Electronics Production¶

The following guide describes the basic workflow for milling a single-sided PCB with the LPKF ProtoMat S63 using CircuitPro.

This overview page shows the complete sequence of machining steps. This is useful for checking the workflow and confirming that no operation was skipped.

1. Select Process Type¶

In the Process Planning Wizard, choose Process PCBs. This starts the standard PCB manufacturing workflow rather than a general 2.5D machining process.

2. Select Board Side¶

Choose the board type according to your design. For a simple one-layer board, select Single-sided top.

3. Select Substrate¶

Choose the base material used for the PCB. For standard prototyping, FR4/FR5 is the usual choice.

4. Review Summary¶

Check the process summary before continuing. It should match the intended PCB type, layer count, and substrate.

5. Assign Layers and Operations¶

Open the import dialog and load the Gerber files for the board. CircuitPro assigns the imported files to matching layers such as top copper, drill, and board outline. Check the 2D preview to confirm that the geometry looks correct and all layers are selected properly. The top copper should be linked to the top wiring process, and the board outline should be assigned to the mechanical or contour layer. Usually you dont need Solder Mask and Solder Paste Layers for simple prototyped single-sided PCBs, so you can turn them off here as well. Of course if you need them for your project keep them enabled.

6. Create Rubout Area¶

Use the rubout function to remove unnecessary copper around the circuit. This helps improve insulation and can simplify soldering and testing.

7. Create Fiducials¶

Add fiducials if alignment marks are needed. These reference points help the machine position the board more precisely. This setting is also mandatory for a multi-sided PCB.

8. Configure Isolation Milling¶

In the Technology Dialog, define the isolation settings for the copper traces. Typical options include the isolation width, pad isolation and milling channels.

9. Configure Contour Routing¶

Set up the outer board cut in the contour routing settings. Choose the routing tool, define whether the cut is inside or outside, and set gap positions if tabs are needed to hold the PCB in place.

10. Check Required Tools¶

After calculation, review the list of required tools. This includes milling cutters, drills, and contour routers needed for the complete process.

11. Review Computed Toolpaths¶

Inspect the generated machining paths in the CAM view. Check that traces, drill holes, and contour cuts are all present and correctly placed. Verify that everything is set up because in the next step the milling process is started.

12. Start Production Wizard¶

Open the Board Production Wizard to begin manufacturing. The first step is mounting the PCB material securely onto the machine bed. The machine uses vacuum to hold the board in place, but to make sure it really cant move add some additional tape on the edges as well.

13. Define Material Settings¶

In the next step confirm the material properties such as material type, copper thickness, board thickness and material size. But as this is already a summarization of the previous steps the parameters should be already set correctly.

14. Place the PCB on the Material¶

Set the placement offset for the PCB on the raw material. You can also define rotation and copy count if multiple boards are being produced. You can use the Mouse Cursor option to move the milling head and check for enough space for your PCB.

15. Start Machining¶

Begin the production by confirming the position in Positioning window. CircuitPro then guides the machine through the planned drilling and milling steps.

16. Warm Up the Spindle¶

The spindle completes a warm-up cycle before machining starts. This improves stability and machining consistency.

17. Drill Holes¶

Afterwards the machining begis. First it drills holes like fiducials, marking holes, and unplated drill holes. These are typically made before isolation milling.

18. Mill the Top Layer¶

The machine mills the isolation paths around the copper traces on the top layer. Monitor the progress and make sure the cut depth remains consistent.

19. Mill the Board Contour¶

In the contour routing step, the machine cuts the PCB outline. If tabs were configured, the board remains attached until removed manually. However tabs are highly recommended for a succesful and save milling.

20. Finish Production¶

Once all steps are completed, the wizard shows that board production has finished. The PCB can now be removed from the machine bed.

Sending a PCB to a Boardhouse¶

Here is a small guide for ordering PCBs at JLCPCB. This example refers to JLCPCB but there are many other sellers that use similiar workflows.

