Fine line stencil, a division of FCT Assembly and a leading manufacturer of stencil products, has introduced Slic Blade, its newest line of squeegee blades. Slic blade process uses electroformed nickel to form a hard, very smooth surface with extremely low surface energy (high lubricity). Solder paste readily sticks to most metal surfaces, including coated blades, due to metal’s high surface energy and surface roughness. The company’s process takes a unique approach to avoid these problems.
The squeegee blade provides numerous benefits to users including the following: 100 % electroformed nickel for superior surface “slippery-ness”, solid electroformed nickel will not chip or flake; very low wiping pressure and a long blade life. The squeegee blades surface is smooth and slick, virtually eliminating any solder paste sticking to the blade. The smooth surface reduces solder paste shearing against the blade surface, eliminating viscosity breakdown and rheology changes in the solder paste. These features result in improved print quality. Squeegee blade sharpness and angle of attack are significant factors that influence the printing speed of solder paste. Basically, the duller the squeegee blade, the more pressure required to thoroughly wipe the stencil, slowing printing speed.
EPP Europe 455
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