Printing stencils: A special offer

After its foundation, Photocad was initially a manufacturer of moulded etched parts and printed circuit boards, later specializing in the production of precision films for the PCB industry. Photocad has been offering laser-cut SMD stencils for 25 years and soon concentrated on this business segment.PeM Washer 650 cleaning system from Pola e Massa

25 years of experience in laser cutting stencils

Three new product lines for SMD stencils were introduced in 2015:

• BASIC PLUS is the SMD stencil for standard applications. Its advantage is the double-sided brushing during production.
• ADVANCED is the SMD stencil optimized for the smallest components through double-sided brushing and electropolishing.
• PERFORMANCE is the SMD stencil that is optimized for the smallest components and maximum performance (many printing cycles) thanks to double-sided brushing, electropolishing and NANO finishing.

Photocad also offers pattern and step stencils. The latter are equally suitable for small and large components. They are produced quickly and easily using the step-up stencil process.Partial view of a PERFORMANCE SMD stencil

Machine park expanded several times

Photocad has expanded its machine park several times. Most recently, an additional LPKF StencilLaser G 6080, a Loewer DiscMaster 4TD-1000 deburring and rounding machine and a PeM Washer 650 cleaning system from Pola e Massa were installed to increase production capacity.

Climate-neutral for years, online store and stencil app

Photocad is one of the leading manufacturers of high-precision printing stencils for solder paste printing, producing 20,000 stencils per year for around 600 customers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and neighboring countries. Photocad has been producing completely climate-neutral since 2016.

In addition to SMD stencils, Photocad also offers archive systems (archive bags, archive rails, wall brackets, trolleys and Quickrack archive shelves), cleaning agents (liquid cleaners and cleaning cloths from KIWO) as well as Quattro-Flex and VectorGuard quick-release frames via its online store, which has been established for several years.Machinery with several LPKF StencilLasers

The thickness of the SMD stencils and the openings in the stencil determine the amount of solder paste. With the new Photocad app, a product consultant tool for stencil calculation, you can determine the appropriate product line and calculate the optimum SMD stencil in just two steps. All you have to do is specify the smallest opening dimension and the desired or planned cleaning interval. The new Photocad app is available for iOS and Android. This makes it easy to configure, order and receive the stencil the next working day.

Nano enhancement with self-developed system and 24-hour service

Photocad works every day to further optimize workflows and processes. For example, the system for nano-finishing was developed in-house. The plans for the CNC-controlled system were drawn up together with the company Koweso. In order to deliver the best quality, it was specially configured for Photocad, creating something completely new. The nano-material used is based on silicon. It is solvent-resistant and therefore suitable for stencil washing systems as well as underside cleaning in the printer.

Photocad now also offers a 24-hour delivery service for the production of nano-finished SMD printing stencils, which currently accounts for around 10% of the market. According to Photocad Sales Manager Axel Meyer, this opens up new opportunities for small and medium-sized EMS service providers in particular to compete more effectively. On the one hand, a time advantage thanks to Photocad's internal, standardized processes and, on the other, cost optimization thanks to application-appropriate ordering via the Photocad online store. This means that even smaller orders can be executed at optimal conditions, which is particularly important for SMEs among EMS service providers.

Market situation, delivery capability and further development in Corona times

As part of an interview on the market situation, delivery capability and further development in coronavirus times, Photocad provided the following information on its strategies and measures, among other things.

Photocad purchases all materials in Germany and Europe. This ensures the supply chain for customers. And deliveries are made at short notice as usual. In addition, stock levels of archival bags and stainless steel sheets, for example, were increased at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in order to be able to produce and deliver customer orders at short notice.

Photocad gives its customers the greatest possible security. This is because its suppliers are certified and are regularly audited themselves (supplier assessment) to ensure quality standards are met.

The core markets are still Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some neighboring countries. Photocad's philosophy remains unchanged: Production on own machines in Germany with a correspondingly high quality guarantee, at recognized fair conditions, fastest delivery via online store, climate-neutral, mainly small and medium-sized customers.

The use of ever smaller components in electronics production is also placing ever greater demands on SMD stencils. While etched stencils were still used years ago, they are practically irrelevant today, as both the accuracy and release behavior of the solder paste no longer meet today's requirements. Laser-cut stencils made of stainless steel have prevailed, as these can be used to reliably control the paste pressure even for the smallest components such as the 01005 design.

Stainless steel is now the standard material, as stencils made of paper or plastic have not been able to assert themselves, as they are not suitable for very small components (accuracy, stability/durability and costs are not convincing).

Photocad also sees certain trends towards specialties such as stepped stencils, in which the amount of solder paste can be better adapted to the components by varying the material thickness within the stencil (e.g. for a mix of connectors, power electronics and very small components within an assembly) and for refining the stencils through various post-treatments after laser cutting, which Photocad also supplies:

• Deburring the stencil by brushing improves the rolling behavior of the solder paste on the stencil, which is important to completely fill the apertures (openings) during printing
• Chemical surface treatment (e.g. electropolishing) to smooth the walls of the apertures and thus improve the release behavior of the solder paste
• Coating of the stencil (nano or plasma coating) to minimize dirt adhesion to the stencil and thus ensure longer process reliability (avoid bridging, minimize cleaning cycles)

Photocad relies on automatic systems here, as this is the only way to guarantee high repeat accuracy and compliance with exact process parameters. Occupational safety and compliance with high environmental protection standards should not be underestimated in these processes, as hazardous chemicals are sometimes used. The risk in an automated system is significantly lower than with manual processes.

For the implementation of Industry 4.0, Photocad offers to equip the printing stencil with an RFID chip for communication with the printer (e.g. for transferring printing parameters and recording the printing cycles and thus the service life of the stencil).Sales Manager Axel Meyer

And there is another statement on the subject of corona: Photocad has been using an automatic PeM Washer 650 washing system from the Italian manufacturer Pola e Massa for years, which has been specially optimized for cleaning SMD stencils. It works with alkaline cleaning agents, enabling Photocad to guarantee that all SMD stencils supplied are free from viruses and germs.