Solder paste stencils

Laser-cut stainless steel stencils – precision, innovation and personal advice

Precise laser-cut stainless steel stencils from LaserJob guarantee maximum dimensional accuracy and excellent solder paste release behaviour for optimum printing results with a cutting gap of only 20 µm. Benefit from the creativity and experience of our experts: we optimise your CAD data individually and offer you a personal contact person for fast, uncomplicated and reliable processing.

Everything from a single source – from cutting, welding and marking to surface finishing – for perfect results in your electronics manufacturing.

Precision and efficiency

LaserJob relies on state-of-the-art technologies and innovative processes to ensure maximum precision and efficiency in stencil production. Our approach combines technical excellence with tailor-made solutions for your requirements.

Our speciality

Sheet thickness tolerance of +/- 2%, with a repeatability of >6 sigma
Controlled surface roughness of <0.15 µm

NanoWork ® -Stencil
PatchWork ® -Schablone (step up/down Stencil)
3D PatchWork ® -Stencial
Combination PatchWork ® -Stencil and NanoWork ® -Coating

A total of 15 laser systems are available for you in our air-conditioned production rooms. We use these high-performance lasers to achieve a cutting gap of 20 µm. With the same depth of focus, this small cutting gap ensures reduced heat input into the material.

Precision of the slightly conical openings expands the process window of the placement process and facilitates the release of solder paste from the stencil. Dimensionally stable stencils must be cut in a clamped state. This procedure allows us to guarantee an aperture position accuracy of ± 10 μm within an area of 200 x 200 mm.

Advantages of laser cutting

exact aperture geometry
accuracy of aperture sizes ± 3 μm
positional accuracy of the apertures ± 10 μm
smooth wall panels
low edge roughness

SMD-Stencil layout

LaserJob offers comprehensive advice on layout design. Our team uses your CAD-CAM data to create cutting commands for our laser. The apertures are cut using highly focused lasers and high positioning accuracy.

Optimization of cut-outs

Aperture reduction and enlargement
Changing the aperture shape, e.g., homeplates, rounding corners
Aperture optimization (anti-tombstoning)
Checking aspect and surface ratio

Layout creation

Multiple-use creation and optimized placement in the finished stencil
Layout creation for SMD, reballing, sintering, and adhesive stencils
Production of a template from a supplied printed circuit board, template, or film

Additional services

Custom frame bearings for used frames
Data archiving
Test reports (based on customer specifications)
Data for solder paste inspection systems
DataMatrix-Code

Stencil variations

Stainless Steel 1.4301
Hardness (Hv): min. 370
Tensile Strength (N / mm²): > 1100

SMD stencils in (μm): 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 130, 140, 150, 180, 200, 250, 300, 400
SMD stencils in the VectorGuard clamping system in (μm): 80, 100, 120, 130, 150, 180, 200, 250
maximum sheet thickness: 2 mm
maximum working area: 800 x 600 mm

Aluminum frame
Cast aluminum frame
Stainless steel frame

All frames can be customized with threaded bushings (welded or pressed in).

We use stainless steel screen mesh (80 mesh/wire diameter 0.1 mm) with high tension (> 40N / cm). Of course, the tension can be adjusted to your requirements. On request, a screen filler can be applied to prevent polluting the printer.

Our frames are reusable. We clean them and check them for flatness so that they are ready for immediate use the next time they are needed. We manage the frame storage for you at our premises.

in the LJ 745 clamping system
in the QuattroFlex clamping system
in the VectorGuard clamping system
in the Alpha-Tetra/Micromount/Vector clamping system
in the ZelFlex clamping system
in the Stencilman clamping system
in various customer-specific clamping systems

Stencil post-processing

All laser-cut templates from LaserJob are then brushed. A CNC-controlled brushing process removes the cutting burr on the laser exit side. The brush head moves in a meandering pattern in all four directions across the surface.

Benefits of this post-processing

no enlargement of the apertures
minimum material removal < 2 μm
the narrow material thickness tolerances are maintained.
uniform sheet thickness

Layout guidelines and design suggestions/specifications

The volume of solder paste applied is mainly determined by the size of the apertures

and the stencil thickness. The release behavior of the solder paste from the stencil depends on the following factors:

Aspect and area ratio
Wall and aperture geometry
Nature of the aperture walls

Formula used to calculate the area ratio and aspect ratio:

The aspect ratio describes the proportion of aperture width to stencil thickness, while the area ratio describes the proportion of aperture area to aperture wall area. To ensure complete release of the solder paste, an area ratio of > 0.66 and an aspect ratio of > 1.5 are recommended.

