What is SMT Stencil?
SMT Stencil is also known as Solder Paste Stencil, is to transfer solder paste to a bare circuit board. A stainless steel foil is laser cut creating an opening for every surface mount device on the board. Once the stencil is properly aligned on top of the board, solder paste is applied over the openings (making a single pass, using a metal squeegee blade). When the stainless steel foil is separated from the board, solder paste will remain, ready for placement of the SMD. This process, as opposed to hand soldering methods, ensures consistency and saves time.
How SMT stencil is made?
JLCPCB is the largest PCB Prototype company in China and also produce quality SMT stencil for PCB customers in 24 hours. They provide cheapest and professional stencil in the world, only $7 for one piece of stencil. All stencils are made of high quality stencil material and drilled via laser stencil machine from Germany, to ensure the high precision and stable quality. Let’s view the video for seeing the complete process of SMT stencil in JLCPCB factory.
SMT Stencil Types
JLCPCB can provide the option of NON-FRAMEWORK (or frameless) and FRAMEWORK stencils. Framework is for automated stencil machine. Non-framework is for hand printing. Frameless stencils are cheaper and lower weight (0.2 Kg) so they can help to reduce the shipping cost.
Frameless SMT Stencils
Frameless SMT Stencils also referred to as foils are laser cut solder paste stencils designed to work with stencil tensioning systems known as reusable stencil frames. This type of stencil does not need to be permanently glued in a frame. Framelss SMT Stencils are recommended for prototype printed circuit board assembly or short runs. They are convenient in their size to store significant less expensive than Framed Stencils and reduce storage space requirements.
FRAMEWORK Stencils
FRAMEWORK stencils or glue-in stencils are laser cut stencil foils permanently mounted in a stencil frame using a mesh border to tightly stretch the stencil foil taut in the frame. These solder paste stencils are designed for high volume screen printing on printed circuit boards. They are recommended for printed circuit board assembly when doing production runs. FRAMEWORK stencils are perfect for high volume production runs because of their durability and precision. Pick from a variety of popular frame sizes or we can build custom frames upon request.
Order stencils from JLCPCB
In JLCPCB, stencils can be ordered together with a PCB to saving the shipping fee, or you can order a stencil only.
Stencils ordered together with the boards
When you order a PCB, after you upload your Gerber file and fill in the PCB specifications, then you can order "Laser-Stencil" together simply by checking the “Laser Stencil: order together with laser stencil” option.
Stencils ordered separately
If you forgot to order your stencil when you ordered the boards, or if you want to have custom tooling holes in the border. You can order a stencil only on the Quote page by checking the SMT-Stencil option.
Click the "Add your Gerber file" button to upload the file and enter stencil parameters.
1. Dimensions
Please make sure the valid area should be larger than your PCB size.
2. Electropolishing
Electropolishing (also known as electrochemical deburring) will remove small burrs, improve surface quality and provide smooth inside walls for better paste release. This treatment is mainly for IC lead width less than 0.5 mm and BGA chips.
3. Fiducials
Fiducial Mark is designed to help the machine to check the location. The diameter of the fiducials are usually 1 mm. JLCPCB offers three options: none, Etched Through and Etched Half into board. If your screen printer is equipped with a vision system, fiducials half cut (into the thickness) of the stencil will allow for the printer to automatically align the board with the stencil. If you are manually aligning the stencil with the board, you could either fully cut the fiducials through the stencil or just use any surface mount pad to align the stencil.
4. Customized size
You can choose custom size and we’ll make the stencil according to your size.
