PCB Copy in Barcelona: Full-File Extraction Without a Local Lab
PCB copy in Barcelona works through a straightforward remote workflow: you ship the physical board from Spain, our engineers image every layer, extract Gerber files, generate a complete BOM, and—where needed—recreate the schematic. Typical turnaround is 5–8 working days for boards up to 8 layers. No local facility is required; the entire process is covered by a mutual NDA signed before your board leaves your desk.
Why Barcelona-Based Teams Need Remote PCB Copy
Barcelona’s electronics ecosystem spans industrial automation along the Zona Franca corridor, IoT startups in 22@, and medical-device firms near Hospital Clínic. Many of these companies maintain legacy boards whose original design files were lost, never delivered by the contract manufacturer, or locked behind a dissolved supplier. A PCB copy recovers those files so you can reorder, modify, or second-source the board independently.
Local PCB prototyping houses in Catalonia handle fabrication well, but very few offer reverse-engineering services with the equipment density needed—flying-probe testers, X-ray laminography, cross-section microscopy—to accurately reconstruct a multilayer stackup. Shipping a board to a dedicated reverse-engineering lab closes that gap.
What You Receive in a PCB Copy Package
| Deliverable | Format | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Gerber files | RS-274X / Gerber X2 | Every copper layer, solder mask, silkscreen, drill files, board outline |
| Bill of Materials | Excel / CSV | Manufacturer part numbers, package sizes, values, designators |
| Schematic | PDF + editable (Altium / KiCad / OrCAD) | Net-verified against the physical board; hierarchical sheets for designs >200 components |
| Centroid / Pick-and-Place | CSV | X-Y coordinates, rotation, layer—ready for SMT assembly |
| Stackup report | Measured dielectric thickness, copper weight, impedance notes (boards ≥4 layers) |
If the board contains a programmable IC whose firmware you own, we can evaluate readout feasibility as a separate line item. Authorization and proof of IP ownership are required before any firmware work begins.
How the Remote Workflow Operates from Barcelona
1. Request a Quote
Upload clear photos (top, bottom, close-up of the densest area) plus basic specs: approximate dimensions, layer count if known, and quantity of unique boards. We return a quote within one business day—usually by the time Barcelona’s afternoon starts.
2. Ship the Board
Pack the PCB in an antistatic bag with foam padding. From Barcelona, DHL Express or FedEx International Priority typically delivers in 2–3 business days. Declare the board as “electronic component sample, no commercial value” to streamline Spanish customs. We provide a shipping label template on request.
3. Engineering & Extraction
Our lab images each layer using high-resolution optical scanning (up to 1200 DPI per layer on boards with 3-mil trace/space). For multilayer boards, we use controlled delamination or X-ray cross-sectioning to capture internal planes without destroying the sample—unless a destructive process is agreed upon for higher accuracy on ≥10-layer HDI designs.
4. Verification
Every Gerber set undergoes DRC (Design Rule Check) and a net-list comparison against the physical board. For boards with impedance-controlled traces, we document measured stackup values so your fab house can match the original impedance profile within ±10% tolerance.
5. File Delivery
Files arrive via encrypted download link. You review, we address any revision notes at no extra charge within 15 calendar days.
Shipping from Spain: Customs and Timing
Spain is within the EU, so shipments to other EU destinations move without customs duty. For shipments outside the EU—to our lab, for instance—the board qualifies under HS code 8534.00 (printed circuits) and typically attracts minimal or zero duty as a sample. We handle the return-shipping logistics once the project is complete, or we can ship directly to your chosen PCB fabricator in Asia or Europe.
| Route | Carrier | Transit (business days) | Typical Cost (one board) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona → Lab (CN) | DHL Express | 2–3 | €35–€55 |
| Barcelona → Lab (CN) | FedEx IP | 3–4 | €30–€50 |
| Lab → Barcelona (files only) | Encrypted download | 0 | Free |
| Lab → Your fab (Gerbers + BOM) | Email / portal | 0 | Free |
Total project time from the moment you drop the parcel at a Barcelona DHL point to the moment you download verified files: typically 8–12 working days, including transit both ways.
