About 2 years ago, I started a small and dirty project – a new catalog for the search engine for the components that JLC PCB provides for their assembly service. The motivation was really personal — I liked the dirt-cheap assembly service, but finding the suitable components for my projects was really painful. So I created JLCParts – a browser-only alternative component catalog that doesn’t need any sophisticated backend. It is just served as a static page. However, on November 25th, 2022, the service is no longer useful as JLC PCB stopped providing data.
![](https://blog.honzamrazek.cz/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screenshot-from-2022-12-06-16-11-18-1024x626.png)
Recently, JLC PCB and LSCS reworked their backend services. However, with this rework, they also made a decision to stop providing a list of all components in their offer as a CSV table. This allowed us to build the service where we provided an offline catalog that you can use even when offline; we normalized common component attributes so you can easily search. That meant that we convert, e.g., all resistance values to a normal form so you can sort them and filter them. We also normalized multi-part values such as MOSFET Vds at given voltage and temperature such that you can filter, sort, and search by components. The solution, however, scaled badly; thus, with an increasing number of components, it got slow. There were plans, however, to change the technology in order to provide a good user experience. You can see a comparison below.
However, without data, we cannot offer this. Therefore, I am leaving the service as is. I tried reaching out to JLC, but I got a response that they have no plans to reintroduce any data source. And I should use their “very user-friendly catalog.” I’ve seen that some other developers using their component table got personal access to the table. But it is tight to their personal account, and it is protected by CAPTCHA. So it cannot be used automatically.
Personally, I don’t understand this step. For me, JLC PCB was the manufacturer to use because the ordering of PCB and the design could be automated. Preventing any integration of their services is a step that can only hurt them. Personally, I will reconsider whether to use them as my primary PCB manufacturer. And I guess many people might also do so, as their favorite and easy KiCAD plugin is no longer operational.
If JLC PCB was worried about/had problems with increased traffic on their servers (the table was nearly 500 MB in size recently), they could have provided token-based access for a daily refresh. That way, they could limit the download rate and still allow the community to build tools. Tools that simplify makers’ lives and bring new customers to JLC PCB. A win-win situation, in my opinion.
If you use any of the tooling for JLC PCB and you want them back in operation, please let JLC PCB know that you care about them providing data and API for the developers.
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Is it possible to use your library tool if I have local access to the CSV library file? Can you tell me how I might do that? JLCPCB gave me access to the download link. I’d be happy to share it with you and I could possibly host it myself for other people if it’s not too difficult.
Thanks for making this project.
I just wrote them and asked why they have restricted access. Hope your tool will work again soon. Thank you.
Your tool saves us a lot of work and I tried to explain JLC the situation. But honestly I don’t have big hopes. This is China, I’m here and can feel that everyday: Decisions are not necessarily logical, but instead if there is a new guideline, it will be followed no matter how little sense it makes.
So I have little hope that they will go back how it was before. Instead they also told me that they “whitelisted” me for the CSV download. So if there is anything I can do to help, or mirror the CSV, let me know.
I have received the following answer:
“Thank you for your email coming.
We are sincerely sorry for inconvenience caused.
. . .
About the Parameterized search engine, we are already discussing with the author.
We will try our best to solve the problem asap.”
Also please note that the JLCPCB kicad plugin author had some progress with JLCPCB,
see https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/issues/241:
“Update: I was in touch with JLC again and the promised to come up with a solution (public API as far as I can tell) that will allow tools like this to use their parts library directly partying_face
Bt they couldn’t give me a deadline when they finish this. Anyway, nice that the move in this direction smile
“
Hi has the data access issue been resolved? I just went to the page and it seems to be operational with no notes about being out of data (sept ’24)