Get the Best PCB Drilling from PCBTok!

If you’re looking to have a PCB made, chances are you’ll need some help with the drilling. At PCBTok, we offer efficient and reliable drilling service that will produce high-quality holes every time. We understand that quality can be hard to find in this industry, but with us you’ll never have to worry about that!

  • Sufficient raw material in stock to support your orders
  • Engineering questions(EQ) will be sending within 1-2hours
  • Provide WIP (work in process) report to you each week
  • Certified with UL in US and Canada
Get Our Best Quotation
Quick Quote

PCBTok Offers Top-Quality and Dependable PCB Drilling Services

PCBTok offers its customers high-quality PCB drilling services at a reasonable price.

We offer our customers both one-off and bulk PCB drilling services. While you’re here, check out some of our other top-quality services as well such as PCB assembly, 3D printing services, design outsourcing and more.

If you have any questions about what we can do for you or would like to receive a custom quote on your particular project, feel free to send us an email or give us a call.

Our customer service representatives are standing by 24/7 to help with all of your needs!

PCBTok is a great option for anyone who needs reliable circuit board drilling. They’re also committed to maintaining communication with their clients during every step of production, so you’ll never have to wonder what’s going on with your product or when it will be finished!

Read More

PCB Drilling by Feature

Back Drilling

A technique used to remove the unused portion, or stub, of copper barrel from a thru-hole in a printed circuit board. Achieved by mounting the drill bit on the spindle and inserting it into the backside of each hole.

Thermal Vias

Located under the chip and above the ground plane, allow convection cooling by directing air flow over them to cool them better than they would if they were directly on the surface with no space between.

Microvias

Small-diameter vias which are smaller than traditional PCB via holes. They take up less board real estate and leave more space for routing. Offers a better ground return path on both sides of the board.

Press-Fit

Press-fit is a fastening technique where parts are held together by the interference between their external and internal surfaces. This creates mechanical force, friction and cold welding to join the parts.

Blind Vias

Connect one or more inner layers with an outer layer without having to drill holes in the other layers. Use smaller diameter conductors than normal, also require special PCB layouts for these smaller diameter traces.

Buried Vias

Buried Vias is installing electronic components between at least two inner layers, which are not visible from the outer layers. Perfected by many manufacturers over the years and has proven to be a reliable way for wiring.

PCB Drilling by Equipment (5)

  • Automated PCB Drilling

    Automated PCB drilling is a fully automated drill machine, where the drills are automatically detected. The precision of this device is unmatched and it includes many functions such as auto-hole detection, self-centering and automatic return to origin.

  • Mechanical PCB Drilling

    The PCB is first prepared with a masking film and then drilled mechanically by the use of various kinds of drills such as end mill, vertical or horizontal boring machine. Mechanical drilling has less precision than laser drilling but it’s much easier to execute.

  • Laser PCB Drilling

    Cost-effective and efficient process for drilling holes and vias on a PCB. With this technology, there is no risk of the PCB being damaged or deformed due to excess heating. The laser beam drills the hole with accuracy, power efficiency, speed and safety.

  • Handheld Rotary PCB Drilling

    Drilling machine small enough to fit in your hands and powered by the force of your arms. Simply clamp it onto the board where you want to drill and turn. Can make precision cuts without damaging other components nearby on your PCB.

  • CNC PCB Drilling

    Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology allows you to control it via computer software or by manually inputting coordinates and tool paths from CAD drawings or 3D models. Versatile enough for various other applications.

PCB Drilling by Hole (6)

  • Plated Through-Holes

    The hole is placed with the center on the bottom surface and slightly off to one edge. Drilled from either side without having to flip your board over and potentially damaging it.

  • Non-Plated Through-Holes

    Non-Plated Through Holes typically consist only of a drilled hole or milled slot and are often used to reduce cost by eliminating plating steps.

  • Mounting Holes

    To mount components on a PCB. Can be found either by placing the board flat on a surface and locating them with your finger or using a magnifying glass.

  • Countersink Holes

    Common usage of the countersunk hole is to allow the head of a flat head bolt or screw, when placed in the hole, to sit flush above or under the surface of PCB.

