Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-01-21 Origin: Site
Let’s kick off with the basics of PCB SMT stencils. Usually made of stainless steel (and often called steel stencils), they’re a core tool for the first step of SMT surface mounting: printing solder paste onto bare PCBs.
A steel stencil is a thin steel sheet with precision-cut holes that align perfectly with PCB pad positions. When solder paste is spread over the stencil, paste only adheres to the designated pads—this is critical for placing surface-mount components like ICs, resistors, and capacitors. After paste application, components are placed on the pads, and the board is sent to a reflow oven for soldering.
Stencils are fabricated using PCB Gerber files (specifically the Top and Bottom Paste layers). Most are 0.12mm thick with laser polishing for smooth holes, and the cost is around 500 yuan per sheet. Next, we’ll dive into the common classifications of SMT stencils.
