Laser Depaneling

Stress-free and dust-free cutting with the CuttingMaster series from LPKF

Laser depaneling is an extremely material-friendly process that ensures that good things stay good: The material is removed layer by layer without contact, i.e. without transferring mechanical stress to the PCB or components. The overall heat development is permanently so low that surrounding components are not damaged. 


In the field of laser depaneling, SmartRep works together with LPKF, a manufacturer that stands for innovative technologies and quality "made in Germany".

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The advantages of laser depaneling

Stress and dust-free

As a completely non-contact technology, laser depaneling does not transfer any mechanical stress to the PCB. Damage to sensitive components is therefore ruled out. In addition, the material is vaporized and extracted without leaving any residue; no dust is produced that could be deposited on the PCB and cause malfunctions.

Creative freedom

Laser depaneling enables flexible line management for the cutting contour. Thanks to the extremely small laser beam diameter, there are practically no limits to the design; even very fine and complex contours can be realized without any problems.

Wear-free and constant

Laser systems work wear-free, no tools such as milling heads or saw blades need to be changed. This eliminates follow-up costs for maintenance and servicing. As the laser source, which is designed for up to 30,000 hours of operation, does not wear out, the cutting quality remains at a consistently high level throughout the entire service life of the system.

Optimization of PCB design

As neither ridge widths nor heat-affected zones need to be taken into account in full-cut PCB design, switching to laser depaneling can lead to material savings of up to 30% on average.

Calculate your material savings now

Stress and dust-free

As a completely non-contact technology, laser depaneling does not transfer any mechanical stress to the PCB. Damage to sensitive components is therefore ruled out. In addition, the material is vaporized and extracted without leaving any residue; no dust is produced that could be deposited on the PCB and cause malfunctions.

Creative freedom

Laser depaneling enables flexible line management for the cutting contour. Thanks to the extremely small laser beam diameter, there are practically no limits to the design; even very fine and complex contours can be realized without any problems.

Wear-free and constant

Laser systems work wear-free, no tools such as milling heads or saw blades need to be changed. This eliminates follow-up costs for maintenance and servicing. As the laser source, which is designed for up to 30,000 hours of operation, does not wear out, the cutting quality remains at a consistently high level throughout the entire service life of the system.

Optimization of PCB design

As neither ridge widths nor heat-affected zones need to be taken into account in full-cut PCB design, switching to laser depaneling can lead to material savings of up to 30% on average.

Calculate your material savings now

The depaneling process

PCBs are separated safely and cleanly during laser depaneling. The separation process is completely contactless thanks to the use of a laser and can be divided into four steps:

  • Step 1
    The separation process begins with spot ablation using a pulsating laser beam.

  • Step 2
    The laser beam is deflected in the XY direction. The PCB material is thus vaporized line by line without leaving any residue.
  • Step 3
    The laser beam is repeatedly deflected line by line in the XY direction, with some material being removed from the circuit board in each pass.

  • Step 4
     The circuit board is thus cleanly separated.

The depaneling process

PCBs are separated safely and cleanly during laser depaneling. The separation process is completely contactless thanks to the use of a laser and can be divided into four steps:

  • Step 1
    The separation process begins with spot ablation using a pulsating laser beam.

  • Step 2
    The laser beam is deflected in the XY direction. The PCB material is thus vaporized line by line without leaving any residue.
  • Step 3
    The laser beam is repeatedly deflected line by line in the XY direction, with some material being removed from the circuit board in each pass.

  • Step 4
     The circuit board is thus cleanly separated.

Automation by LPKF

Whether a modular solution with cobot, fully enclosed "all-in-one" solution or space-saving underfloor recirculation: LPKF also offers the right solution for your automation requirements. 


Discover LPKF's stand-alone and inline solutions for the automation of laser depaneling!

Detailfoto LoadingMaster 1000 von LPKF

Island-Solutions

for depaneling automation

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Blick ins Innenleben des CuttingMaster Cx von LPKF

Inline-Solutions

for depaneling automation

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0% carbonization at the cutting edges

The CleanCut technology from the manufacturer LPKF reduces carbonization at the cutting edges to zero, thereby increasing the service life of PCBs. As the materials fuse during cutting, fraying of the cutting edges is prevented. The high cutting quality also reduces process costs: no cleaning steps are required.

Good to know:

Not every discoloration on the cutting edge is more than a cosmetic problem. The discoloration of the cutting edge that can occur when using an LPKF laser depaneling machine without CleanCut technology is harmless and has no effect on the quality of the separated panels.

The game changer for laser depaneling: Tensor

Tensor technology, the new, patented ultra-fast beam guidance technology from LPKF, exceeds the limits of conventional laser depaneling solutions: Where in other systems powerful laser sources lead to a loss of quality due to heat development and long cooling times, Tensor moves the laser beam in a targeted and ultra-fast manner. The heat from the laser is thus distributed and 100% technically clean cutting edges and maximum cutting speeds can be achieved even with powerful laser sources.