PCB MILLING & DRILLING
Turn Prepared PCB Data Into a Physical Board
Milling and drilling is the first physical stage of the MIPEC PCB prototyping workflow. Once the project has been prepared, precision CNC machining converts manufacturing data into a physical circuit board through isolation milling, drilling and contour routing.
What Is PCB Milling?
PCB milling is a mechanical process used to create circuit patterns by selectively removing copper from the surface of a copper-clad PCB material.
Instead of chemical etching, a precision milling tool creates isolation channels between conductive tracks. Drilling and board contour routing can then be performed within the same machining workflow.
For development laboratories, engineering teams and educational environments, PCB milling provides a direct way to move from PCB design data to a physical prototype in-house.
From Project Preparation to Physical Machining
Milling and drilling follows Project Preparation. Once the manufacturing data and machining operations are ready, the PCB can be physically milled, drilled and routed on a MIPEC 4MILL system.
Product sorting
List of products
Listing controls
The Main PCB Milling Operations
Isolation Milling
Isolation milling removes narrow paths of copper around the circuit tracks. The result is electrical separation between conductive areas without requiring chemical etching.
PCB Drilling
Precision drilling creates holes for through-hole components, through-hole connections and mechanical mounting features. Drilling can be performed within the same machining workflow as PCB milling.
Board Routing
Routing machines the outer contour of the PCB and separates the finished prototype from the surrounding board material.
Why Mill and Drill PCBs In-House?
Prototype When You Need It
Move from prepared PCB data to a physical prototype directly in your own laboratory.
Iterate In-House
Manufacture, evaluate and revise prototype boards within the same development environment as your electronic design and testing.
Keep Development Data In-House
PCB manufacturing data and prototype boards can remain within your own engineering environment when internal processing is important to the project.
Reduce External Dependency
Produce development boards internally instead of relying on an external fabrication cycle for every revision.
What Can You Create With PCB Milling?
PCB milling and drilling can be used for a wide range of engineering, laboratory and educational prototyping applications.
Where Milling & Drilling Fits Into the MIPEC Workflow
PCB milling and drilling is the second stage of the complete in-house PCB prototyping process. It follows Project Preparation and converts prepared manufacturing data into a physical circuit board. Explore the complete MIPEC workflow →
Preparation
Drilling
Connection
Application
Placement
Soldering
Choose Your PCB Milling Machine
The right PCB milling machine depends on the PCB format, working area, required level of tool-change automation and supporting equipment needed in your laboratory.
PCB Format & Working Area
Choose a system suitable for the PCB sizes and panel formats used in your development work.
Tool Change
Select manual tool-free changing or automatic tool changing depending on the complexity of your machining jobs.
Dust Extraction
PCB machining generates fine particles, so the complete workstation should include appropriate dust extraction.
Learn About Dust Extraction →PCB CAM Software
The CAM environment prepares the manufacturing data and machining operations used by the PCB milling machine.
Read About TrackMaker CAM →PCB Milling & Drilling FAQ
Build Your In-House PCB Prototyping Workflow
See how milling and drilling connects with project preparation, through-hole connection and the remaining PCB assembly stages in the complete MIPEC workflow.