  • Small Holes

    The micro-EDM drilling process is capable of machining very small holes. Found in a variety of applications, including fuel injection nozzles, spinneret holes for the textile industry etc.

  • Castellated Holes

    Has many benefits for electronics assembly and electronic manufacturing including increasing rigidity by providing support for solder joints on both sides of circuit boards.

Why PCBTok is the Best Choice for Your PCB Drilling Needs

If you’re looking for the best PCB drilling services, PCBTok is the place to go.

If you want to make sure that your company gets the most effective circuit board drilling possible, it’s important to shop around for a few different options.

You need PCB drilling that is effective but also reasonably priced. Many people end up going with cheap circuit board drilling companies just because they think price should be their top priority; however, you’ll likely end up paying more in the long run if the quality of work isn’t good.

After all, it doesn’t do anyone any good if a drill makes all kinds of mistakes or ends up damaging your product while performing its job poorly.

PCB Drilling
PCB Drilling Process

PCBTok’s PCB Drilling Process in PCB Fabrication

PCB Drilling is an important and necessary process in PCB manufacturing. Not only does it get rid of excess materials, but also make sure that holes will be present after PCB fabrication.

PCBTok’s processes are standardized to ensure a high-quality result in each finished product.

It’s designed to save as much metal material as possible by adding holes strategically on pre-defined locations with programmed results.

It utilizes a combination of complex drill heads for different purposes, thereby reducing time and effort in creating good cuts.

This allows them to stay competitive even with cheap labor costs in China and maintain quality at such low prices.

When getting your PCB parts fabricated, you should definitely include PCBTok’s drilling operations too.

PCB Drilling’s Importance in your Electronic Devices

Well, it’s no secret that in order to build a functional electronic device, you need lots of parts and they all have to be integrated perfectly together.

Why does drilling play an important role?

PCB drilling is one of the most important steps in creating a finished PCB. In this process, copper tracks are used to connect components and signals across the surface.

They are created by punching holes through laminated layers of fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin sheets known as FR-4 boards.

These boards are designed to be easily drilled so that manufacturers can assemble electronics without needing any special tools aside from a hand drill or drill press.

PCB Drilling’s Importance

PCBTok Offers Top-Quality and Dependable PCB Drilling Services

PCB Drilling Importance
PCB Drilling’s Importance

PCBTok is one of the most reputed PCB suppliers and also provides a full range of PCB manufacturing and assembly services.

When looking for dependable PCB drilling services, PCBTok can be your first stop. It has a list of reference clients and solid certifications in regards to their manufacturing facilities.

All its services are performed with accuracy, speed, and reliability while guaranteeing an environmentally-friendly approach in all its processes.

What are you waiting for? Call PCBTok now to solve your PCB Drilling needs!

PCB Drilling Fabrication

PCB Drilling Standard Hole Sizes

Here at PCBTok, we want to make sure that your PCBs are up to standard. That’s why we drill your PCBs depends on what your device needs.

PCBs are drilled in a range of hole sizes to accommodate different wire gauges.

PCBTok uses 0.2mm, 0.3mm, and 0.4mm-diameter drill bits for most standard holes (1-48 through 1-72), with larger holes through hole #8 used for wires up to AWG #30 and smaller starting at #8.

PCBs can accommodate wire gauges as small as 20 AWG and as large as 10AWG; depending on your wire gauge, you’ll need to purchase multiples of drilling services at multiple stages in your PCB manufacturing process.

PCB Drilling Equipment

PCBTok’s PCB Drilling Equipments is among one of most advanced PCB Drilling equipments on industry and available in a wide range of linearity, speed, rigidity and repeatability.

Our technology is constantly updated to meet customers demand by our high performance machines have been providing flawless services to many largest electronics giants.

The machine has been widely praised by our clients because of its outstanding performance.

These are built with self-developed hardening process and experience accumulated in PCBTok development for 12 years.

OEM & ODM PCB Drilling Applications

PCB Drilling for LED

PCB Drilling for LED to attach LED Chip to PCB It is used with 0.8mm drill bit and it drills 8 small holes on the PCB board and inserts a chip or SMD component such as resistors, capacitors, inductors etc.