Further information regarding the design of SMD stencils is described in the general design guideline IPC-7525A.

Quality and service

Monitoring the number of openings
Measurement of stencil cut-outs (size and position) according to your specifications
Verifying the material thickness after cutting the layout
Compiling test reports (CoC) according to customer specifications

SMD-Stencil variants

Additional services

Why chose LaserJob?

adept knowledge

Through our customized data preparation solutions and the optimization of your CAD data in collaboration with our specialists, we guarantee maximum efficiency and quality for your project.

direct contact

Your immediate access to us: Personal contact – fast, easy, and reliable.

all from one provider

We combine a wide variety of technologies and processes to achieve the best results: cutting, welding, marking, ablating, coating, etc.

express delivery

6-hour express service ex works:
Orders received by 1:00 p.m.
shipped on the same working day.

Let's get your project started!

To ensure that your order is processed quickly,

please send us your order, including the relevant data, by email to mail@laserjob.de

Please send us your Gerber files for the templates by email to mail@laserjob.de

We also process your ODB++, DWG, or DXF data.

Transportation is usually carried out by TNT, GO, UPS, DHL, FedEx (all delivery types), as well as by express delivery and courier delivery with partner companies.

We are happy to ship your stencil with the carrier of your choice using your customer number.

Standard delivery time for SMD stencils

ex works:

3 working days

Orders received by 5:00 p.m.

Delivery on the next working day

24-hour express service ex works:

Orders received by 5:00 p.m.

After order confirmation, delivery on the

next working day

6-hour express service ex works:

Orders received by 1 p.m.

After order confirmation, delivery on the same day

LaserJob is a pioneer in laser-cut SMD stencils, with developments ranging from the first standard stencil to the state-of-the-art nano-coated PatchWork® stencil. Get in touch with us and let's discover together how we can best support you. Your reliable partner for SMD stencils now for over 30 years.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Generally, we are able to deliver SMD stencils with a material thickness of 0.030 mm to 0.4 mm straight away, and even 0.02 mm in fixed frames, with a thickness tolerance of ±2%. Other material thicknesses up to 2 mm are available on request.

Standard delivery times are 3 working days ex works for SMD stencils. We also offer express delivery services, with 6-hour and 24-hour express delivery ex works.

Laser cutting produces a cutting burr on the laser exit side (squeegee side), which is removed by the CNC brushing process developed in-house by LaserJob. This process ensures a consistent sheet thickness with minimal material removal (< 2 µm). Additionally, the apertures are not enlarged during the brushing process, and the material thickness is not reduced, which is not guaranteed with alternative processes. This ensures tight tolerances to be maintained.

This process leaves the substrate side of the stencil opening unprocessed. Since the edge is not rounded, it ensures optimal sealing to the printed circuit board. Bleeding of the solder paste flux is thereby prevented.

Yes, please return any templates you no longer need to us.

Your frames will be stored at our premises and will then be available for your next orders.

You can check our current stock levels at any time. To ensure quick deliveries, we always maintain a stock of frames with bonded sheet metal ready for you.

Most SMD stencils are made of stainless steel. It should have a tensile strength of over 1100 N/mm² and a hardness of at least 370 Hv. This ensures that the SMD stencil delivers accurate printing results throughout its lifetime. The squeegee pressure should be set high enough to cleanly remove the solder paste from the stainless steel material. The applied squeegee pressure directly affects the service life of an SMD stencil. Therefore, it should be set only as high as necessary and as low as possible.

We will be happy to provide you with the stencil data, including the aperture changes we have made, in any format you require. This allows you to program your paste AOI/SPI easily and conveniently.

In 1992, LaserJob GmbH became the first company in Germany to manufacture laser-cut SMD stencils. These printing stencils for solder paste application have replaced etched stencils. Solder paste printing in SMD technology began with meshes, which were then replaced by etched metal stencils. The increasing need for miniaturization required a new technology. LaserJob GmbH was a pioneer in laser-cut SMD stencils. Thanks to this technology, conical aperture openings could be implemented. Even the smallest geometries can be reliably printed to this day. Other advantages include high precision and quick availability.