IPC-2584 Guide: How to Structure Copper, Drilling & Stackup Data for PCB Fabrication

Every PCB fabricator has a story about the Gerber package that arrived incomplete. Missing drill files. Ambiguous layer names. A stackup note that contradicted the actual layer count. These situations happen daily across the industry, and each one costs time, money, and sometimes scrapped boards. The traditional approach of assembling separate files for copper layers, drill data, solder mask, and fabrication notes creates countless opportunities for error.

IPC-2584 was designed to solve this problem. As the fabrication sectional standard within the IPC-2581 family, it defines exactly how copper artwork, drilling specifications, layer stackup, and all other fabrication data should be structured in a single intelligent file. At 40 pages, it’s the most comprehensive sectional in the IPC-2580 series—and for good reason. Fabrication data is where the rubber meets the road in PCB manufacturing.

What Is IPC-2584?

IPC-2584 is officially titled “Sectional Requirements for Implementation of Printed Board Fabrication Data Description.” First released in June 2007 and updated in February 2021, this standard specifies the XML schema for all data needed to fabricate a printed circuit board.

The standard works as a companion to IPC-2581, the parent standard that defines the complete intelligent data format. While IPC-2581 provides the overall framework, IPC-2584 drills down (pun intended) into the specific requirements for fabrication data—the information that tells a manufacturer exactly how to build the bare board before any components are placed.

IPC-2584 Standard Overview

The 40-page length reflects the complexity of fabrication data. Compare this to IPC-2582 (administrative data) and IPC-2583 (design characteristics), which are each only 13 pages. Fabrication touches every physical aspect of the board, and IPC-2584 must address all of it.

Where IPC-2584 Fits in the IPC-2580 Series

The IPC-2581 standard family divides manufacturing data into logical categories, each covered by a sectional standard. IPC-2584 handles the physical fabrication layer—everything needed to produce the bare PCB.

Complete IPC-2581 Sectional Standards

IPC-2584 sits at the center of the manufacturing process. The design characteristics from IPC-2583 inform what gets fabricated. The fabrication output becomes the substrate for assembly operations defined in IPC-2585. And the bare board testing in IPC-2586 verifies that fabrication met specifications.

What Fabrication Data Does IPC-2584 Cover?

The standard addresses ten major data categories, each corresponding to a critical aspect of PCB fabrication. Understanding these categories helps you ensure your manufacturing data packages are complete.

IPC-2584 Data Categories

Each category replaces what traditionally required separate files, drawings, or verbal communication. With IPC-2584, all this information lives in a structured, validated format within a single file.

Conductor Layer Data in IPC-2584

Copper artwork is the foundation of any PCB. IPC-2584 defines how conductor layers—signal traces, power planes, and ground planes—should be represented in the manufacturing data.

Conductor Layer Types

Unlike Gerber files, which are essentially images, IPC-2584 conductor data retains intelligence. Each trace knows which net it belongs to. Each pad knows which component pin it connects to. This attribution enables automated DFM analysis and netlist verification that simply isn’t possible with traditional formats.

Copper Feature Representation

IPC-2584 uses standardized primitives to represent copper features:

The attribute system is what makes IPC-2584 data intelligent. A manufacturer’s CAM system can automatically verify that copper features match the intended netlist, catch potential shorts, and flag DFM violations—all without manual interpretation.

Drilling and Routing Data in IPC-2584

Drill data is where traditional workflows frequently fail. Separate Excellon files for through-holes, blind vias, buried vias, and micro-vias must all be correctly associated with their layer spans. IPC-2584 eliminates this complexity by embedding complete drill information with explicit layer associations.

Drill Hole Types in IPC-2584

Drill Data Elements

Back drilling support is particularly valuable for high-speed designs. IPC-2584 allows precise specification of back drill requirements including depth, diameter, and location—information that traditionally required separate documentation and was prone to misinterpretation.

Routing (Board Outline) Data

Board outline and internal cutouts are defined in the routing section of IPC-2584:

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Layer Stackup Data in IPC-2584

Stackup definition is critical for impedance control, signal integrity, and manufacturability. Traditional workflows communicate stackup through drawings, spreadsheets, or text notes—all subject to misinterpretation. IPC-2584 provides structured stackup data that CAM systems can read directly.

Stackup Elements

Material Properties in IPC-2584

By embedding material properties directly in the fabrication data, IPC-2584 enables automated impedance calculation and material selection verification. Manufacturers can confirm that specified materials will achieve target impedances before committing to production.

Solder Mask and Legend Data

While often considered secondary to copper and drill data, solder mask and legend (silkscreen) specifications are essential for assembly success. IPC-2584 addresses both comprehensively.