PCB Drilling for Motherboard

PCB drilling for motherboard is a process carried out for a number of reasons. The most common reason for drilling is for mounting purposes. You may want to attach a motherboard component such as an expansion slot.

PCB Drilling for Sensors

It allows you to connect sensors, actuators, modules, and other elements to PCBs. This can be done either to create a custom circuit board or to connect to the PCBs that are already there.

PCB Drilling for Keyboard

PCB Drilling for Keyboard is used for drilling two 2.9mm holes for stabilizers and switches for mechanical keyboards. This drill bit is made of high quality material, the surface is anti-rust, anti-corrosion and wear-resisting.

PCB Drilling for Amplifier

PCB drilling is a simple process used to connect capacitors to PCB. When you need to capacitors to PCB, you should drill holes at positions you want to connect capacitors to PCB.

PCB Drilling Banner
Standardized and Customizable PCB Drilling from PCBTok

Looking for a company that will customize PCB Drillings for your devices?

Message us and Get Quote here at PCBTok!

PCB Drilling Production Details As Following Up

NO Item Technical Specification
Standard Advanced
1 Layer Count 1-20 layers 22-40 layer
2 Base Material KB、Shengyi、ShengyiSF305、FR408、FR408HR、IS410、FR406、GETEK、370HR、IT180A、Rogers4350、Rogers400、PTFE Laminates(Rogers series、Taconic series、Arlon series、Nelco series)、Rogers/Taconic/Arlon/Nelco laminate with FR-4 material(including partial Ro4350B hybrid laminating with FR-4)
3 PCB Type Rigid PCB/FPC/Flex-Rigid Backplane、HDI、High multi-layer blind&buried PCB、Embedded Capacitance、Embedded resistance board 、Heavy copper power PCB、Backdrill.
4 Lamination type Blind&buried via type Mechanical blind&burried vias with less than 3 times laminating Mechanical blind&burried vias with less than 2 times laminating
HDI PCB 1+n+1,1+1+n+1+1,2+n+2,3+n+3(n buried vias≤0.3mm),Laser blind via can be filling plating 1+n+1,1+1+n+1+1,2+n+2,3+n+3(n buried vias≤0.3mm),Laser blind via can be filling plating
5 Finished Board Thickness 0.2-3.2mm 3.4-7mm
6 Minimum Core Thickness 0.15mm(6mil) 0.1mm(4mil)
7 Copper Thickness Min. 1/2 OZ, Max. 4 OZ Min. 1/3 OZ, Max. 10 OZ
8 PTH Wall 20um(0.8mil) 25um(1mil)
9 Maximum Board Size 500*600mm(19”*23”) 1100*500mm(43”*19”)
10 Hole Min laser drilling size 4mil 4mil
Max laser drilling size 6mil 6mil
Max aspect ratio for Hole plate 10:1(hole diameter>8mil) 20:1
Max aspect ratio for laser via filling plating 0.9:1(Depth included copper thickness) 1:1(Depth included copper thickness)
Max aspect ratio for mechanical depth-
control drilling board(Blind hole drilling depth/blind hole size)
0.8:1(drilling tool size≥10mil) 1.3:1(drilling tool size≤8mil),1.15:1(drilling tool size≥10mil)
Min. depth of Mechanical depth-control(back drill) 8mil 8mil
Min gap between hole wall and
conductor (None blind and buried via PCB)
7mil(≤8L),9mil(10-14L),10mil(>14L) 5.5mil(≤8L),6.5mil(10-14L),7mil(>14L)
Min gap between hole wall conductor (Blind and buried via PCB) 8mil(1 times laminating),10mil(2 times laminating), 12mil(3 times laminating) 7mil(1 time laminating), 8mil(2 times laminating), 9mil(3 times laminating)
