Send one board. Get Gerber, BOM and the schematic back.
PCB copy and PCB reverse engineering from 1 to 32 layers, with a prototype we have already built and tested. If the MCU on the board is locked, we read that out too.
16 years reverse engineering20,000+ boards deliveredNDA before you ship anythingReply within 24 hours
What Is a PCB Copy Service?
A PCB copy service takes a physical circuit board you own and produces the complete manufacturing file set — Gerber data, bill of materials (BOM), schematic diagram, and centroid/pick-and-place coordinates — so the board can be remanufactured at any qualified PCB fabricator and assembler. You send the board; you receive production-ready output. No original design files required.
Our engineers work from the bare or populated board itself. Using high-resolution optical scanning, X-ray imaging for inner layers, and manual probing for net verification, we reconstruct every copper layer, drill file, soldermask opening, and silkscreen marking. The result is a file package that a fab house treats identically to one exported from the original CAD tool.
Why Would You Need a PCB Copy Service?
Boards outlive the companies, engineers, and CAD archives that created them. When you need more units — or need to modify a proven design — and the source files are gone, a PCB copy service is the fastest path back to production. Common triggers include:
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) discontinued the board — spare parts dry up, but your machines still depend on it. Obsolete PCB recovery restores the file set so you control your own supply chain.
Second-source or cost-reduction reorders — you own the IP but the original contract manufacturer won’t release Gerbers. A copy service gives you vendor independence.
Design improvement baseline — copying the current board into editable CAD first, then modifying, is often cheaper and faster than a clean-sheet redesign.
Failure analysis and archiving — documenting a field-return board’s exact layout helps root-cause intermittent faults and preserves institutional knowledge.
Fully routed layout you can open, modify, and re-export
Every file set undergoes a design-rule check (DRC) and a netlist-versus-schematic (ERC) cross-check before release. Our quality guarantee covers dimensional accuracy to ±0.05 mm trace position and ±0.025 mm drill placement — tight enough that the copy is functionally interchangeable with the original.
How the PCB Copy Process Works
Step 1 — You Ship the Board
Send one working sample (preferred) or even a damaged unit. We accept bare boards and fully populated assemblies. Not sure what to include? Our guide on what to send for a quote covers photos, notes, and packaging tips.
Step 2 — Layer Imaging and Delamination
Single- and double-sided boards are scanned optically at 2400 dpi or higher. For multilayer boards, we use X-ray inspection to map inner-layer copper, followed by controlled chemical delamination to expose and photograph each layer individually. A multilayer copy adds complexity — but not uncertainty — when proper cross-sectioning confirms the stackup.
Step 3 — CAD Reconstruction
Scanned images are imported into our CAD environment and traced into vector geometry. Pad shapes, trace widths, via types, and clearances are matched to the physical board. Component footprints are verified against manufacturer datasheets. Nets are extracted and validated.
Step 4 — Schematic Extraction
Our engineers read the netlist and reconstruct the schematic, grouping circuits by function — power supply, signal conditioning, digital logic, I/O connectors. This step catches design intent that a Gerber set alone cannot convey, and it gives you an editable baseline for future modifications.
Step 5 — Verification and DRC
We run automated DRC against IPC-2221 Class 2 (or Class 3 if specified), compare the netlist against the physical board a second time, and flag any discrepancies. Impedance-controlled traces are modeled against the measured stackup to confirm target impedance within ±10%.
Step 6 — File Delivery
You receive a zipped file package via encrypted link. Typical turnaround: 5–10 working days for a standard 2–4 layer board. Rush service (3 working days) is available. Complex boards — 8+ layers, HDI microvias, rigid-flex — may require 10–15 working days. Our turnaround time page breaks down what drives the schedule.
Bend zones and polyimide layers documented separately
Metal-core / IMS
1–2
±0.04 mm
Thermal pad geometry and dielectric thickness captured
Ceramic substrate (Al₂O₃)
1–2
±0.08 mm
Thick-film conductor widths require special imaging
What About Boards With Locked Microcontrollers?
Copying the PCB layout is independent of firmware. We deliver the bare board files regardless of whether an MCU is read-protected. If you also need the firmware recovered from a locked chip you own, that is a separate IC readout service requiring proof of IP ownership and an NDA. Our legitimate use policy explains the authorization steps we follow.
Accuracy: How Close Is a Copy?
A properly executed PCB copy is not an approximation — it is a dimensional reproduction. Our target is ±0.05 mm on trace position and ±0.025 mm on drill center, which falls well within IPC-2221 Class 2 manufacturing tolerances. Impedance-controlled differential pairs are modeled to hit ±10% of the original target, verified against the measured dielectric and copper thickness.
Where do copies diverge from originals? Typically in three areas: non-functional cosmetic silkscreen (logos, date codes), proprietary component markings that require cross-referencing, and very fine BGA escape routing under 3 mil trace/space where optical resolution limits apply. We document every such deviation in a discrepancy report delivered alongside the files.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering a PCB Copy
We have seen hundreds of copy projects. The ones that stall share a few recurring problems:
Sending a board with components removed — we need the populated assembly to identify parts and verify nets. Bare boards alone yield Gerbers but not a reliable BOM or schematic.
Expecting firmware in the file package — layout copying and firmware readout are separate services with different legal and technical requirements.
Skipping the impedance spec — if the original board ran controlled-impedance traces and you don’t tell us, the copy may not match electrically even if it matches geometrically.
Not mentioning modifications you want — tell us before we start. Changing a connector footprint or adding test points mid-project costs less than rework after file delivery.
10+ layer HDI or rigid-flex: quoted individually; typically $4,000–$10,000+
Schematic extraction adds 30–50% to the base Gerber-only price. Rush turnaround adds 25–40%. These are starting points — the fastest way to get an exact number is to request a quote with photos and a brief description.
