Technical Articles From AVI Precision Engineering Pte Ltd

Using Stencil: Design to Reduce SMT Defects

Jun 12, 2023 | Paul Lotosky, Michael Murphy, Robert Pearson, Michael Tesch

Solder paste printing is understood to be the leading contributor of defects in the electronics assembly process. Because yield accounts for such a large percentage of the margin, the greatest opportunity to improve profitability in the assembly of most electronics can be gained by reducing or eliminating solder defects. This article examines process adjustments made through stencil design that correct a misalignment situation between the PCB and stencil, leading to a 43% reduction in assembly defects. Examples of each are found in Table 1....