Min gab between hole wall conductor(Laser blind hole buried via PCB) 7mil(1+N+1);8mil(1+1+N+1+1 or 2+N+2) 7mil(1+N+1);8mil(1+1+N+1+1 or 2+N+2)
Min space between laser holes and conductor 6mil 5mil
Min space between hole walls in different net 10mil 10mil
Min space between hole walls in the same net 6mil(thru-hole& laser hole PCB),10mil(Mechanical blind&buried PCB) 6mil(thru-hole& laser hole PCB),10mil(Mechanical blind&buried PCB)
Min space bwteen NPTH hole walls 8mil 8mil
Hole location tolerance ±2mil ±2mil
NPTH tolerance ±2mil ±2mil
Pressfit holes tolerance ±2mil ±2mil
Countersink depth tolerance ±6mil ±6mil
Countersink hole size tolerance ±6mil ±6mil
11 Pad(ring) Min Pad size for laser drillings 10mil(for 4mil laser via),11mil(for 5mil laser via) 10mil(for 4mil laser via),11mil(for 5mil laser via)
Min Pad size for mechanical drillings 16mil(8mil drillings) 16mil(8mil drillings)
Min BGA pad size HASL:10mil, LF HASL:12mil, other surface technics are 10mil(7mil is ok for flash gold) HASL:10mil, LF HASL:12mil, other surface technics are 7mi
Pad size tolerance(BGA) ±1.5mil(pad size≤10mil);±15%(pad size>10mil) ±1.2mil(pad size≤12mil);±10%(pad size≥12mil)
12 Width/Space Internal Layer 1/2OZ:3/3mil 1/2OZ:3/3mil
1OZ: 3/4mil 1OZ: 3/4mil
2OZ: 4/5.5mil 2OZ: 4/5mil
3OZ: 5/8mil 3OZ: 5/8mil
4OZ: 6/11mil 4OZ: 6/11mil
5OZ: 7/14mil 5OZ: 7/13.5mil
6OZ: 8/16mil 6OZ: 8/15mil
7OZ: 9/19mil 7OZ: 9/18mil
8OZ: 10/22mil 8OZ: 10/21mil
9OZ: 11/25mil 9OZ: 11/24mil
10OZ: 12/28mil 10OZ: 12/27mil
External Layer 1/3OZ:3.5/4mil 1/3OZ:3/3mil
1/2OZ:3.9/4.5mil 1/2OZ:3.5/3.5mil
1OZ: 4.8/5mil 1OZ: 4.5/5mil
1.43OZ(positive):4.5/7 1.43OZ(positive):4.5/6
1.43OZ(negative ):5/8 1.43OZ(negative ):5/7
2OZ: 6/8mil 2OZ: 6/7mil
3OZ: 6/12mil 3OZ: 6/10mil
4OZ: 7.5/15mil 4OZ: 7.5/13mil
5OZ: 9/18mil 5OZ: 9/16mil
6OZ: 10/21mil 6OZ: 10/19mil
7OZ: 11/25mil 7OZ: 11/22mil
8OZ: 12/29mil 8OZ: 12/26mil
9OZ: 13/33mil 9OZ: 13/30mil
10OZ: 14/38mil 10OZ: 14/35mil
13 Dimension Tolerance Hole Position 0.08 ( 3 mils)
Conductor Width(W) 20% Deviation of Master
A/W
1mil Deviation of Master
A/W
Outline Dimension 0.15 mm ( 6 mils) 0.10 mm ( 4 mils)
Conductors & Outline
( C – O )
0.15 mm ( 6 mils) 0.13 mm ( 5 mils)
Warp and Twist 0.75% 0.50%
14 Solder Mask Max drilling tool size for via filled with Soldermask (single side) 35.4mil 35.4mil
Soldermask color Green, Black, Blue, Red, White, Yellow,Purple matte/glossy
Silkscreen color White, Black,Blue,Yellow
Max hole size for via filled with Blue glue aluminium 197mil 197mil
Finish hole size for via filled with resin  4-25.4mil  4-25.4mil
Max aspect ratio for via filled with resin board 8:1 12:1
Min width of soldermask bridge Base copper≤0.5 oz、Immersion Tin: 7.5mil(Black), 5.5mil(Other color) , 8mil( on copper area)
Base copper≤0.5 oz、Finish treatment not Immersion Tin : 5.5 mil(Black,extremity 5mil), 4mil(Other
color,extremity 3.5mil) , 8mil( on copper area
Base coppe 1 oz: 4mil(Green), 5mil(Other color) , 5.5mil(Black,extremity 5mil),8mil( on copper area)
Base copper 1.43 oz: 4mil(Green), 5.5mil(Other color) , 6mil(Black), 8mil( on copper area)
