# pcbway

Walks your agent through ordering boards and assembly at PCBWay: design rules, BOM format, the quoting flow. Useful when parts are missing from LCSC.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 483 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/pcbway/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/pcbway

## What it does

The skill covers how PCBWay handles fabrication and assembly, and where it diverges from JLCPCB. Inside are tolerance tables for 1–2 layer and 4+ layer boards, mask and silkscreen colour options, and assembly constraints. Your agent reads that and tells you whether a board clears the minimum clearances.

There is a separate section on BOM format. For turnkey assembly PCBWay sources the parts itself, and the field that matters is `MPN` — that is what it searches its global supply chain with. XLS, XLSX and CSV are accepted, and the required columns are listed. KiCad export runs through Edit Symbol Fields, then you reshape the columns.

One thing to plan around: PCBWay quotes assembly by hand. You upload files, a person reviews the quote, typically 1–2 business days, and only then can you order. JLCPCB shows assembly pricing instantly at checkout. If you are prototyping and iterating fast, that gap hurts. The reason to pick PCBWay is sourcing parts JLCPCB cannot get. For gerber and CPL export, see the `bom` skill.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

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

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

### Codex

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

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

### Cursor

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

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

### GitHub Copilot

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

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

### Gemini CLI

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

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

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add aklofas/kicad-happy --skill pcbway -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/pcbway/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- check minimum trace width and via drill against PCBWay capabilities
- build a BOM with the MPN column for turnkey sourcing
- reshape a KiCad export into the format PCBWay accepts
- decide between PCBWay and JLCPCB for an assembly run
- order assembly with parts that are not in the LCSC library

## Example prompts
- Check my board against PCBWay design rules — do 0.1 mm clearances pass?
- Build a turnkey BOM for PCBWay with the MPN column filled in
- Compare PCBWay and JLCPCB for a 100-board assembled run

## 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: 5e608bff6d48100e.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 5e608bff6d48100e
```text
---
name: pcbway
description: PCBWay PCB fabrication and assembly — turnkey/consigned assembly, design rules, ordering workflow. Alternative to JLCPCB for manufacturing. Use with KiCad. Use this skill when the user mentions PCBWay, needs turnkey assembly (PCBWay sources parts by MPN), has parts not available on LCSC, needs assembled boards with non-LCSC components, wants to compare PCBWay vs JLCPCB, or needs assembly with parts sourced globally rather than from LCSC only. For gerber/CPL export, stencil ordering, and BOM management, see the `bom` skill.
---

# PCBWay — PCB Fabrication & Assembly

PCBWay is a PCB fabrication and assembly service based in Shenzhen, China. It is an alternative to JLCPCB with similar capabilities and pricing.

**Typical usage**: Order bare prototype PCBs + framed stencil from PCBWay during prototyping (parts sourced separately from DigiKey/Mouser, hand-assembled in lab). For production runs (100s qty), order fully assembled boards from PCBWay using turnkey component sourcing (PCBWay sources parts by MPN). JLCPCB is the primary alternative. 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 |
| `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 parts) |
| `jlcpcb` | JLCPCB PCB fabrication & assembly (primary alternative) |
| `emc` | EMC pre-compliance risk analysis — run before fab to catch EMC issues |
| `spice` | SPICE simulation — verify analog subcircuits before committing to fab |

## Key Differences from JLCPCB

| Feature | PCBWay | JLCPCB |
|---------|--------|--------|
| Component sourcing | Turnkey (PCBWay sources by MPN) | LCSC parts library (you provide LCSC PNs) |
| Parts library | No fixed library — sources globally | LCSC library (basic/extended parts) |
| Assembly fee model | Quote-based per project | Per-part fees (basic free, extended $3 each) |
| Pricing turnaround | **Manual quote, 1–2 business days** | Instant online pricing |
| BOM format | MPN-based (manufacturer part numbers) | LCSC PN-based |

> **Plan around manual quoting.** PCBWay assembly requires a human-reviewed quote before you can place the order — typically 1-2 business days after uploading files. JLCPCB shows assembly pricing instantly at checkout. If you're prototyping and need to iterate quickly, the JLCPCB feedback loop is much tighter. PCBWay's value is in sourcing parts JLCPCB can't, not in turnaround speed.

**When to use PCBWay over JLCPCB:**
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 5e608bff6d48100e

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---
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