Portable · 35 kg · Built to order

VPD3-1M · Manual V-Cut PCB Depaneler

VPD3-1MBuilt to order · lead time quoted

Hand-drawn circular-over-linear scissor shear for V-scored panels up to 460 mm. No shop air, no electrical. The depaneler that moves to the work.

$9,099.80 per unit
  • Zero utilities (no air, no electrical)
  • Spares stocked in the USA
  • Manual operation, nothing to fail

Add the spare blade — the machine's one consumable.

VPD3-1LB · Stationary Linear Blade for VPD3-1M $1,366.50
VPD3-1CB · Circular Blade for VPD3-1M (Ø122 mm) $757.50

A depaneler with a dull blade and no spare is a stopped process. Ship the spare with the machine and it never happens. Or start with the kit: machine + blades in one crate.

Join the blade program

Tell us your machine and cadence. We track blade life with you and remind you before a dull edge reaches your boards. No commitment, cancel with a reply.

One reminder per cycle, nothing else. Reply to any reminder to stop.

1-year warranty Freight quoted with your PO Blades & spares stocked in CA

Five reasons it pays for itself.

REF 01

Every shop weighing a manual depaneler is weighing it against a $400 lost board. Here is the math.

Lowest entry cost in the family.

Manual cell, no air compressor, no servo, no PLC, capital cost a fraction of pneumatic alternatives. Order today, install on a bench tomorrow.

Lowest operational risk.

No firmware. No PLC. No air dryer. No motor. Nothing on this machine fails except the blade you can replace yourself, the design has been in production for years.

Spares stocked & ship from the USA.

Circular and linear blade replacements are on the shelf, not on a 12-week container. One PO, ground freight, machine back online before next shift.

Pays itself back on the first lost board.

Every time a manual snap fractures a $400+ post-reflow assembly, the loss buys part of a VPD3. Run the numbers on yield and rework, not on sticker price.

Goes to the work.

35 kg on a hand trolley. The benchtop that moves to the rework cell, the QC station, the prototype lab, instead of forcing a workflow around a fixed pneumatic cell.

At a glance

REF 02
Max separation460 mm
Utilities0 · None
Comp height (top/bot)33 / 25.4 mm
Weight35 kg
Blade profilesShape A · B · C
Footprint784 × 460 × 530

Description

REF 03

Hand-drawn circular-over-linear scissor shear for V-scored panels up to 460 mm. No shop air, no electrical. The depaneler that moves to the work.

VPD3-1M — VPD3-1M Manual Circular and Linear Blade V-Score PCB Depaneler, 460mm Separation Length
FIG. 2VPD3-1M

Technical specifications

REF 05
, Cut envelope,
Max separation length460 mm (18″) (Single-pass cut along the V-score.)
PCB thickness (Shape A)≤ 1.5 mm
PCB thickness (Shape B)≥ 2 mm
Shape C capabilityComponents across score (Offset blade profile.)
Component height (topside)33 mm (1.300″)
Component height (bottomside)25.4 mm (1.000″)
Score depth> 0.25 mm (Especially suited to score depths under 0.4 mm.)
Component clearance to score≥ 2 mm
Board materialFR4 (Single- or double-sided.)
, Mechanical,
Cut methodManual scissor shear (Circular blade riding over stationary linear blade.)
Circular blade diameter122 mm (Edge angle 20°, thickness 5.5 mm.)
Linear blade angle≥ 30°
ActuationManual (hand-drawn) (No motor, no cylinder.)
Carriage travelEnd-locked (Two fixed stops on top rail bound the travel.)
Platform adjustment0–25 mm height · 0–30° tilt
, Package & utilities,
Machine dimensions784 × 460 × 530 mm
Machine weight35 kg
Utilities requiredNone (No air, no electrical drop.)
Packed dimensions920 × 490 × 670 mm
Packed weight58 kg
HS code8465.99.0230
, Blade options,
Linear blade, Shape AStandard V
Linear blade, Shape BSteep V
Linear blade, Shape COffset (Components-cross-score.)
PartVPD3-1MRev2026-AUnitsmm / °C
Documentation

Need drawings or CAD models? Request them by email

Engineering details

REF A1
Detail 01

Circular over linear, the scissor shear.

A circular blade rides over a stationary linear blade, and the V-scored panel passes between them. The cut happens at the moving contact point, a true scissor shear, not a roll-press.

Why it matters

Force is delivered through the groove, not around it. Daughter boards never see the lateral torque that fractures traces or unseats components on a single-blade cutter.

Detail 02

Shape A / B / C blades, one cut geometry per panel.

Three linear-blade profiles cover the V-score geometries you’ll encounter. Shape A for standard FR-4 up to 1.5 mm, Shape B for heavier stack-ups, and Shape C for panels where components bridge the score line, a capability the pneumatic VPD5 doesn’t carry.

Why it matters

NPI work changes board-to-board. Swapping blade profiles in seconds, instead of accepting one fixed geometry, is what lets one machine cover a prototype line’s mixed queue.

Detail 03

End-lock stops + tilt platform.

Two fixed stops on the top rail define the start and end of the carriage travel, so every cut begins and ends at the same place. The tilt platform drops the panel into V-score alignment with the blade.

Why it matters

On an NPI line the board changes daily. End-lock stops plus a tilt platform means seconds of setup per new panel, not minutes.

