Stencil Vacuum-Assist Helps Avoid the Heartbreak of Smeared Solder Paste
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
While using a stencil should make solder paste application onto PCBs a simple affair, there are a number of gotchas" that make it more art than science. Luckily, there are tools you can build, like this 3D-printed vacuum-assist stencil jig, that take a little of the finesse out of the process.
[...] In use, the PCB is placed on the center fixed platform, while the stencil sits atop it. Suction pulls the stencil firmly down onto the PCB and holds it there while the solder paste is applied. Releasing the suction causes the outer section of the platform to spring up vertically, resulting in nice, neat solder-covered pads. [Marius] demonstrates the box in the video below, and shows a number of adapters that would make it work with different sized PCBs.
Link to 5m28s YouTube video.
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