Base copper 2 oz-4 oz: 6mil, 8mil( on copper area)
15 Surface Treatment Lead free Flash gold(electroplated gold)、ENIG、Hard gold、Flash gold、HASL Lead free、OSP、ENEPIG、Soft gold、Immersion silver、Immersion Tin、ENIG+OSP,ENIG+Gold finger,Flash gold(electroplated gold)+Gold finger,Immersion silver+Gold finger,Immersion Tin+Gold finge
Leaded Leaded HASL
Aspect ratio 10:1(HASL Lead free、HASL Lead、ENIG、Immersion Tin、Immersion silver、ENEPIG);8:1(OSP)
Max finished size HASL Lead 22″*39″;HASL Lead free 22″*24″;Flash gold 24″*24″;Hard gold 24″*28″;ENIG 21″*27″;Flash gold(electroplated gold) 21″*48″;Immersion Tin 16″*21″;Immersion silver 16″*18″;OSP 24″*40″;
Min finished size HASL Lead 5″*6″;HASL Lead free 10″*10″;Flash gold 12″*16″;Hard gold 3″*3″;Flash gold(electroplated gold) 8″*10″;Immersion Tin 2″*4″;Immersion silver 2″*4″;OSP 2″*2″;
PCB thickness HASL Lead 0.6-4.0mm;HASL Lead free 0.6-4.0mm;Flash gold 1.0-3.2mm;Hard gold 0.1-5.0mm;ENIG 0.2-7.0mm;Flash gold(electroplated gold) 0.15-5.0mm;Immersion Tin 0.4-5.0mm;Immersion silver 0.4-5.0mm;OSP 0.2-6.0mm
Max high to gold finger 1.5inch
Min space between gold fingers 6mil
Min block space to gold fingers 7.5mil
16 V-Cutting Panel Size 500mm X 622 mm  ( max. ) 500mm X 800 mm ( max. )
Board Thickness 0.50 mm (20mil) min. 0.30 mm (12mil) min.
Remain Thickness 1/3 board thickness 0.40 +/-0.10mm( 16+/-4 mil )
Tolerance ±0.13 mm(5mil) ±0.1 mm(4mil)
Groove Width 0.50 mm (20mil) max. 0.38 mm (15mil) max.
Groove to Groove 20 mm (787mil) min. 10 mm (394mil) min.
Groove to Trace 0.45 mm(18mil) min. 0.38 mm(15mil) min.
17 Slot Slot size tol.L≥2W PTH Slot: L:+/-0.13(5mil) W:+/-0.08(3mil) PTH Slot: L:+/-0.10(4mil) W:+/-0.05(2mil)
NPTH slot(mm) L+/-0.10 (4mil) W:+/-0.05(2mil) NPTH slot(mm) L:+/-0.08 (3mil) W:+/-0.05(2mil)
18 Min Spacing from hole edge to hole edge 0.30-1.60 (Hole Diameter) 0.15mm(6mil) 0.10mm(4mil)
1.61-6.50 (Hole Diameter) 0.15mm(6mil) 0.13mm(5mil)
19 Min spacing between hole edge to circuitry pattern PTH hole: 0.20mm(8mil) PTH hole: 0.13mm(5mil)
NPTH hole: 0.18mm(7mil) NPTH hole: 0.10mm(4mil)
20 Image transfer Registration tol Circuit pattern vs.index hole 0.10(4mil) 0.08(3mil)
Circuit pattern vs.2nd drill hole 0.15(6mil) 0.10(4mil)
21 Registration tolerance of front/back image 0.075mm(3mil) 0.05mm(2mil)
22 Multilayers Layer-layer misregistration 4layers: 0.15mm(6mil)max. 4layers: 0.10mm(4mil) max.
6layers: 0.20mm(8mil)max. 6layers: 0.13mm(5mil) max.
8layers: 0.25mm(10mil)max. 8layers: 0.15mm(6mil) max.
Min. Spacing from Hole Edge to Innerlayer Pattern 0.225mm(9mil) 0.15mm(6mil)
Min.Spacing from Outline to Innerlayer Pattern 0.38mm(15mil) 0.225mm(9mil)
Min. board thickness 4layers:0.30mm(12mil) 4layers:0.20mm(8mil)
6layers:0.60mm(24mil) 6layers:0.50mm(20mil)
8layers:1.0mm(40mil) 8layers:0.75mm(30mil)
Board thickness tolerance 4layers:+/-0.13mm(5mil) 4layers:+/-0.10mm(4mil)
6layers:+/-0.15mm(6mil) 6layers:+/-0.13mm(5mil)
8-12 layers:+/-0.20mm (8mil) 8-12 layers:+/-0.15mm (6mil)
23 Insulation Resistance 10KΩ~20MΩ(typical:5MΩ)
24 Conductivity <50Ω(typical:25Ω)
25 Test voltage 250V
26 Impedance control ±5ohm(<50ohm), ±10%(≥50ohm)

