF and microwave designs.
Specialist builds: blind & buried vias, HDI, impedance-controlled PCBs.
Every prototype is built to IPC Class 2 standards, with specialist options available for Class 3 designs.
Certified Quality & On-Time Delivery
Quality is non-negotiable at Tate Circuits. All boards are manufactured to internationally recognised standards:
ISO9001 certified quality management system.
UL approved PCBs on request.
Compliance with RoHS requirements.
99% on-time delivery rate thanks to 3-shift factory operation.
When you order prototype PCBs, you need assurance that they’ll arrive quickly and exactly as specified. Our long-established Shenzhen facilities give you both speed and reliability. You can see our full quality cerficicates here.
The Tate Circuits Advantage
Many PCB suppliers offer prototypes — but few combine UK support, offshore pricing, and 50+ years of experience like Tate Circuits.
With us, you get:
✅ A dedicated UK team for fast responses.
✅ Direct Shenzhen factory pricing — no middleman mark-ups.
✅ A supplier experienced in both prototype and volume production, ensuring a smooth transition.
✅ A company trusted by OEMs across Europe for consistent quality.
We don’t just make boards — we build long-term partnerships with engineers.
Fast delivery of your PCB prototypes
Low cost PCB freight from China is a very important factor for PCB buyers. Over recent years, every industry has seen global shipping costs increase. In response, Tate Circuits have secured excellent deals with shipping agents in Shenzhen.
We work exclusively with Fedex to deliver our small to medium volume circuit board orders by air freight. Due to the volume of PCB’s sent daily from our Shenzhen factory, we have secured very low costs with the Fedex logistics team in China.
Ready to Order Your PCB Prototypes?
Whether you need one quick prototype PCB or a small batch of boards for testing, Tate Circuits can help. Our UK support team is ready to quote today, and our Shenzhen prototype facility is prepared to deliver boards within days.
The number of years Tate Circuits has been in the PCB manufacturing business
The number of years our longest serving Senior PCB Sales Engineer has served with us.
The number of bare circuit boards we manufacture every year
How much it costs for a no obligation PCB quotation
FAQ’s
Q1: Do you have a minimum order quantity for PCB prototypes?
No — Tate Circuits offers prototype PCBs with no minimum order quantity (MOQ). You can order just a single board for testing, or scale up to a small batch if you need more samples.
Q2: How fast can I get my prototype PCBs?
Our express PCB prototype service can deliver in as little as 1–2 working days, plus shipping time to the UK via FedEx. Standard prototype lead time is around 5 working days.
Q3: What PCB capabilities do you offer for prototypes?
We can produce prototypes with up to 36 layers, copper weights from 0.5oz to 15oz, and a wide range of finishes including HASL, ENIG, OSP, immersion silver and hard gold. Substrates include FR4, aluminum, ceramic, flex and rigid-flex.
Q4: Can you check my Gerber files before manufacturing?
Yes — every order goes through a Design for Manufacturability (DFM) check. Our UK engineers will confirm your design is production-ready before the prototype is manufactured.
Q5: Why should I order prototypes from Tate Circuits instead of another PCB supplier?
We combine UK service and communication with Shenzhen factory pricing, backed by over 50 years of PCB manufacturing experience. This ensures you get rapid, affordable, and reliable prototypes with full technical support.
Tate Circuit Industries Ltd
Unit 1 Europa Way,
Britannia Enterprise Park,
Lichfield, Staffs, WS14 9TZ, UK