How To Choose Right Tool For PCB Board Cutting

Printed circuit boards are the basis of modern electronic products. Therefore, they require special care and precision in the production and manufacturing process. One of the most critical procedures to consider is the cutting process. How to cut a PCB so that it fits its specified component or device.

Why need to cut the PCB

There are many different types of circuit boards. Therefore, each type has a dedicated application. For example, PCBS can be rigid or flexible, single-layer or multi-layer. However, we need to cut and polish them in a suitable way. In addition, we may find that the PCB has unnecessary excess material after placing its components, so cutting the PCB will make its space more efficient and more uniform. In addition, cutting homemade PCBS allows you to save on material costs. You can reuse materials cut from PCBS and integrate them into your other projects.

Different ways to cut PCB

There are multiple ways to cut PCB. Most factories use specialized V-cutting machines. However, some people use a template, forming a groove around the PCB material, and then using a punch to break the PCB. It is important to note that this method can be very inefficient and may cause cracks in the final product. More efficient PCB cutting methods include:

PCB router machine

V-Cut PCB machine

PCB milling cutter

PCB sawing machine

Dedicated PCB cutting tools 

Cutting is a key part of the PCB assembly process. Without it, we wouldn't be able to properly mount PCBS into electronic devices. However, as we explain in the above guide, you can cut PCBS for other purposes, such as jewelry making. Manufacturers use a variety of machines and tools to cut and refine PCB.

How to choose the right tool for PCB board cutting

PCB board cutting want to avoid burrs, it is very important to choose the right tool: choose the right tool, such as drill, milling cutter, etc., can effectively reduce the rough edge when cutting. In general, better cutting results can be obtained by using a drill with a diameter of less than 0.5mm.

1) Select different tools according to different cutting purposes. Common cutting tools include drill, milling cutter, saw blade or diamond cut-off wheels. Drill is suitable for drilling and cutting small area PCB board; Milling cutter suitable for cutting large area PCB board; The saw blade is suitable for cutting thick PCB boards.

2) Choose the right tool material. The choice of tool material directly affects cutting quality and tool life. At present, the common tool materials are cemented carbide, high-speed steel, diamond PCD and so on. Carbide cutting tools are suitable for cutting hard materials; High speed steel tool is suitable for cutting ordinary materials; Diamond tools are suitable for cutting extremely hard materials.

3) Select the appropriate tool according to the thickness and hardness of the PCB board. In general, the thicker and harder the PCB board, the greater the cutting force required, so it is necessary to choose a tool with greater hardness and wear resistance.

4) Select the right tool according to the cutting speed and feed rate. Different tools correspond to different cutting speeds and feed rates, so it is necessary to choose the right tool according to the specific situation. If you need high precision cutting, you need to choose a more sophisticated tool. For example, a drill with a diameter of less than 0.5mm can achieve higher cutting accuracy. ZYSUPERHARDTOOLS Tools focus on high precision CNC tools, can provide you with high precision PCB machining tools.

Select PCB NC machining tool precautions

1. Note holes.

(a) CNC machine tool hole processing is generally no drill, according to the rigidity and cutting conditions, the selection of PCB milling cutter cutter diameter D should meet the conditions of L/D≤5 (L is the depth of drilling).

(b) Positioning with the center drill before drilling to ensure the positioning accuracy of hole processing.

(c) A floating reamer can be selected for fine reaming, and the hole before reaming should be chamfered.

(d) When boring, a symmetrical multi-edge boring head should be used as far as possible to balance the radial force and reduce the boring vibration.

(e) Try to choose a thicker and shorter tool bar to reduce cutting vibration.

2. Consider milling

1) The milling cutter with no regrinding indexable carbide blade is mainly used for milling the plane, the diameter of the PCB milling cutter is smaller when the rough milling, the diameter of the PCB milling cutter is larger when the fine milling, when the processing margin is large and the margin is not uniform, the diameter of the tool is smaller, otherwise it will cause the machining quality of the work-piece to be affected by the deep cut mark of the cutter.

2) Ball end milling cutter, ring milling cutter, drum milling cutter, conical milling cutter and disk milling cutter are often used when processing three-dimensional surface or variable bevel contour work-piece

3) End milling cutter is mostly used for processing convex and grooves. If the processing allowance is small and the surface roughness requirement is high, the end milling cutter with cubic boron nitride blade or PCD blade can be used.

4) Rough processing of blank surface or hole, can choose cemented carbide corn milling cutter for strong cutting.

5) For grooves with higher machining accuracy requirements, an end mill with a diameter smaller than the width of the groove can be used to mill the middle part of the groove first, and then use the tool radius compensation function to mill both sides of the groove.

Conclusion: ZYSUPERHARD TOOL can customize the right tool according to the drawings provided by customers, whether cutting, milling, punching, we provide one-stop service, welcome to consult and purchase.