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Manufacturing

Manufacturing Outputs

When the board is done, ProtoFlow produces everything a fab house needs: industry-standard Gerber X2 layers, an Excellon drill file, and JLCPCB-ready BOM and placement files for assembly — plus a one-click design review against JLCPCB before you order.

# Gerber Export

Export Gerbers writes a single ZIP containing one file per layer plus the job file and drill file. Output is Gerber X2 in metric units, with the extended attributes and a .gbrjob job file that fabricators expect.

LayerFiles
CopperTop, bottom, and any inner layers (.gtl / .gbl / .g#)
Solder maskTop & bottom (.gts / .gbs)
Solder pasteTop & bottom (.gtp / .gbp) — for stencils
SilkscreenTop & bottom legend (.gto / .gbo)
Board outlineEdge.Cuts profile (.gm1)
Job fileMachine-readable .gbrjob describing the whole set

# Drill Files

A metric Excellon drill file is included in the Gerber ZIP. Plated (PTH) and non-plated (NPTH) holes are separated by tool function, and oval holes are emitted as routed slots so they’re manufactured correctly.

# BOM & CPL for Assembly

Export BOM + CPL generates the two CSV files JLCPCB’s assembly service expects:

  • BOM — comment, designators, footprint, and LCSC part number, grouped by identical parts
  • CPL (pick-and-place) — designator, X/Y position, layer, and rotation, with rotation corrected per JLCPCB’s package rules and mirrored for bottom-side parts

LCSC part numbers are resolved from the linked schematic — from an explicit LCSC field, a custom property, or an automatic catalog lookup for common passives. A review dialog lists every part with its status (ready, missing LCSC, or needs review) so you can fix gaps before exporting.

[ Screenshot ]

Manufacturing export review with per-part LCSC status and placement data

# JLCPCB Review

Order on JLCPCB prepares your Gerbers, uploads them to JLCPCB’s API, and waits for their automated audit. When it finishes, ProtoFlow opens the JLCPCB review page in your browser and reports the detected board dimensions — letting you confirm the design translated cleanly before you place the order on JLCPCB.

Good to know. This uploads the design for review and opens the JLCPCB order page — you complete checkout there. You finish the order (and attach BOM/CPL for assembly) on JLCPCB’s site. Connecting JLCPCB requires adding your JLCPCB OpenAPI keys.

# Preflight & DRC Gate

Before writing Gerbers, ProtoFlow runs a preflight pass. It blocks output on problems that can’t be translated (unsupported pad shapes or geometry), reminds you to fill copper zones if any are empty, and warns when documentation-only text is omitted. If DRC still has open errors or warnings, you’re prompted to review them or continue at your own risk.

Next Steps