Against the alternatives

REF A2
FeatureManual V-breakBenchtop circular cutterVPD3-1M
Cut physicsPanel bent / snapped along score. High localized tensile stress at the groove.Hand-wheeled round blade rolls along the score with lateral force. No opposing blade.Scissor shear. Circular blade rides over a stationary linear blade. Cut goes through the V-groove, not around it.
Stress near BGAs & ceramicsHighest. Bending moment radiates several cm; micro-cracks in MLCCs and BGA joints.Moderate. Lateral roll-pressure transmits into copper traces.Low. Opposing-blade shear isolates force to the groove.
Edge quality / burrTorn fiberglass, jagged copper, loose dust. Secondary sanding routine.Clean on one face, burr on the opposite face; debris along the cut.Clean shear on both faces. No burr, no dust, no secondary finishing.
Cycle time per cut2–5 s plus re-orientation; operator fatigue rises across a shift.8–15 s per cut along a 300 mm score.3–6 s draw across 460 mm.
RepeatabilityOperator-dependent; edge quality varies person-to-person.Feed-rate dependent. Two operators produce different edges.Carriage-guided. Blade path is fixed by the rail; end-lock stops define travel.
Components crossing scoreNot feasible, the bend breaks any bridging component.Not feasible, the rolling blade collides with standoffs.Shape C linear blade supports it. Unique among this trio.
Utilities requiredNone.None.None. No air drop, no electrical outlet.
Best fitOne-off prototypes; labs where edge quality isn’t tracked.Low-volume, single-PN bench work where Class 2 edges are acceptable.Prototype & NPI, rework, mixed-PN CMs, lab / R&D, no-shop-air facilities.
PartVPD3-1M

Blade options

REF A3
Shape A
Standard V

When boards are ≤ 1.5 mm thick.

Standard V-groove profile. The default linear blade, handles the common range of prototype and rework panels.

Shape B
Steep V

When boards are ≥ 2 mm thick.

Steeper blade profile drives through the deeper V that thicker boards require.

Shape CUnique to VPD3
Offset, parts cross

When components cross the score line.

Offset profile clears components that straddle the V-score, on mixed-layout panels, this is the reason operators pick the VPD3.

Where it runs

REF A4

Prototype & NPI

Short runs, changing panel layouts. Set up in minutes, no line retrofit, no programming.

Rework cells

A single board needs depaneling after repair. The tool moves to the bench, no shop-air drop required.

Mixed-PN contract manufacturing

Dozens of part-numbers per week. Portable footprint and zero-utility install handles the mix without changeover.

Lab & R&D

University test labs, EMS R&D, defense prototyping, anywhere shop-floor utilities aren’t available.

What's in the box

REF 08
  • 1× VPD3-1M machine body, welded steel C-frame, anodized aluminum chassis, finished and bench-ready.
  • 1× Precision linear guide rail + blade carriage, with hand-draw handle, pre-aligned at the factory.
  • 1× Standard circular blade (VPD3-1CB, pre-installed), Ø122 mm, 5.5 mm thickness, 20° edge angle.
  • 1× Standard linear blade (VPD3-1LB, pre-installed), included Shape profile per order configuration.
  • 2× Adjustable stainless-steel platforms, front + rear. 0–25 mm height, 0–30° tilt.
  • 1× Blade height adjustment knob with ratchet lock for repeatable settings across runs.
  • 2× End-lock stops, bound the carriage travel.
  • 1× User manual, printed quick-reference + downloadable PDF.

Volume pricing

REF 09
QuantityPrice per unitYou save
1–19$9,099.80,
20+$8,189.8210%
Volume discounts apply automatically in cart50+ units? Distributor pricing →

Related parts & spares

REF 10

Already running one of these?

REF B1

Already own a VPD3-1M? We supply spare parts for the full installed base of these machines, not just units purchased through pcbracks.com.

Send us your unit’s serial number, a clear photo of the data plate, or the part identifier from your manual, and we’ll match the right blade or replacement assembly. Genuine OEM parts, ground freight from the USA.

Match my part

Engineers also bought

REF 11

Questions engineers ask

REF 12
Can I run the VPD3-1M without shop air or a 120 V outlet?
Yes. The VPD3-1M requires no utilities. It’s manual, the operator pulls the circular-blade carriage by hand across the V-score. That’s why labs and rework cells pick it.
What components can the VPD3 clear above and below the board?
33 mm on the topside (blade side) and 25.4 mm on the bottomside (platform side). Verify your tallest part against that envelope before ordering, the cross-section drawing in the engineering reference tab shows the full clearance map.
I have both thin and thick boards, do I need two VPD3s?
No. The linear blade is interchangeable, keep a Shape A and a Shape B on the shelf and swap per job family. The circular blade stays in place.
What boards is the VPD3 designed to cut?
V-scored FR4 panels, single- or double-sided, with up to 1.5 mm of remaining material at the score and a score depth greater than 0.25 mm. Up to 460 mm cut length per pass.
How long is the lead time, and where does it ship from?
4–6 weeks for 1–5 units. Stocked in the USA, USA via the freight carrier of your choice. Spare blades are stocked, one PO, ground freight.
Are the blades user-replaceable?
Yes. Both the circular blade (VPD3-1CB) and the linear blade (VPD3-1LB) are field-replaceable from your existing operator station, no service call required.