Paste Volume
Foil thickness and aperture area establish the deposit available to each component.
Custom part manufacturing
Custom SMT Stencils for Controlled Paste Deposition
Precision laser-cut apertures, selected foil thickness, and paste-release-focused finishing for prototype through production PCB assembly.
- Fine-pitch aperture geometry reviewed before cutting
- Framed, frameless, and single-step configurations
- Stainless steel, electroformed nickel, and optional nano coating
The print begins here
Why Stencil Design Affects Print Quality
Before reflow, the stencil determines where paste lands and how much reaches each PCB pad. Aperture wall condition, thickness, and geometry affect transfer efficiency long before printer settings or reflow profiling can help.
Paste Release
Wall geometry and surface condition determine how consistently paste leaves the aperture.
Repeatable Printing
Flatness, registration, and a practical frame configuration support stable print cycles.
Aperture engineering
Aperture Design for Better Paste Release
Small apertures do not automatically print well. Their opening size must be considered with foil thickness, area ratio, aspect ratio, component pitch, and the paste process.
We review reductions, rounded corners, home-plate forms, and other aperture changes against the intended component and paste-volume objective.
Material & finish
Choose the Right Foil and Surface Finish
304 stainless steel is the reliable baseline for most laser-cut SMT stencils. For demanding transfer at the smallest pitches, electroformed nickel or a specified coating may be the better process decision.
304 Stainless Steel
The workhorse foil for stable tension, clean laser cutting, and broad production use.
Electroformed Nickel
Smoother, naturally tapered aperture walls for highly demanding ultra-fine-pitch transfer.
Nano Coating
Optional paste-release treatment for fine-pitch or high-cycle lines where cleaning intervals matter.
Laser process
Laser-Cut Apertures for Fine-Pitch Boards
Laser cutting gives direct control of every aperture path without a phototool. It is especially useful for prototypes, engineering changes, fine-pitch boards, and controlled custom panel layouts.
- File-driven aperture geometry and panel registration
- Thin foil routed to a process suited to the gauge
- First-article and visual/optical inspection to the agreed plan
- Optional post-process and coating requirements reviewed before release
For a fast review
What to Send for a Stencil Quote
- 01Paste dataGerber paste layers and board or panel outline.
- 02Assembly contextSmallest pitch, critical components, and paste-volume concerns.
- 03ConfigurationFoil thickness, framed or frameless format, fiducials, and tooling holes.
- 04Production needQuantity, coating preference, inspection, and required delivery date.
Answers
SMT Stencil FAQs
What files do you need for an SMT stencil?
Gerber paste layers are the normal starting point. Please also send the board outline or panel drawing, foil thickness, framed or frameless requirement, fiducial and tooling-hole requirements, and any aperture changes already defined by your process team.
How do you choose stencil thickness?
Thickness follows the smallest aperture and the paste-volume needs of the board. Fine-pitch parts often need 0.08–0.10 mm foil, while larger components may need more volume. For conflicting needs on one board, we review whether a step stencil is justified.
Can you make apertures for 0.4 mm pitch parts?
Yes, subject to pad geometry, foil thickness, aperture reduction, and transfer-ratio review. The aperture is evaluated as a paste-release feature, not merely copied from the pad.
Do you offer nano coating?
Nano coating can be specified to reduce paste adhesion and extend cleaning intervals on demanding fine-pitch or high-cycle production. It is applied to a well-cut stencil; it does not substitute for appropriate aperture geometry.
When is electroformed nickel a better choice?
For ultra-fine pitches and demanding paste transfer below about 0.3 mm pitch, electroformed nickel may be the more suitable route because of its smooth, naturally tapered aperture walls. We will flag that boundary during review.
Custom SMT stencils
Request a Custom SMT Stencil Quote
Share your files, foil preference, critical component pitch, and printer format. We will review the aperture and configuration choices before release.