What is solder mask and the need to use it:
Solder mask is a protective layer that is placed on the surface of the printed circuit board (PCB). This layer is usually a heat-resistant resin material that covers the entire board except for the electronic component pads, protecting the copper tracks and connections from direct contact with other circuit details or oxidation.
The use of solder mask in printed circuits is very important and has the following advantages:
1 Short circuit protection and unintended connections: Solder mask is placed as a protective layer on the PCB surface and protects the copper tracks and connections from direct contact with other circuit details. Also, the risk of making contact between parts of the circuit and the environment that should not be in contact with each other is minimized. This prevents accidental connections and electrical failures. It also protects the circuit from electrostatic discharge.
2 Detecting and fixing errors: Solder mask provides improved ability to detect weak points in the circuit. By using solder mask, surface errors such as incorrect chip placement or incomplete connections are easily detected and fixed.
3 Protection against environmental conditions: In addition to the protective function against short circuit and electrical failure, solder mask also separates external environments such as moisture, dust and chemicals from the printed circuit board. This increases the life and stability of the printed circuit board in different environmental conditions.
It also prevents copper tracks from being oxidized, the oxidation of copper cracks affects the ability to conduct the current of the track and even worse it can lead to a short circuit. The important point is that in industrial environments, fine shavings and dust in the air gradually accumulate on the circuit and the possibility of current leakage between the cracks is provided, which is suggested to put a protective layer on the pads even after assembling the circuit. to avoid current leakage and short circuit in industrial environments
4 Ease of assembly: Protection against short-circuiting between adjacent pads during soldering (especially in a tin bath or wave soldering) as well as the smooth and uniform surface that solder mask provides, helps chips and electronic components to be precisely assembled. be placed on the circuit. Also, this protective layer helps to correctly and accurately place other components and parts of the circuit.
In general, the use of solder mask is very important in printed circuits. In addition to protecting electrical connections, this protective layer improves the quality of circuit construction and reduces the risk of failure and functional defects.
Considering these things, the use of solder mask in PCB ensures the improvement of performance and the quality of circuit construction and prevents risks such as oxidation, short circuit, etc.
This post is written by SIEMENS_Schneider_Electric