PCB TOOLING & ACCESSORIES
PCB milling and drilling tools, pre-selected toolsets and substrate materials for mechanical PCB prototyping.
Choose the cutting tool according to the machining operation: V-shaped cutters for isolation milling, flat endmills for copper removal and surface machining, microdrills for PCB drilling and contour routers for board outlines and cut-outs. Complete toolsets and FR4 substrate materials are also available.
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One Tool for Each PCB Machining Operation
Mechanical PCB fabrication uses different cutting geometries because isolation milling, copper removal, drilling and contour routing place different demands on the tool.
V-shaped cutters remove narrow copper paths around tracks and pads.
Flat endmills remove larger copper areas and machine flat-bottomed surface features.
Microdrills create holes for vias, through-hole components and other PCB features.
Routers cut through the material to create board outlines, slots and internal cut-outs.
36 mm or 38 mm Tools?
MIPEC PCB tooling can be divided into two basic groups according to how the tool works in the material.
36 mm tools are used for surface machining. This includes V-shaped isolation cutters and flat endmills.
38 mm tools are used for operations that pass completely through the material. This includes microdrills and contour routers.
Simple Tool Selection Rule
Surface machining → 36 mm
Through-material machining → 38 mm
PCB Toolsets
For users who do not want to select every cutting tool individually, MIPEC PCB Toolsets combine commonly used milling and drilling tools into pre-selected packages.
The Basic Toolset contains 25 tools, while the Standard Toolset contains 50 tools and provides a larger stock for regular PCB prototyping.
The Professional Toolset combines the same 50-piece tooling configuration as the Standard version with FR4 copper clads, drill underlay sheets and cleaning materials.
Individual Tools or Complete Set?
Choose individual tools when you need a specific geometry or diameter. Choose a Toolset when you want a practical starting stock covering the main PCB machining operations.
PCB Substrates & Drill Materials
FR4 copper-clad substrates provide the starting material for mechanically fabricated PCBs, while drill underlay sheets support operations that pass through the board.
MIPEC FR4 substrates are available in single-sided and double-sided configurations with selected 18 µm and 35 µm copper thicknesses.
Lower-cost 2nd Quality FR4 variants are also available for applications where minor cosmetic surface imperfections are acceptable.
PCB Material vs. Drill Underlay
FR4 copper clad is the material from which the PCB is made. Drill underlay is a separate supporting consumable placed underneath the board during drilling and contour routing.
Materials Beyond Standard FR4
Solid-carbide cutting tools are not limited to standard FR4. Carbide tooling is also used for other PCB laminate systems and, with suitable tool geometry, for additional engineering materials.
The important question is not simply whether a material can be machined with carbide, but which tool geometry and machining parameters are appropriate for that specific material.
One Carbide Tool Does Not Fit Every Material
FR4, PTFE-based laminates, ceramic-filled PCB materials and aluminium have different machining characteristics. Tool geometry, spindle speed, feed rate and cutting depth should therefore be selected according to the material being processed.
How Long Do PCB Tools Last?
There is no universal number of PCBs that defines tool lifetime. Wear depends on the material, tool diameter, cutting depth, machining parameters and the total amount of milling or drilling.
A cutting tool does not need to break before it is worn out. It should be replaced when wear begins to affect the required machining quality consistently.
Part of PCB Milling & Drilling
Tooling and substrate materials support the complete mechanical PCB fabrication stage: copper isolation, surface removal, drilling and final contour routing.
Dust Extraction During FR4 Machining
Mechanical machining of FR4 generates fine dust and particulate material. Suitable extraction should be used during milling, drilling and routing.