To start with, ordering the boards was extremely easy as Seeed Studio's website makes it easy to add (drag & drop) your Gerber files and customize your PCB according to your preferences. I was able to easily select my desired number of layers, PCB thickness, PCB color, surface finish, copper weight, and other options before proceeding with the order. One of the unique features on the Seeedstudio website that is extremely helpful when fabricating PCBs is the Gerber Viewer, which allows you to have a detailed look at your PCB Gerber file before placing an order. You will be able to view all the layers of your PCB as well as the tracks and any necessary PCB dimensions, saving you time and money in the case of a failed PCB design for example.
In addition to PCB fabrication, you can opt-in to have your custom PCB assembled so that it arrives as a complete circuit with all the components professionally soldered in, leaving you with less work to get your prototype ready. To achieve this, you will need to upload assembly instructions and a BOM file that lists down all the needed components for the PCB assembly. Regarding the assembly instructions, you will need to upload the assembly drawing, a pick & place file, and optional images/drawings/prototypes that may help with the PCB assembly. To assist you, Seeed Studio has already prepared guides on any requirements as well as how to upload all the needed files for the assembly instructions on their website. In regards to the BOM file, there is a specific BOM template that is featured on the website (and in the image below) of how you should prepare your list so that the components can be read accurately and correctly to prepare for assembly. There are also a few specific requirements that need to be followed before uploading the file and that is all clearly displayed on their website (and in the image below). Seeed's open parts library (OPL) offers a wide selection of components so you can be assured that even some of the rarest components will be available for assembly. In terms of a minimum order quantity (MOQ), the minimum number of PCB boards that you can order is 5 boards but for PCB assembly, there is no minimum quantity of boards to be assembled so you can select an appropriate quantity that suits your needs. If required, you can opt-in for functional testing of the boards but a test plan is required to be uploaded. Visual inspection and functional testing for one PCB is free but 100% functional testing of all the boards is an added cost.Now that the web aspect of Seeed's PCB service has been covered and many of their features have been mentioned, I will describe my personal experience with the Seeed Fusion PCB service. I ordered my custom PCBs and received them in about a week with FedEx delivery and regarding the packaging, the boards were neatly vacuum-sealed and packed compactly in a box to protect against rough handling during delivery. In terms of the boards themselves, they were all fabricated well with no errors on the boards and the LED circuit (the PCB design I ordered) functioned with no problems at all. An aspect of Seeed's customer service that I appreciate is that there will be constant email updates informing you about your order and a customer service representative always available to quickly assist you if there is a problem with your order. I have been in contact with Seeed's representatives before and they are always more than happy to help you out along the way if something arises. Overall, the cost of the boards is fairly reasonable with a striking price of $4.90 for 10 boards (excluding shipping & assembly costs) and as a result, I definitely would make use of Seeed's PCB services in the future again.
I would have expected a bit more detail, as I recently considered using their fusion service, and had a shocking surprise of USD$142 for the assembly of 2 boards, with a total of USD$154 for 5 PCBs, of which only 2 were to be assembled, with total component cost only amounting to about USD$12 per board. I found the BOM format a pain, as even following it exactly, the file would not be accepted, only after downloading their template, which did not differ from mine at all, except for being in Excel format ( Office 365) would it take the file. The OPL service could not get ANY of my components, one of SEEED's own devices, the XIAO RP-2040...
The PCB is FR4-TG130, where I usually buy TG150 or better standard...
Needless to say, I did not continue with this order and am still awaiting support to explain the excessive costs ( PCB/PCBA is expensive, yes, but I feel this is overly so, especially for a service that is marketed as an easy way to market for prototypes etc...)
Maybe I am just spoiled with my regular supplier, and as I am quite comfortable doing my own SMD assembly anyway, I may be completely out of touch with actual PCBA costs.