PCB Manufacturing Process
Every IndiPCB order follows a controlled, repeatable process — from the moment you upload a Gerber to the boards leaving our dock. Below is how your design becomes a finished, tested printed circuit board, and how we populate it with components when you order assembly. Printing an enclosure too? See our 3D printing process.
PCB Fabrication
- 1
Design & DRC review
Your Gerber upload is checked against our manufacturing rules automatically (free DRC). We flag trace width, clearance, drill and annular-ring issues before fabrication starts.
- 2
Material preparation
FR-4 laminate is cut to panel size and cleaned. Inner-layer copper is prepared for imaging on multilayer boards.
- 3
Inner-layer imaging & etching
The copper pattern is photo-imaged onto a dry film, then unwanted copper is etched away, leaving the traces and planes.
- 4
Layer alignment & lamination
For multilayer boards, inner layers are stacked with prepreg and bonded under heat and pressure into a single rigid panel.
- 5
Drilling
CNC drills create the holes for vias and through-hole components, registered precisely to the copper pattern.
- 6
Plating (through-hole)
Drilled holes and the panel are electroless- and electro-plated with copper to make the holes conductive and build copper thickness.
- 7
Outer-layer imaging & etching
The outer copper pattern is imaged, plated, and etched — defining the final top and bottom traces.
- 8
Solder mask
The solder mask (green by default) is applied and cured, leaving pads exposed and protecting the copper from oxidation and bridging.
- 9
Silkscreen / legend
Reference designators, logos and markings are printed onto the board surface.
- 10
Surface finish
Exposed pads receive a finish — HASL (lead) on Prototype; HASL lead-free, ENIG, OSP and more on Production — for solderability.
- 11
Electrical test
Flying-probe or fixture testing verifies continuity and isolation against the netlist on applicable orders.
- 12
Profiling (rout / V-score)
Boards are routed or V-scored to their final outline and separated from the panel.
- 13
Final QC & inspection
Dimensions, finish and visual quality are inspected before the boards are cleared for dispatch.
- 14
Packaging & dispatch
Boards are vacuum-packed and shipped — Prototype orders dispatch in 48 hours.
PCB Assembly (PCBA)
- 1
BOM & data review
We review your Bill of Materials, pick-and-place (centroid) file and Gerbers, and confirm component availability for turnkey orders.
- 2
Stencil & solder paste
A laser-cut stencil deposits solder paste onto the SMD pads with precise registration.
- 3
Pick & place (SMT)
Automated machines place surface-mount components onto the pasted pads at high speed and accuracy.
- 4
Reflow soldering
The board passes through a controlled reflow oven profile that melts the paste and forms reliable solder joints.
- 5
AOI inspection
Automated Optical Inspection checks placement, polarity and solder quality against the design.
- 6
Through-hole assembly
Through-hole parts are inserted and soldered by wave soldering or hand soldering as required.
- 7
Cleaning
Flux residues are cleaned where the assembly process or end-use requires it.
- 8
Functional testing (optional)
Optional functional / in-circuit testing verifies the assembled board performs to your test spec.
- 9
Conformal coating (optional)
A protective coating can be applied for boards destined for harsh or humid environments.
- 10
Final inspection & packaging
A final inspection confirms quality, then the assembled boards are ESD-packed and dispatched.
Not every step applies to every order — single-layer prototypes skip lamination, and assembly steps run only when you order PCBA. See our manufacturing capabilities for tolerances, or read the production & assembly FAQ.