The importance of accessories for an optimal solder paste printing process is often underestimated in practice. Only the careful selection of materials and a high degree of precision ensure optimum results here.
For an optimal result in the printing process, there are extensive extras available today. Tailor-made accessories for individual assembly requirements, such as those offered by BECKTRONIC GmbH in addition to SMD stencils, have proven their worth. Squeegees are among the most important components here – e.g. metal squeegees in various designs as well as step squeegees with corresponding step design. A squeegee blade suitable for the respective printer type is necessary for particularly precise and economical application of the solder paste on the SMD stencil. Whether metal squeegee in a continuous material thickness or step squeegee with a taper of up to 5mm at the lower squeegee edge – it is recommended to use the same material.
"Ideally, both the SMD stencil and the squeegee are made of the same material. This ensures the lowest possible friction between squeegee and SMD stencil and minimizes wear."
That's why all squeegee blades, regardless of printer type, are individually manufactured. In solder paste printing, blades with a thickness of 100 µm to 300 µm are typically used. These stainless steel blades are characterized by a homogeneous grain structure and low internal stress. The ground edges ensure optimum filling of the stencil apertures with the solder paste and low-friction stripping.
Further important accessories are terminal strips and hold-down devices, e.g. for the PCB guidance in stencil printers and production lines. Here, highest precision is required. A drawing, DXF data or an existing sample can be used as a production template. Their accuracy is decisive, because here, products are manufactured from high-quality stainless steel that are accurate to the micrometer. Production starts from lot size 1. The delivery time after receipt of order is one to two days, depending on the batch size, because fast delivery times also make optimally adapted accessories efficient.
