Next Generation Stencil Technology Available from TMP
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - August 19, 2009 - Thin Metal Parts (TMP) announces next generation surface mount technology (SMT) for stencil products.
Thin Metal Parts, based in Colorado Springs, is a world leader in the manufacture of high-precision, very thin metal products. For successful manufacture of the very precise, small metal parts, TMP has developed a new set of base materials, customized equipment and post processing procedures.
"This combination of new technology, equipment, processes and materials enables us to introduce the next generation of stencils," says Larry Heitz, CEO of Thin Metal Parts. "Our new stencils have outperformed the leading industry standards in independent testing."
New Products
TMP has developed three new proprietary stencils, each offering a unique feature set and designed to meet a wide range of specific needs in the high quality end of the printing industry.
o E-form Plus - The premier laser-cut stencil using electroformed Nickel 11 material which offers the maximum in precision, durability, and performance and finished with TMP-LACH post processing.
o Alloy 9 Plus - A proprietary alloy laser-cut stencil with the TMP-LACH post processing.
o Alloy 9 - A proprietary alloy laser-cut stencil with superior performance to other alloy stencils due to the 7-step aperture polishing process.
o Basic 17/7 - TMP also offers a 17/7 laser-cut stencil as the base stencil cut on the custom laser.
New Materials
New proprietary materials have been developed to significantly improve the printing process.
o Nickel 11 - The Nickel 11 used in the E-form Plus stencil has been specially formulated to outperform all other electroformed nickel stencil materials. It offers increased solder paste volume, better print-to-print consistency, improved release characteristics, and maximum surface contact between stencil and board.
o Alloy 9 - This alloy is used in the Alloy 9 Plus and Alloy 9 stencils, and has been developed to interact with TMP's custom laser equipment to produce smoother aperture walls and consistently cleaner solder bricks, and to reduce print defects.
New Processes and Equipment
Through extensive testing, TMP has developed next generation stencil technology which enables extremely precise stencils.
o Seven step aperture polishing process - All TMP stencils receive a 7-step aperture polishing process that optimizes the stencil's accuracy and significantly improves paste volume performance.
o TMP - LACH post processing - The proprietary post process used in the E-form Plus and Alloy 9 Plus stencils utilizes an additional 5-step procedure that yields stencils with superior lubricity, greater hardness, and both abrasion and corrosion resistant properties.
o Complex chemical tank systems have been developed specifically for the manufacture of the electroformed Nickel 11 foils, the aperture polishing process, and the TMP-LACH post processing.
o The custom developed, state-of-the-art laser used in the cutting of all TMP stencils is the only one of its kind in the United States.
o All design, photo-tooling, wet-processing, laser cutting, post processing and coatings applications are performed in-house, under the tight control of TMP and the ISO 9001-2000 requirements.
"The new materials, custom laser equipment, post processing and special coatings have significantly increased the quality of paste release and eliminated runout issues," explains Heitz. "These developments put TMP at the forefront of all current technology in the industry."
All of TMP's new stencil products are available now. For more information on TMP, please visit thinmetalparfts.com. For details on the independent tests performed, call (719)268-8300 or email: info@thinmetalparts.com