Capability Limits: What We Can and Cannot Copy
- Layer count: 1 to 24 layers. Boards above 16 layers require destructive delamination and a second sample is recommended.
- Minimum trace/space: 3 mil / 3 mil (0.075 mm). Below that, we assess on a case-by-case basis with X-ray verification.
- Flex and rigid-flex: Supported, though polyimide layers add 1–2 days to imaging.
- Blind/buried vias, microvias: Captured via X-ray laminography; via-in-pad structures documented in the drill file.
- RF / high-frequency boards: We measure substrate permittivity (Dk) and loss tangent (Df) so your replacement fab can source equivalent laminate.
- Embedded components: Identified and documented, but replication depends on component availability.
Boards with heavy corrosion, fire damage, or missing sections may still yield partial files. We flag any areas where reconstruction is estimated rather than measured.
Who Uses PCB Copy in Barcelona?
Industrial maintenance teams keeping packaging-line controllers alive when the OEM no longer supplies spares. IoT startups in Poblenou that inherited a prototype from a previous engineering partner and need editable design files. Medical-device R&D groups redesigning a Class II board and needing a baseline schematic to work from. Automotive Tier-2 suppliers near Martorell verifying a competitor teardown for benchmarking (within legal bounds).
How Does PCB Copy Pricing Work?
Cost depends on layer count, board area, and component density. Rough ranges for orientation:
- 1–2 layer, ≤100 components: starting around $300–$500
- 4–6 layer, 200–500 components: $600–$1,200
- 8–12 layer, 500+ components, BGA/QFN-heavy: $1,500–$3,500
- Schematic recreation: adds 30–50% to the base Gerber-extraction cost
These are starting points, not fixed prices. Every board is different. Upload photos and we quote precisely.
Check feasibility for your project
Send the chip marking or board details and tell us what you need to recover. Add clear photos if available.
Request a feasibility reviewPCB Copy Services Across Other Hubs
Our remote workflow serves engineers worldwide. Teams in Amsterdam ship boards for PCB copy using the same EU-simplified customs path. Clients in Istanbul use our PCB copy service with 3-day express transit. We also support projects from Shenzhen’s dense electronics district, Seoul’s semiconductor corridor, and São Paulo’s industrial automation sector. The process is identical regardless of origin city—ship the board, get files back.
Can I get a PCB copied if I only have one board and cannot risk destroying it?
Yes. For boards up to 8 layers, we use non-destructive optical and X-ray imaging that returns the original board intact. Boards above 10 layers may require controlled delamination (destructive), in which case we recommend sending a second sample or confirming you accept the trade-off before we proceed.
How do I handle Spanish export rules when shipping a PCB sample?
Standard commercial PCBs are not controlled goods under EU dual-use regulations (unless they contain military-spec components). Declare the item as an electronic sample with HS code 8534.00. If your board is part of a defense or aerospace system, check Spain’s SOIVRE export-control list before shipping.
Will the copied Gerber files work with any PCB fabricator?
We deliver in RS-274X or Gerber X2, which every major fab house accepts—JLCPCB, PCBWay, Eurocircuits, or your local Catalan prototype shop. Drill files follow Excellon format. We include a fabrication README noting stackup, copper weight, and finish so the fab can quote accurately.
What if components on my board are obsolete?
The BOM we deliver includes original part numbers and package footprints. Where a part is end-of-life, we note compatible cross-references when a drop-in exists. For critical ICs with no substitute, we can advise on adapter-board strategies or firmware migration paths.
Is the PCB copy process covered by confidentiality?
Every project starts with a mutual NDA. Your board photos, files, and communications are stored on encrypted servers and permanently deleted 90 days after project closure unless you request extended retention.
Working on a board like this?
Send the chip marking or two photos. You get feasibility, lead time and price within 24 hours, and the check costs nothing.
Get a free quote