PCB FAQ - design, manufacturing, stencils – QualiEco Circuits, New Zealand

Find out more about PCB design, manufacturing, pricing and administration in our frequently asked questions.

PCB - Solder mask

What is solder mask? Solder mask is the greenish laquer-like film covering most of the copper area except the pads.
Do I really need solder mask? It depends – for hobbyist through hole PCBs, solder mask is more for aesthetics than functionality. For SMT boards, we highly recommend solder mask to ensure neat soldering. Solder mask was created mainly to facilitate wave soldering used in mass assembly. It also prevents solder from bridging between conductors, preventing short circuits.
What solder mask do you use for PCB production? We use green Liquid Photo Imageable (LPI) solder mask.
Does it cost more to use solder mask? No, the solder mask is a standard option for our prototype and production PCBs.
What different solder mask colours are available for my PCBs? Apart from green, we can also supply PCBs with white, black, blue or red solder mask. In some cases, it does not cost extra if you opt for a different colour. By paying an additional cost, we can also organize various shades of solder mask colours to suit your specific requirement. Please inquire with our friendly team.
Can I expect my PCB to have a solder mask colour precisely the same as a sample PCB or a photo I have? No. We cannot guarantee that the PCB will look the same as your old PCB sample or a photo. PCB will always look a little different in the colour shade than the actual colour of the solder mask ink because it also depends on the base colour of the FR-4 fiberglass on which we apply the solder mask. We buy FR-4 fiberglass bases readily in the market and can never ensure a specific or exact shade of FR-4 base material.

Contract Assembly

We are one-stop solution provider for all your contract assembly requirements. We have the capability and resources to provide PCB assemblies, as well as cable and harness assemblies.

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