Ever wonder why the rate at which electronic devices are manufactured has increased rapidly in the past two decades? The answer is surface-mount technology (SMT). This method involves the direct mounting of electrical components onto printed circuit boards’ surfaces (PCBs).
Electrical components assembled using this technique are called surface-mount devices (SMDs). The global market for SMDs is expected to be valued at over $5.42 billion by 2022. But before any SMD is produced, solder paste has to be printed onto the PCB’s component pads.
How do soldering professionals ensure that the solder paste is applied with precisions? They use SMT stencils! Stencils made of stainless steel foil ensure precise transfers of solder paste onto PCBs.
These stencils are laser-cut to match the areas where the SMDs need to be placed on the PCB. They’ve relieved soldering professionals of the difficulties involved in the manual application of solder paste. After getting a stencil frame online, soldering professionals can use it to potentially create thousands of SMDs in just a day.
Framed and Unframed SMT Stencils
Framed SMT Stencils come with permanent frames. Their mesh borders keep stencil foils stretched at all times. Thus, soldering professionals don’t have to worry about misplacing solder paste. The use of high-quality framed SMT stencils is very popular because –
They can be integrated with automated SMT printers. If you’re working on high-volume orders, you’ll need to use SMT printers to automate surface-mounting processes. Framed SMT stencils come pre-stretched, so the risks of alignment errors are minimal.
Framed stencils can be used to create double bonds between PCBs. When manufacturing products that go through intense situations (e.g., aerospace equipment), double bonds are essential. They can resist intense use with ease.
Accuracy in high-volume printing applications is vital. High-quality framed SMT stencils have a smooth and strong aperture design that facilitates the creation of accurate prints.
SMDs manufactured using framed SMT stencils offer high-levels of integrity and can withstand multiple uses.