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Safety
Safety
This machine has many safety precautions built in, however, please follow the rules below.
Never grasp moving components when the system is operating.
Never open any covers while the system is operating.
Rules
Rules
Always get a staff member's approval before operating the machine.
You must get approval before bringing in any materials not provided by the makerspace.
How Do I get Access to This Machine?
How Do I get Access to This Machine?
Please follow the first PCB guide to learn how to use the machine. Any projects on the LPKF S104 Mill must be approved by staff before it may be fabricated by the machine. Less experienced users will require supervision on the mill.
Material Costs
Material Costs
The DCI Lab sells two types of material that can be used with the PCB mill
9x12" 1oz Cu FR4 is $8.00/board
9x12" 1/2oz Cu FR4 is $8.00/board
Scrap boards are free
Always refer to the Material Store page for the most updated pricing.
How Does It WOrk?
How Does It WOrk?
The LPKF S104 Protomat is a CNC mill that is designed to fabricate printed circuit boards (PCB). This machine takes material which consists of a very thin layer of copper on top of a thicker non-conductive material and uses endmills to remove sections of that copper to create the traces of a PCB. In addition to removing copper, the S104 uses different tools to drill holes and cut out the PCB. This machine has an automatic tool changer which helps produce boards more quickly.
The S104 Protomat serves the same function as the U4 Protolaser but the laser can remove copper more quickly and the protomat can drill holes and cut through the board more quickly. Jobs can be transferred between the two machines but unless you have something extremely large, it likely won't save very much time.
More resources
More resources
Learn how to make your first printed circuit board (PCB) with the S104 protomat.
Learn how to use the S104 protomat to make a solderpaste stencil, however it is highly preferred to use the protolaser instead.
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