# jlcpcb

A skill for ordering PCBs and assembly at JLCPCB: design rules, BOM/CPL, basic vs extended parts, assembly limits.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 771 installs · ★ 1504
- Author: aklofas
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/aklofas/kicad-happy/tree/HEAD/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/jlcpcb

## What it does

The `jlcpcb` skill walks an agent through a KiCad project up to placing an order at JLCPCB. It carries design rules for 1–2 layer and multilayer boards, the constraints of economic and standard assembly, and the ordering steps. The agent can tell you which parts land in the basic library and which are extended, and what that does to the bill.

BOM and CPL get their own section. The skill spells out the assembly BOM columns: `Comment`, `Designator`, `Footprint` and `LCSC Part #`. That last header has to match character for character or the upload fails. For KiCad it lays out the path: add an `LCSC` field to each symbol, export CSV, then rename the columns to JLCPCB's format.

There is a rotation table for pick-and-place. SOT-23, SOT-223 and SMA/SMB/SMC diodes typically sit at +180°, QFN at +90°. You fix these in the CPL before uploading. Symmetric parts like caps and resistors can slip past review with a wrong 180° turn, so note the corrections after your first assembly order and reuse them. For gerbers, CPL and stencil ordering, the skill points to the `bom` skill.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill jlcpcb -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/jlcpcb/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill jlcpcb -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill jlcpcb -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install aklofas/kicad-happy jlcpcb
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill jlcpcb -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/aklofas/kicad-happy --path skills/jlcpcb
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill jlcpcb -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/aklofas/kicad-happy/tree/HEAD/skills/jlcpcb/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- check a board against JLCPCB rules before uploading
- build an assembly BOM with LCSC part numbers
- estimate what extended parts add to the order
- fix component rotations in the CPL
- pick between economic and standard assembly

## Example prompts
- Check my KiCad board against JLCPCB minimum trace width and spacing
- Build a JLCPCB BOM from this schematic and add the LCSC Part # column
- My CPL has SOT-23 and QFN parts — which rotations should I correct?

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 74c16ff69c215df6.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 74c16ff69c215df6
```text
---
name: jlcpcb
description: JLCPCB PCB fabrication and assembly — BOM/CPL generation, basic vs extended parts, assembly constraints, design rules, ordering workflow. Use with KiCad for JLCPCB manufacturing. Use this skill when the user mentions JLCPCB, wants to order PCBs or assembled boards, needs prototype bare PCBs and stencils, wants to know JLCPCB design rules and capabilities, or is asking about PCB manufacturing costs or turnaround times. For gerber/CPL export, stencil ordering, and BOM management, see the `bom` skill.
---

# JLCPCB — PCB Fabrication & Assembly

JLCPCB is a PCB fabrication and assembly service based in Shenzhen, China. It is a sister company to LCSC Electronics (common ownership) — they share the same parts library.

**Typical usage**: Order bare prototype PCBs + framed stencil from JLCPCB during prototyping (parts sourced separately from DigiKey/Mouser, hand-assembled in lab). For production runs (100s qty), order fully assembled boards from JLCPCB using LCSC parts. PCBWay is an alternative assembler. For component searching, see the `lcsc` skill. For BOM management, gerber/CPL export, and stencil ordering, see the `bom` skill.

## Related Skills

| Skill | Purpose |
|-------|---------|
| `kicad` | Read/analyze KiCad project files, DFM scoring against JLCPCB capabilities |
| `bom` | BOM management, gerber/CPL export, stencil ordering |
| `digikey` | Search DigiKey (prototype sourcing, primary — also preferred for datasheet downloads via API) |
| `mouser` | Search Mouser (prototype sourcing, secondary) |
| `lcsc` | Search LCSC (production sourcing — JLCPCB uses LCSC parts library) |
| `pcbway` | Alternative PCB fabrication & assembly |
| `emc` | EMC pre-compliance risk analysis — run before fab to catch EMC issues |
| `spice` | SPICE simulation — verify analog subcircuits before committing to fab |

## Assembly Parts Library

### Part Categories

| Category | Description | Assembly Fee |
|----------|-------------|--------------|
| **Basic** | Common parts (resistors, caps, diodes, common ICs) pre-loaded on pick-and-place machines | No extra fee |
| **Extended** | 300k+ less common parts loaded on demand | $3 per unique extended part |

> JLCPCB occasionally promotes a subset of frequently-used extended parts with a discounted or waived feeder fee (the program's name and terms shift over time). Check the current JLCPCB parts library page for any specific extended part before assuming the standard $3 fee applies.

### LCSC Part Numbers

Every assembly component is identified by an **LCSC Part Number** (`Cxxxxx`, e.g., `C14663`). This is the definitive identifier for BOM matching. See the `lcsc` skill for searching parts.

### Parts Search (JLCPCB-Specific)

- Parts library: `https://jlcpcb.com/parts/componentSearch?searchTxt=<query>`
- Basic parts only: `https://jlcpcb.com/parts/basic_parts`
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 74c16ff69c215df6

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 74c16ff69c215df6 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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