PCBTok offers flexible shipping methods for our customers, you may choose from one of the methods below.

1. DHL

DHL offers international express services in over 220 countries.
DHL partners with PCBTok and offers very competitive rates to customers of PCBTok.
It normally takes 3-7 business days for the package to be delivered around the world.

DHL

2. UPS

UPS gets the facts and figures about the world’s largest package delivery company and one of the leading global providers of specialized transportation and logistics services.
It normally takes 3-7 business days to deliver a package to most of the addresses in the world.

UPS

3. TNT

TNT has 56,000 employees in 61 countries.
It takes 4-9 business days to deliver the packages to the hands
of our customers.

TNT

4. FedEx

FedEx offers delivery solutions for customers around the world.
It takes 4-7 business days to deliver the packages to the hands
of our customers.

FedEx

5. Air, Sea/Air, and Sea

If your order is of large volume with PCBTok, you can also choose
to ship via air, sea/air combined, and sea when necessary.
Please contact your sales representative for shipping solutions.

Note: if you need others, please contact your sales representative for shipping solutions.

You can use the following payment methods:

Telegraphic Transfer(TT): A telegraphic transfer (TT) is an electronic method of transferring funds utilized primarily for overseas wire transactions. It’s very convenient to transfer.

Bank/Wire transfer: To pay by wire transfer using your bank account, you need to visit your nearest bank branch with the wire transfer information. Your payment will be completed 3-5 business days after you have finished the money transfer.

Paypal: Pay easily, fast and secure with PayPal. many other credit and debit cards via PayPal.

Credit Card: You can pay with a credit card: Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Maestro.

Quick Quote
  • ” In order to completely launch mass production of a variety of our goods PCBs, PCBTok closely coordinated with our company. Their eagerness and adaptive responses their order processing systems to our business plan impressed me. Personally, I’m pleased with the dedication, work and effort, and expertise PCBTok presented during the PCB release.”

    Simon Hejlsberg, Owner of Electronics Company, USA
  • “PCBTok exceeded standards, which is a trait that is hard to find in today’s industry. The company takes tremendous confidence in all of its work. For years, PCBTok has provided excellent customer service. PCBTok offers the personalized experience that is so nearly nonexistent from service providers in the market. We were expertly led through the overall process by PCBTok, who enlightened us and constantly put us at ease concerning every part of the transaction. I am certain we found the perfect business partner for our requirements PCBs.”

    Randy Guillebeaux, Tech Solutions Engineer from Australia
  • “Me and my co-workers simply wanted to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to everyone at PCBTok. With almost all of our concerns, everybody at your company has been really helpful. We now spend half as much on repairs thanks to PCBTok.  Our concerns have been resolved thanks to your company’s swift, kind and polite service to your customers! 5 stars indeed!”

    Mariano Luettgen, Electronics Maker Staff, Canada

PCB Drilling – The Completed FAQ Guide

Before you start drilling your PCBs, you should know which drill bit to use. A good drill bit should be free of debris, which can cause problems and undesirable results.

Following these guidelines will help you finish the job without damaging the drill bit. Following these guidelines will make PCB drilling much easier. Some of the most important things to know about PCB drilling are listed below.

