Featured Snippet: Benefit score = base(coating g/m2) x sizeFactor(hole) x materialFactor
Free PCB lubricant coating thickness calculator. Estimate the drilling benefit of a self-lubricating entry coating for your hole size and material.
Suitable for:
Enter coating weight, hole size and material.
| Benefit score | -- / 10 |
| Est. hit gain | -- |
| Recommendation | -- |
Relative benefit estimate - confirm with real hit-count data from your line.
A lubricant aluminum entry sheet carries a thin self-lubricating coating (typically 3-6 g/m2) that cools the tip and centres the bit on micro-holes. This calculator turns coating weight into an estimated benefit score for your hole size and material, so you can decide when the coating pays for itself in hit count and drill breakage avoidance.
The coating cools the tip and reduces drill wander on entry; benefit rises as holes shrink and as material gets abrasive or heat-sensitive. A typical window is 3-6 g/m2 for micro-via entry sheets. The gain shows up as fewer broken micro drills, cleaner drill registration and 15-25% more hit count on HDI panels. See our lubricant aluminum page for specs.
| Material | Density (kg/m³) | Surface Hardness (HD) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| UV Melamine 950 | 980 ± 30 | 80 ± 5 | IC Substrate, HDI micro-via |
| UV Melamine 880 | 950 ± 30 | 80 ± 5 | HDI, high-layer-count FR4 |
| HDF 880 | 880 ± 30 | 70 ± 2 | Standard FR4 multilayer |
| Phenolic (standard) | 750 ± 40 | 55 ± 5 | Back-drilling, rigid-flex |
| Aluminum entry sheet | N/A (metal foil) | N/A | Universal entry protection |
| Lubricated aluminum (LE) | N/A (coated foil) | N/A | Micro-via, HDI, high-Tg |
Stable feed rate and clean exits are what let you push hit count without micro-drill breakage. Pair the right board with the parameters from this tool — see our backup board range and aluminum entry boards.
| Material | RPM | Chip load | Feed (m/min) | Entry | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR4 (standard multilayer) | 90,000 | 0.012 | 2.16 | Aluminum entry sheet | HDF backup board |
| HDI / micro-via | 110,000 | 0.008 | 1.76 | Lubricant aluminum | UV melamine 880 backup board |
| Rogers (high-frequency) | 80,000 | 0.010 | 1.60 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| PTFE / Teflon | 60,000 | 0.008 | 0.96 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| IC substrate (ABF) | 120,000 | 0.006 | 1.44 | Lubricant aluminum | UV melamine 950 backup board |
| Ceramic PCB | 50,000 | 0.008 | 0.80 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| Aluminum PCB (IMS) | 40,000 | 0.010 | 0.80 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| Copper-core PCB | 30,000 | 0.010 | 0.60 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
Figures are qualified starting points cross-checked with published fabrication guidance and supplier benchmarks — validate on your own panels.
Lubricant coating (micro-holes)
Representative field benchmarks for a 0.20 mm drill on standard FR4; actual results vary with stackup, machine and consumables — validate on your own panels.
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What is lubricant aluminum? An entry sheet with a self-lubricating coating that cools and centres the bit on micro-holes.
What coating weight is typical? Around 3-6 g/m2 for micro-via entry sheets; exact value is a supplier spec.
How does coating help drilling? It cools the tip and reduces drill wander, lowering breakage and improving registration.
What is drill wander? Lateral bit deflection on entry; coating minimises it for tight holes.
What is hit count? Holes a bit drills before resharpening; coating can add 15-25% on micro-holes.
When does coating pay off? Holes <=0.15 mm, HDI/IC, or heat-sensitive materials like Rogers/PTFE/ceramic.
What is drill breakage? Sudden bit snap, often on micro-holes without cooling; coating reduces it.
What is drill registration? Hole position accuracy; coating keeps it tight on fine stacks.
What is a plain aluminum entry? Uncoated sheet; cheaper, fine for standard holes above ~0.20 mm.
What is the difference between plain and coated? Coated adds cooling/centring for micro-holes; plain is lower cost for standard work.
What is micro-via drilling? Forming tiny vias (often <0.15 mm) for HDI; coating helps here most.
What backup board should I pair? UV melamine 880 for HDI/clean exits, HDF for cost FR4, UV melamine 950 for thick/hard, phenolic for Rogers/PTFE/ceramic.
Standard aluminum 1100 H18 entry foil (0.15–0.20 mm) is the universal choice for FR4 and back-drilling. Lubricated aluminum entry sheets (LE/CAE) add a thermoset coating that phase-change cools the drill tip by 15–22%, reducing resin smear and drill breakage on HDI and micro-via work. Water-soluble coated entry boards offer an alternative for rigid-flex where residue cleanliness is critical.
UV melamine 950 (980 kg/m³, 80±5 HD) is the premium choice for IC substrate and HDI where exit burr must be near zero. UV melamine 880 (950 kg/m³) suits high-layer-count FR4. HDF 880 (880 kg/m³, 70±2 HD) balances cost and performance for standard multilayer. Phenolic boards are preferred for back-drilling and rigid-flex due to their machinability.
1100 H18 (99% Al) is the industry standard for entry foil. 3003 and 5052 alloys offer higher strength for thicker entry boards but may increase drill wear. The choice of alloy affects chip load stability and burr formation on the entry side.
Kyocera Precision Tools — PCB drilling ↗
Thermoset-coated (LE/CAE) entry boards provide lubrication through phase-change cooling at 120–180°C. Water-soluble coated boards dissolve in cleaning. Uncoated aluminum relies purely on mechanical centering. The coating choice directly affects drill temperature, chip evacuation, and hit count.
YUESHAN — LE Sheet drill temperature data
Drill tip temperature can exceed 300°C on standard FR4 without proper consumables. The entry board absorbs 20–30% of frictional heat; the backup board dissipates exit heat. Lubricated entry systems reduce peak temperatures by up to 30%, directly reducing resin smear and hole wall roughness.
Rogers Corp — RO4000 laminates ↗
Micro-drill breakage is most often caused by chip clogging in the flute, not by mechanical overload. Lubricated entry boards eliminate the chip adhesion failure mode. A worn entry board (excessive hits per sheet) increases drill wander risk — replace entry sheets at the same interval as drill change.
Process and CAM engineers use these numbers across demanding builds:
The right entry and backup board is what actually lets you hold a stable feed rate without breakage. Explore the product lines:
HDF, UV melamine and phenolic backup boards for stable exits and burr control.
Product Page →Plain and coated aluminum entry boards, including lubricated grades for micro-holes.
Product Page →Self-lubricating entry sheets that cool and center the bit on HDI / micro-via drilling.
Product Page →Coated back-drill entry sheets built for controlled-depth second-pass accuracy.
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