Laser cutting has simplified the stencil manufacturing process dramatically. The greatest benefit for the manufacturer has been the elimination of chemicals, laminates, effluence, photo-tools, film storage, etch-factor compensations, fume expulsion, etc. The human error factor associated with etching is also minimized. Etch-factor compensation, when chemical etching, requires tedious editing of the CAD data. Fortunately, the newer laser cutting machines automatically compensate the cut path for the laser beam diameter making it exceptionally easy to achieve the results you desire. A well-maintained machines produce stencil, which have several advantages over chemically etched stencils. The trapezoidal shapes of the apertures improve on paste release and the shape, size, and position can be controlled to a few tenths of a mil.

Laser cutting has simplified the stencil manufacturing process dramatically. The greatest benefit for the manufacturer has been the elimination of chemicals, laminates, effluence, photo-tools, film storage, etch-factor compensations, fume expulsion, etc. The human error factor associated with etching is also minimized. Etch-factor compensation, when chemical etching, requires tedious editing of the CAD data. Fortunately, the newer laser cutting machines automatically compensate the cut path for the laser beam diameter making it exceptionally easy to achieve the results you desire. A well-maintained machines produce stencil, which have several advantages over chemically etched stencils. The trapezoidal shapes of the apertures improve on paste release and the shape, size, and position can be controlled to a few tenths of a mil.