In this entry we are going to add some instructive videos on how we prepare fabrication files in order to send them to fabrication in JLCPCB using their PCBA service.

In this 3 videos I show what is my personal approach to prepare fabrication files to send a PCB design to JLCPCB. Including the BOM and Pick and Place (CPL) file.

Sorry part I has the sound in a bad shape. However is not that important since just wanted to show the process. Basically it consists in preparing 3 files:

• Gerber files. Including Drill file and map. This is basically all the data they need to make the PCB itself: In this case I’m sending a 4 layers PCB design. This are several files that need to get compressed in a single Gerbers.zip file
• BOM or Bill of Materials. This is a simple CSV file that has 4 columns:
  Designator, Footprint, Comment and JLCPCB Part #
• CPL or pick and place data. Another CSV file exported from KiCad with 5 cols:
  Designator, Mid X, Mid Y, Rotation and Layer (Usually always top in my designs)
  
  This latest 2 CSV files can be opened with any program like GNumeric or Excel if you use windows and saved as xlsx excel file. If you prefer that format since you can format nicer the columns and adjust them to your liking.

In this first video you will notice I like to make a symbolic link to the destination folder of the project. This is just because both in the Gerbers upload and to add the BOM + Pick and place you need to search for the directory every-time (At least in Linux) so it makes since easy to be there in two clicks: Desktop + Symlink -> You are there.

In this second part we just show how we copy and paste every LCSC part number to the CPL file. If you know how to make KiCad export also a particular property for every part in a new column on the position file please tell me, will save lot’s of time.
Anyways keep in mind that this slow manual process also makes you aware and forces you to check one time more, that the component is the correct one, that is on your Parts Lib or has stock, etc. You need to get familiar with the placed parts because that will help you also discover if there is any part that has not the right footprint, or that is extended part (Makes it more expensive for EACH part) and can be updated for a basic part. This usually saves a lot of money and is possible to do it with many resistances mainly.

Finally in part 3 we conclude making some last minute corrections and finally submitting the files to the fabrication process in JLCPCB.