What Is PCB Drilling?

If you’re wondering what PCB drilling is all about, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a home electronics enthusiast or a professional engineer, you probably have questions about the process. In this section, we’ll learn what PCB drilling is all about. To do the job correctly, you need a drill press. A drill press can be very useful when it comes to precise and accurate drilling. Although drilling PCBs with a drill press takes time, it is well worth it once you have mastered the technique.

To ensure proper operation, high-quality PCBs must be well drilled. PCB drilling has several advantages, including low risk and quick turnaround. It is a great option when PCBs need to be expedited. PCB drilling can be done quickly and accurately, saving you time and money. PCB drilling also improves the functionality and affordability of the final product.

PCB Drilling Machine

PCB Drilling Machine

A drill is a CNC-programmed machine that drills the circuit board according to the XY coordinates entered into the CNC system. Its spindle rotates at high speed in order to drill a precise hole in the board. Due to the high rotation speed, heat builds up between the drill hole and the hole wall. The resin component of the hole wall melts due to the heat, leaving a resin stain on the board. After this, the board is removed from the assembly line and the hole is discarded.

Mechanical and electroplated PCB drilling are the two types. For standard PCB drilling, the holes must be 0.3 mm wider than the component diameter. If the component diameter is 0.5 mm, the hole diameter should be 0.8 mm. if it is larger than this size, a laser drilling process is required. You may need to drill the board several times wider, which would be very expensive.

What Is Drill Size in PCBs?

This is a common problem in electronic design projects. The drill bit is usually smaller than the size of the component being drilled into. These size differences can cause a variety of problems, from soldering issues to wasted board space. Drilling too small or too large can result in overfilling the PCB and wasting time. A general rule of thumb for solving this problem is to drill holes 0.3 mm wider than the component to be drilled.

In order to determine the proper drill size for a particular circuit, the diameter of the leads must be known. For example, a 0.022-inch thick resistor requires a 0.0229-inch diameter hole. The IPC-2221 standard specifies the minimum hole size. However, it is important to note that some PCBs are not thick enough to accommodate all hole sizes. This is why it is critical to determine the proper hole size for your project before you begin.

While standard PCB drill sizes are available, custom options can be ordered. A single PCB can contain up to 10,000 different sizes. This can make it difficult to match drill sizes to components, which can be expensive. On the other hand, modern automated CNC machines can handle any drill size. When designing a PCB, it is critical to understand these differences so you can choose the right size.

What Are The PCB Drilling Processes Used for Hole Fabrication?

Different PCB drilling processes may vary depending on the size of the PCB and the number of holes. For example, a multilayer board may have overlapping holes in different layers. In addition, there may be buried or blind holes in a multilayer board. Because the diameter of the holes must be between +/-076mm and 0.05mm, the size of the through-holes is critical. The thickness of the copper and solder resist layers is 10 to 50 um. In addition, the alignment angle must not exceed 5 um. The holes must be drilled precisely and accurately.

The board must then be thoroughly cleaned before plating. Afterward, the PCB panel is immersed in a series of chemicals to fuse the layers together. A layer of copper is deposited on the topmost layer and in the previously drilled holes. This copper layer covers the hole walls. The entire process is repeated until the PCB panel is complete. Finally, the panel must be tested with X-rays.

PCB Drilling Process

PCB Drilling Process

On the PCB, there are two types of holes: through-holes and micro-holes. Drilling a 0.028-inch diameter hole requires a 0.033-inch drill bit. A hole of this size requires a 0.033-inch pad. This is sufficient for plating and surface preparation but does not allow for insertion into the assembly. The bottom tolerance of the hole can be as small as

How is PCB Drill Size Calculated?

Before looking for a PCB drill, it is crucial to know the rules and guidelines governing PCB drilling. The IPC-2221 standard specifies the minimum size of holes in a PCB and defines the PCB drill bit size. For simple designs, an 8 mm hole will suffice, but if you need to use thicker copper layers, a larger diameter will be more practical.