Required Files¶

Before ordering, you need to export the following files from your PCB design software (KiCad, Altium, EasyEDA, etc.) as a ZIP archive:

Gerber files (RS-274X format) — all copper layers, silkscreen, solder mask, and board outline
Drill file (.DRL / Excellon format) — contains all through-holes and vias
BOM + CPL files — only required if you also order PCB Assembly (PCBA)

If you place both a PCB file and a Gerber file in the same ZIP, JLCPCB will follow the Gerber file only and ignore the PCB file. Any PDFs or text files inside the ZIP are also ignored — use the Remark field for special notes instead.

Step-by-Step Order Process¶

Go to jlcpcb.com and click “Quote Now”
Upload your Gerber ZIP — dimensions and layer count are auto-detected
Configure all PCB settings (see below)
Add to cart, select shipping, and pay

PCB Settings¶

Base Material¶

Standard choice is FR-4 (fiberglass epoxy), which covers 99% of all use cases. Special materials like aluminum core (for LED/thermal boards), Rogers, or PTFE are also available at higher cost.

Layers¶

Select 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, … up to 32 layers. JLCPCB does not support 3-layer boards — if you design one, it’s manufactured as a 4-layer. Keep in mind:

1–2 layers: Standard hobby/prototype, cheapest
4 layers: Most common for compact IoT/ESP32 boards
6+ layers: High Precision PCB

PCB Dimensions & Quantity¶

Dimensions are auto-filled from your Gerber. Minimum size is 10×10 mm, maximum is 400×500 mm. Standard quantities are 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 100 pieces. Ordering just one is not possible, 5 pieces is the minimum.

PCB Thickness¶

You can choose between 0.4mm - 2.0mm. However 1.6mm is industry standard.

Copper Weight¶

Weight	Thickness	Use Case
1 oz (35 µm)	Standard	Most designs
2 oz (70 µm)	Heavy	High current / power boards

1 oz is sufficient for most ESP32/IoT projects

Surface Finish¶

HASL is an affordable finishing option that utilizes tin/lead to creating a thin protective covering on a PCB. ENIG has become the most popular surface finish in the industry as it offers flat surface, lead free and RoHS compliant, longer shelf life, and tighter tolerances can be held for plated holes.

Solder Mask Color¶

Available colors: Green, Blue, Red, Black (matte), White, Purple, Yellow. Green = fastest turnaround & cheapest — choose green if color doesn’t matter.

Silkscreen¶

White silkscreen is standard for most mask colors; black is available for white solder mask. Minimum text line width is 0.15 mm with a 1.0 mm character height — designs below this will be auto-widened.

Important Design Rules¶

Parameter	2-Layer	4-Layer
Min Trace/Space	5 mil (0.127 mm)	4 mil (0.1 mm)
Min Via Pad	0.6 mm	0.45 mm
Min Drill Diameter	0.3 mm	0.2 mm
Board Outline Line Width	0.15 mm recommended	same

Blind/buried vias are not supported — only through-hole vias. Always run a DRC (Design Rule Check) in your PCB software before exporting Gerbers.

Pricing Overview¶

Prices converted to EUR at the current exchange rate (1 USD ≈ €0.864). All prices are estimates for the minimum order quantity of 5 boards, excluding active promotions and shipping.

Layers	100×100 mm	200×200 mm
2-Layer	~2€	~9–13€
4-Layer	~17–22€	~35–43€
6-Layer	~52–73€	~112–138€

Shipping to Germany (Frankfurt): Typically 10€–20€ via DHL Express (3–5 days) or cheaper options (2–4 weeks) — choose based on urgency
Turnaround time: 24–48h express for simple 2-layer, 3–5 days standard
Non-green solder mask, ENIG, special thickness, and express production all add to the base price

Key Gotchas to Avoid¶

Board outline must be on the correct layer (Edge.Cuts in KiCad / GM1 in Altium). V-cuts, slots, and milling must also be on this layer or they will be missed
Solder mask layer is mandatory — if missing, the entire board will be covered by default
Panelization: If you self-panelize but select “Single PCB,” max 5 designs are allowed. If you select “Panel by Customer,” max 10 designs
Small boards (≤50×50 mm) are harder to mill accurately — JLCPCB recommends panelizing them
Customer order number is printed on the board by default. You can pay a small fee (~$1.50) to remove it or specify a location for it
Remark field delays processing — only use it when absolutely necessary