Abstract: A system is disclosed for exact positioning of a printed circuit board to be drilled utilizing a camera vision system. The fiducial is formed in a semi-opaque area of the circuit board panel that is free of copper or other metallic layer material on top and bottom surfaces thereof, enabling light to be directed upwardly through a transparent surface area of a vacuum chuck on which the panel is disposed. In this manner, the outline of the fiducial is silhouetted through this back lighted arrangement so that the camera vision system can easily ‘see’ the fiducial to communicate the precise location of the circuit board and enable movement of the vacuum chuck in X and Y directions to effect the desired precise drilling at predetermined locations on the panel.