Sure, we do.  You don't want us throw away good paste for
nothing do you?  I was doing this from day one.   As long as your
operators can tell what is good and what is getting bad, you will
not  have any problem using leftover paste for next and next few
days, or even next week.

Our paste vendor's instruction is keep it air tight and leave it in a
cool area for next day use and keep it away from heat source.
Our process requires that when an operator opens a new solder
paste jar (500gm), he or she writes an opened date on the
bottom of jar.  And when finished using for the day, he/she
put a used paste back in the same jar and cleans up jar lids,
rims and removes dried portions of paste and pushes the inner
jar lid all the way down to remove air and then close the outer lid
tight. Remind you nothing is air tight once a new jar is opened.
Removing air in the jar is very important if a leftover paste jar is
going to be used for next few days.

Any paste jar that is getting bad or feeling bad by an operator's
experience/skill is set aside for me to inspect or recycle it thru
the wavesolder pot.  I do not let or encourage my operators to
mix a new paste with a used paste jar.  They are allowed to
replenish paste on the stencil  that is being used.

If curious, I am using Kester no clean paste.

regards
Matthew Park
NII-Norsat Internationa Inc.

>>> Ken Patel <[log in to unmask]> August 18, 1998  10:16 am
>>>
Does any contract assembly house store leftover solder paste in
airtight jar
at room temperature for next day's use? If so, I have few
questions.
(1) Does your paste manufacturer approved such process?
(2) Is the paste remain in good condition and not drying out next
day?

Any comments are most welcomed. My assembly house has
implemented this
process and I have a serious reservation.

Re,
Ken Patel
______________________________________________________
Ken Patel                       Phone:  (408) 490-6804
1708 McCarthy Blvd.             Fax:    (408) 490-6859
Milpitas, CA 95035              Beeper: (888) 769-1808

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