Which type of stencil is best suited for lead-free paste print applications?

Through a series of tests conducted at DEK, the best results were achieved with nickel stencils. In particular the best print performance ration was attained from DEK’s VectorGuard® Nickel Lasercut Stencil. This stencil, cut with a high precision laser, consists of nickel built up electrolytically.

Many of our customers already use this stencil, confirming its durability as well as better paste release behavior. The VectorGuard® stencil’s performance improvement made it an easy choice for customers because of its comparable delivery time vs. those of conventional stainless steel laser stencils.

Why are nickel laser cut stencils better for end solving qualities?

This is due to the quality of the raw material. The Nickel laser cut material is produced by electroforming. This process ensures an even smaller granular and stress-free material structure than traditional methods. If cutting with the laser, a relatively fine roughness arises in the cutting surface.

Lead-free pastes have a little different composition including the flux used. This can be seen by its sticky composition compared to traditional lead-based pastes. The wall roughness, described above, positively influences the paste release behavior, making the paste break loose from the outbreak. DEK’s series of tests also show that too rough or too smooth surfaces negatively influence this “sticking effect.”