Open solder masks with LPKF ProtoLasers
![[Translate to Englisch:] Lötstoppmasken mit LPKF ProtoLasern](/fileadmin/mediafiles/_processed_/8/6/csm_LPKF__Application_RP_TF_060_563b35eac7.jpg "[Translate to Englisch:] Lötstoppmasken mit LPKF ProtoLasern")
The just structured circuit board is in front of you, now it's time to assemble it. Modern layouts fix most components using solder paste on the pads provided. Solder masks are required for efficient processes. First, PCBs are coated over their entire surface with a photosensitive lacquer, the (transparent) solder stop film is exposed and developed in direct contact with the surface. The solder mask can be washed off the desired pads.
If there is an LPKF ProtoLaser from the U, S or H series in the development laboratory, this process also becomes easier. In the LPKF CircuitPro system software, the solder mask is available as a separate layer from the CAD system. The required laser settings are also predefined. The ProtoLasers use laser parameters that remove the solder mask, but not the underlying copper layers. The result: A fully coated circuit board receives a precise solder mask with cleanly cleaned pads in just a few minutes without any additional processing steps.
Here the laser lives up to its reputation as a universal tool: it structures the surfaces, drills holes in the material or cuts it - and can also be used for the selective opening of coatings or circuit board repairs.