The diameter of the tool and the size of the solder tray are used to calculate the PCB drill size. In most cases, the hole sizes suggested by the datasheet take into account both part tolerances and typical foundry tolerances. You must then find the hole size table that corresponds to your part layout. The answer will vary depending on the plating requirements. Some fabs use unfinished hole sizes, while others use finished hole sizes.

PCB Drill Size

PCB Drill Size

Because the leads of through-hole components will be on them, the minimum hole size is also important for through-hole. This means that the pad size should be twice the size of the smallest hole. Pad size is also important because it allows you to compensate for board density if needed. If you are not sure about the pad size, consult your PCB designer. The minimum hole size should not be a major issue, but it needs to be considered.

How Drill Selections Can Benefit Your PCB Manufacturing Process?

The right drill bit can help your PCB manufacturing process in a number of ways. While most electrical components have standard lead diameters, it is important to note that not every PCB can accommodate a variety of drill sizes. However, if you are working with smaller PCBs, you should be careful to select the correct drill size to avoid damage.

When choosing the correct drill size for your PCB, keep your project requirements in mind. Various materials require different sizes of drill bits. For example, if your PCB is made of fiberglass, you need to use a tungsten carbide drill bit because the fiberglass consumes a standard HSS drill bit. To avoid this problem, choose a drill with a large carbide tip, which is more expensive and more brittle. For smaller drills, you will also need a vertical drill holder.

Drill Selections

Drill Selections

Consider the minimum hole size and pad diameter when choosing a drill. As a general rule, the fewer vias you use, the lower the reliability level of the PCB. Likewise, fewer vias can have a negative impact on the board’s properties, so it is critical to work with your CM to determine the correct vias selection. The right size can have a significant impact on the overall performance of the board.

The drill bit is an important part of the PCB manufacturing process, but it is only one of many variables that will determine the success or failure of your project. The best drill bit will maximize yield while causing minimal damage to the PCB. Check that the drill bit is sharp enough to match the hardness level of the material. Choose the correct drill bit based on reference data and experience.

What Are the PCB Drilling Processes?

This has a lot to do with how well the hole is drilled. High-speed steel and tungsten carbide bits are commonly used to drill composite materials. Carbide tools have longer tool life when machining GFRP. Carbide drills are typically used for PCB drilling. The helix angle is usually between 30 and 35 degrees.

The area must be cleaned before drilling on the PCB. This will prevent metal chips from accumulating in the hole and make the drilling process smoother. Afterward, the solder should be applied to the new hole. Then, the driller must melt the solder with a soldering iron. This will fix the solder around the hole.

There are various PCB drilling processes. The most common is through-hole drilling. This method involves feeding the laminate through a machine that drills holes on both sides of the board. This method is used for a variety of through holes. In most cases, the drilling process is performed in a sequential manner. For example, buried holes are drilled before the laminate is stacked.

CNC or automatic drilling machines are used to drill the circuit boards. CNC drilling machines are capable of drilling holes of different sizes and diameters. Using one can save you time and money. Because it allows multiple holes to be drilled in a single process, this method is ideal for high-volume production. CNC drilling machines have many advantages. The most notable feature is that they are very reliable and cost-effective.

Tolerance errors may occur when changing drill bits. When drilling thicker boards, it is best to use a single drill size. It is also important to consider the board size when choosing a drill size. Smaller plates may be more difficult to mechanically plate or drill. If you are drilling a large diameter board, you will need a laser drilling process. If you need the largest holes, the process may cost more.

Choosing the right PCB drill size for your design is critical. Choosing the right drilling process will not only reduce costs but also shorten turnaround times. In addition, the drilling process can have an impact on the performance of the PCB. Drilling holes that are too thin can affect performance and shorten the life of the board. Smaller drill sizes can increase PCB costs, while larger drill sizes can increase assembly time.

Direct exposure technology is another method of drilling PCBs. To increase accuracy and speed, this technique uses an image processing concept. During the drilling process, the image is converted into a position map that is used to align the PCB under the laser. advanced image processing algorithms and precise optical studies will increase throughput. The PCB drill is able to drill multiple holes in a single run. This process also increases productivity for PCB manufacturers.

Send Your Inquiry Today
Quick Quote
Scroll to Top