Hello
I am looking to find out what is the actual specification that tells PCB fab (JLCPCB) to create a stencil hole for a pad that is actually through hole.. I have some 40 pin headers that are through hole in design, but I would like to be able to solder them by way of solder paste and stencil.
I have had successes getting stencils made without including the Paste layer in the gerber file, and have also tried including the Paste layer with a different aperture (smaller) and received a stencil that apparently wasn't manufactured using that Paste file. Using their panelization services means that they have to come up with the stencil file I suppose, perhaps they toss the Paste layer, whats the process here?
If I'm having just one board made, I can do one gerber for the PCB, and another for the stencil. How do I get a stencil made with my Paste layer, or, how is this best done?
Muchas gracias
I am looking to find out what is the actual specification that tells PCB fab (JLCPCB) to create a stencil hole for a pad that is actually through hole.. I have some 40 pin headers that are through hole in design, but I would like to be able to solder them by way of solder paste and stencil.
I have had successes getting stencils made without including the Paste layer in the gerber file, and have also tried including the Paste layer with a different aperture (smaller) and received a stencil that apparently wasn't manufactured using that Paste file. Using their panelization services means that they have to come up with the stencil file I suppose, perhaps they toss the Paste layer, whats the process here?
If I'm having just one board made, I can do one gerber for the PCB, and another for the stencil. How do I get a stencil made with my Paste layer, or, how is this best done?
Muchas gracias
I do not know KiCad but with most ecad layout s/w, the paste layer(s) is/are a separate gerber file, it contains apertures and possible vectors, that are defined in the padstack for each comp pad (TH or SM) and anything else that is placed on that specific layer. You send them that gerber file to process. Usually the stencil has some registration holes for fixturing but that is not done in the layout. I have not made a stencil so I'd ask JLCpcb support they are hekpful, can review your files, load into their gerber viewer.
These are the so-called “cream” Gerber files. You don’t need to do anything special. Just order the stencil with the board.
Having been there and done that - I will say that for small number of builds (less than 4 boards) you are better off using a hypo needle syringe and hand apply the paste pad by pad. The trick is to use paste sparingly and preheat from below with a hot plate to below melt point. Apply heat from above with a hot air pencil to melt and flow a section at a time, and work in sections.
If you have one board with 500 parts, and you need to test sub sections as you go, stencil doesn’t work. With this many parts, getting an automated paste dispenser pen is very helpful and prevents finger / hand cramps.
The “eExtruder” microcontrolled dispenser is excellent. Lays down a consistent and perfect bead of paste for 0603 or whatever size you need. Makes professional looking and neat boards.
Having been there and done that - I will say that for small number of builds (less than 4 boards) you are better off using a hypo needle syringe and hand apply the paste pad by pad. The trick is to use paste sparingly and preheat from below with a hot plate to below melt point. Apply heat from above with a hot air pencil to melt and flow a section at a time, and work in sections.
If you have one board with 500 parts, and you need to test sub sections as you go, stencil doesn’t work. With this many parts, getting an automated paste dispenser pen is very helpful and prevents finger / hand cramps.
The “eExtruder” microcontrolled dispenser is excellent. Lays down a consistent and perfect bead of paste for 0603 or whatever size you need. Makes professional looking and neat boards.
Thanks for the replies..
I think that it's possible that I never included the paste layer in the gerbers that I had sent before. It's possible anyway. They may have made the stencil without em somehow. I've got another batch all set for the making, this time I am double checking all this to make more certain the process. Some of these 2mm parts with 8 pads all close together need less paste than the full pad size would allow for. It'l be nice to be able to assemble some boards and look under the magnifier and see perfect soldered pads the first time more often. KiCAD has two settings for either enlarging or shrinking the aperture of the stencil layer and it'l most likely take a few runs to perfect it. If it works heh.
I've done some syringe pasting on some proto DACs that was fun for a bit, but now I am super lazy, or just want to get on to the software side of things in my project, lol. It's been a year since I've been over to that side of the project and will have to relearn a few things there. Quite the journey
I think that it's possible that I never included the paste layer in the gerbers that I had sent before. It's possible anyway. They may have made the stencil without em somehow. I've got another batch all set for the making, this time I am double checking all this to make more certain the process. Some of these 2mm parts with 8 pads all close together need less paste than the full pad size would allow for. It'l be nice to be able to assemble some boards and look under the magnifier and see perfect soldered pads the first time more often. KiCAD has two settings for either enlarging or shrinking the aperture of the stencil layer and it'l most likely take a few runs to perfect it. If it works heh.
I've done some syringe pasting on some proto DACs that was fun for a bit, but now I am super lazy, or just want to get on to the software side of things in my project, lol. It's been a year since I've been over to that side of the project and will have to relearn a few things there. Quite the journey
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