LPKF Standard Operating Procedure

Standard Operating Procedure

Overview

The LPKF ProtoMat PCB milling tool is intended for milling structures onto copper-coated circuit board materials for in-house production of single or double-sided PCBs.

Tool Parts

Setup

1. Lift the hood and turn on the machine through the power switch located on the side of the stage. Keep the hood closed afterwards for the machine to initialize when starting the software.

   

2. Login to the computer with the username and password posted on the tool computer.
3. Double click the LPKF CircuitPro software.

   

4. After initialization, the software will ask for either an existing CircuitPro project (.cbf) or to load from one of the existing templates.

   

5. If creating a project for the first time, click Load default template or load from the existing template list. If a project file exists, click Open project... load the appropriate file and proceed to step 7.
6. If a design already exists, the Gerber files are ready to be imported, and the template layers are unneeded, delete all template layers by selecting all layers and clicking delete layer.
7. To import and add existing Gerber files and Drill files to the project, click File > Import or press Ctrl + I. An Import window will appear. Press OK to import the files. A warning stating new layers were created will appear. Press OK.
8. For each layer, select the appropriate Phase (to determine when the layer is going to be cut) and Tech (what the layer corresponds to).
9. Unselect or delete Silk Screen or Solder layers.

Create Fiducials

1. Click Insert > Fiducial >  <Create new layer>
2. Place fiducials by the four corners of the profile by entering specific coordinates in the Create fiducial window before clicking Apply or by clicking where the fiducial will be placed under CAM view. Ensure you select “Relative to anchor point.” 
3. If you do not like where a fiducial was placed, you can right click it and press Delete.
4. Press Close when you are done placing fiducials.
5. Set the Phase of the Fiducials layer to DrillFiducial.

Generate Toolpaths

1. Click Machining > Connect. Check that the software is connected to S103.
2. Click Generate isolation and contour routing toolpath.
3. Set the material type and the copper layer thickness depending on the copper layer you are using. For a deeper cut, it is recommended to input a value 1 to 2 ums thicker than the copper layer used. Also set the Isolate and Contour Routing depending on the specifications of the design.
4. Click Start.
5. Resolve any Warnings. For processes with no available tools, assign the toolpath to an appropriate alternate before clicking Calculate.

Cutting

1. Click Machining > Placement to adjust the placement of the cut on the copper board. You can click and drag the design around the board on Machining View. Ensure the design does not overlap with any existing cuts on the board.
2. Click “Open the dialog to edit the contents of the tool magazine.” Check that all the required tools are slotted in the LPKF.
3. Ensure that the stage is clean and the board is bent flat. Use the vacuum to clean any dust or particles left inside the LPKF.
4. Mount the board onto the stage using tape, taking care to ensure that the area to be cut and drilled flat and secure against the stage.
5. Make sure the hood of the LPKF is closed before clicking Start the Board Production Wizard.
6. On the Material Settings window, click “Select the camera head as active head” and then click “Autofocus.” Click around towards the left corner of the display on Machining View to move the camera. Once a clear view of the bottom left corner is visible on the display, click the bottom left corner icon at the Location panel to teach the machine where the corner is. You can also use the arrow keys under X/Y positioning to move the camera. If the bottom left corner is at an inaccessible location on the Machining View, close the Wizard and reposition the board.
7. Click Continue at the Placement window.
8. At the ReadFiducial steps, the camera will first autofocus before confirming if the image is sharp. Reposition the camera using the arrow keys under X/Y positioning while changing the step size accordingly until the bottom left fiducial is centered on the camera. Click Accept Current Position once the bottom left fiducial is visible and sharp. The software will attempt to automatically look for the other fiducials. If a fiducial cannot be found, an Alignment window will appear. Manually locate each missing fiducial and manually center the fiducial within the yellow circle before clicking Accept Current Position.
9. On the FlipMaterial step, open the hood and flip the board towards you or away from you before mounting it with tape. Do not flip the board sideways.
10. When the process finishes, unload the copper board and use the vacuum to clean the dust.
11. Close the CircuitPro Software - this will allow the milling head to move to a safe location. If this is not done, it is likely to break a bit when powered off.
12. Confirm the milling head is in a safe location (above one of the magazine tool slots in the upper left or upper right)
13. Turn off the LPKF power switch and close the hood.