Solder Mask Data Elements

Legend (Silkscreen) Data Elements

IPC-2584 ensures that solder mask and legend data aligns with the copper artwork it references. Pad openings are defined relative to the pads themselves, eliminating the registration issues that can occur when mask Gerbers are generated separately from copper Gerbers.

DfX Analysis Data in IPC-2584

One of IPC-2584’s unique features is its support for Design for eXcellence (DfX) data. This includes DFM (Design for Manufacturability) measurements that can be embedded directly in the fabrication file.

DfX Measurement Types

Embedding DfX data allows manufacturers to instantly assess whether a design falls within their capabilities. Instead of manually reviewing each design parameter, CAM systems can automatically flag potential manufacturability issues based on the embedded measurements.

IPC-2584 vs Traditional Gerber Workflow

Understanding what IPC-2584 replaces helps clarify its value. Here’s how traditional fabrication files map to IPC-2584 sections:

File Replacement Mapping

A typical 8-layer board might require 15-20 separate files in a traditional workflow. With IPC-2584, all that information consolidates into structured sections of a single IPC-2581 file.

CAD Tool Support for IPC-2584 Fabrication Export

Major EDA tools support IPC-2581 export, which includes IPC-2584 fabrication data. However, export completeness varies by tool and version.

EDA Tool IPC-2584 Support

When exporting, verify that your CAD tool populates all critical IPC-2584 sections. Pay particular attention to stackup data, drill layer spans, and material properties—these are areas where incomplete exports often cause manufacturing questions.

Tools and Resources for IPC-2584

Official Documentation

Software Tools

Related Standards

Frequently Asked Questions About IPC-2584

What is the difference between IPC-2584 and IPC-2583?

IPC-2583 covers design characteristics—the logical and electrical aspects of your design including layer definitions, netlists, and component placement. IPC-2584 covers fabrication data—the physical manufacturing instructions including copper artwork, drill specifications, and stackup details. Think of IPC-2583 as “what the design is” and IPC-2584 as “how to make it.” Both are necessary sections of a complete IPC-2581 file, and they reference each other extensively.

Does IPC-2584 replace Gerber files completely?

Yes, IPC-2584 contains all the information traditionally conveyed through Gerber RS-274X files plus additional data that Gerber cannot represent. Copper artwork, solder mask, silkscreen, drill data, board outline, and stackup information all have defined places within the IPC-2584 structure. The key advantage is that all this data is integrated and validated rather than existing as separate, potentially inconsistent files.

Why is IPC-2584 the largest sectional standard at 40 pages?

Fabrication data is inherently complex. A PCB fabricator needs complete information about copper features, drill holes of multiple types, layer stackup with material properties, solder mask specifications, legend requirements, and board outline—all precisely correlated. The 40-page length reflects the thoroughness required to define all these data types unambiguously. By comparison, administrative data (IPC-2582) and design characteristics (IPC-2583) are each only 13 pages.

Can I export only IPC-2584 fabrication data without the full IPC-2581 file?

No, IPC-2584 is a sectional standard that exists within the IPC-2581 framework. You cannot generate a standalone IPC-2584 file. Instead, when you export an IPC-2581 file, the fabrication data sections are structured according to IPC-2584 requirements. Some CAD tools allow you to export a “fabrication only” mode that includes IPC-2584 sections while omitting assembly-specific data, but the output is still an IPC-2581 file.

How do I verify that my exported file has correct IPC-2584 fabrication data?

Use an independent IPC-2581 viewer to inspect your exported file. Check that copper layers show correct polarity and net attribution, drill definitions include proper layer spans for blind and buried vias, stackup data includes material properties and thicknesses, and solder mask openings align with copper pads. Many viewers provide DFM analysis features that flag common fabrication data issues.

Making Fabrication Data Work for Manufacturing

IPC-2584 represents a fundamental improvement in how we communicate fabrication requirements to manufacturers. Instead of assembling disconnected files and hoping they’re interpreted correctly, we can now provide structured, validated data that CAM systems can process automatically.

The transition requires investment—in understanding the standard, configuring CAD tools correctly, and working with manufacturers who support intelligent data formats. But organizations that make this investment report significant reductions in NPI time, engineering queries, and fabrication errors.

Start by examining your current fabrication data packages. How many separate files do you send? How often do manufacturers ask clarifying questions about stackup, drill spans, or material requirements? Each question represents a gap that IPC-2584 was designed to fill.

Your designs contain precise fabrication intent. IPC-2584 ensures that intent reaches the factory floor intact, unambiguous, and ready for automated processing. That’s the promise of intelligent fabrication data—and it’s available today for organizations ready to embrace it.