solder-stencil.me

What is solder-stencil.me?

solder-stencil.me turns the Gerber files of a circuit board into a 3D-printable solder paste stencil. You upload two files from your PCB design software, the solder paste layer (top or bottom) and the board outline, set a few options and press Convert to STL. It is a plain one-page site by Rob Kirberich; the converter behind it has been on GitHub since 2016.

The options are the stencil thickness (a multiple of your layer height), a hole size increase (negative values leave thicker walls between close pads), the gap to the alignment aid, and Flip Stencil for the bottom side of a board. The alignment aid is a ledge that wraps half the board or the whole board, a frame with its own width, height and thickness, or none. The page has tips on fit and paste release and says printed stencils do not match stainless steel ones, though pin spacing down to about 0.4 mm usually works.

It is free with no account and an optional Ko-fi tip. Your files are converted on the site's server and the STL downloads straight away, without a preview. The converter and web app are on GitHub under the MIT license, which covers the code; there is no statement on the prints. The maker offers to look at files that do not convert well by email. It suits hobbyists hand-assembling a few SMD boards who want a stencil today instead of ordering a steel one.

What you can make

• Solder paste stencils from Gerber files
• Stencils with an alignment ledge or frame
• Flipped stencils for the bottom side of a board

How to use solder-stencil.me

1. Export the solder paste and outline Gerber layers from your PCB software
2. Upload both files and set the thickness to a multiple of your layer height
3. Pick a ledge, frame or no alignment aid, and tick Flip Stencil for a bottom stencil
4. Press Convert to STL and print the stencil