Who Uses Our PCB Copy Service
Our clients span industrial maintenance teams keeping 20-year-old CNC controllers alive, medical-device companies needing a second-source for a legacy patient monitor board, defense contractors archiving designs before a subcontractor shuts down, and startups acquiring a competitor’s discontinued product line (with proper IP ownership). The common thread: they own the board, they need the files, and the original source is unavailable.
Confidentiality and Data Security
Every project is covered by a mutual NDA. Files are stored on encrypted servers with access limited to the assigned engineering team. Boards are returned or securely disposed of per your instruction after project completion. We never reuse, resell, or publish client designs.
Frequently Asked Questions About PCB Copy Service
Do you need the original schematic to copy a board?
No. Our PCB copy service works from the physical board alone. We reconstruct the schematic by tracing the netlist from the copper layers and identifying each component. Having an existing schematic speeds things up but is never a prerequisite.
Can a damaged or partially burnt board be copied?
In most cases, yes. If at least 80–90% of the copper and components are intact, we can reconstruct the missing sections by analyzing circuit symmetry, reference designator sequences, and datasheet-typical application circuits. Severely carbonized areas may require X-ray to recover inner-layer routing. Success depends on damage extent — we assess feasibility before quoting.
How do I know the copy will actually work in production?
Every file set passes DRC and ERC checks against IPC standards. We provide a discrepancy report noting any deviation from the original. Most clients order a prototype run of 5–10 boards first to validate fit and function before committing to volume. Our quality guarantee covers re-work if a manufacturing error traces back to our files.
Is it legal to copy a PCB?
Copying a board you own — for maintenance, second-sourcing, or archiving — is a standard engineering practice. We require proof of ownership or authorization before starting work and decline projects that involve copying third-party IP without consent. Our legitimate use policy details the criteria we apply to every incoming request.
Can you copy a board from photographs alone?
High-resolution photos of both sides can yield a usable outer-layer Gerber for single- and double-sided boards, but accuracy drops compared to working from the physical board. Inner layers of multilayer boards cannot be imaged from photos. We recommend shipping the board whenever possible for the best result.
Most projects start with a single physical board and no files anywhere in the company. This is the service that fixes that, and it is what we do most of.
PCB copy · board cloning
1 to 32 layers, including the boards other shops send back
Blind and buried vias, laser microvia HDI, RF microstrip, ceramic and flex substrates, fine pitch BGA. Every net is checked electrically against your sample, then a prototype is built and tested before any file leaves the building.
Protected MCU, ARM, CPLD and FPGA parts read out through software attack, fault injection, side channel analysis or invasive microprobing, whichever the die calls for. Our database covers 5000+ models.
Schematic recovery for boards you need to change, not just repeat. Netlist extraction verified connection by connection, every part identified with a real manufacturer number, and editable source your own engineers can open.
Schematic + BOM, from$400
Prototype build and test, from$600
Typical lead time7-15 days
You receive: schematic, netlist, BOM with MPN, source files
Send photos of the board or the chip marking. Within 24 hours you know whether it can be done, how long, and what it costs.
NDA, then ship the sample
We sign first, you ship second. Courier details and our full registered address go to you in writing.
Engineering and your test
We copy the board, recover the schematic or read out the chip, then send samples. The balance is due after your own test passes.
Files, and production if wanted
Full file package delivered. SMT assembly, X-ray BGA inspection and flying probe testing are in house if you need boards built.
Where the risk sits
If we cannot do it, you pay nothing
Sending a board to a supplier on the other side of the world is a real risk. These five terms move most of it onto us, and they are in the quote you receive, not only on this page.
Feasibility assessed free, before you commit
50% deposit, balance only after your test passes
Full refund if the sample boards or chips fail your test
NDA signed before anything ships
Your files are never reused, resold or shown
Recent work
Three boards, three reasons the original files were gone
6-layer industrial control board, immersion gold
Layers6
Parts480
Lead time11 days
The MCU vendor had gone out of business and the plant had two spare boards left. Firmware extracted, board cloned, line back in production.
Blind and buried vias, laser microvia HDI, RF and microstrip, ceramic substrate, high component density, EMC-critical telecom boards, 1 to 32 layers.
In-house SMT lines, X-ray BGA inspection and flying probe testing mean the file you receive has already been proven on a physical board, not only on screen.
Minimum trace / space3 mil
Via typesThrough, blind, buried
SubstratesFR-4, Rogers, ceramic, flex
InspectionX-ray BGA, AOI, flying probe
Package types read outDIP, SOP, QFP, QFN, BGA
Before you send an enquiry
Five questions we answer every day
Gerber files ready for any fab, a BOM with real manufacturer part numbers, placement data, the PCB source file, and a prototype we have already built and tested against your sample. Boards from 1 to 32 layers, starting at $150.
A copy reproduces the board exactly as it is and is faster and cheaper. Reverse engineering recovers the schematic so you can change something, which is what you need when a part has gone obsolete. Tell us the goal and we will say which one actually fits.
Our unlock database covers 5000+ models, and 126 of them across 28 families are published on the chip list page. If yours is not listed it usually still works, we just have not published it. Send the marking and the check is free.
You pay nothing. The feasibility check costs nothing and any deposit is returned in full. We say so early rather than late.
We sign an NDA before you ship. Files are returned or deleted on request after delivery, and nothing goes into a portfolio without written permission.
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MCU unlock cost varies dramatically based on the chip's protection scheme, silicon process node, and the extraction method required. This guide breaks…
Two photos of the board, or a chip marking, is enough to start. You get feasibility, lead time and price back within 24 hours, with no obligation to go further.
