Hi Richard, I just looked closely at some product that we were running today that's using a 4-mil stencil (with no homeplates), and I don't see any mid-chip solder balls, and I looked at where they would most likely occur if there were to be any: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/4-mil_no_homeplate.JPG I can't say that we NEVER have any, sometimes it happens, like when the wrong sized part is used on a footprint designed for something else (oh wait, that never happens!). But overall, usually don't see them when we use a 4-mil thick stencil. Steve -----Original Message----- From: Stadem, Richard D. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 3:56 PM To: TechNet E-Mail Forum; Steve Gregory Subject: RE: [TN] Homeplates on 4 mil thick stencils? Steve, Somewhat related to the other discussion on cleaning of no-clean: Do you wash the assemblies after reflow, and is that why you do not see any mid-chip solder balls? Do you wash any CCAs that have been processed with a no-clean solder paste or no-clean wire solder? -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 2:42 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Homeplates on 4 mil thick stencils? BTW I forgot to add I don't homeplate anything... Steve -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 3:16 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Homeplates on 4 mil thick stencils? Hi Ioan, We use 4-mil thick stencils quite often and I don't see mid-chip balling... Steve -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ioan Tempea Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 2:54 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Homeplates on 4 mil thick stencils? Dear Technos, It is my first 4 mil stencil and I was wondering if mid-chip balling is still an issue at this thickness (no-clean process). Should I still homeplate the apertures of passives, as I fear insufficient solder? Thanks, Ioan Tempea, ing. Ingénieur Principal de Fabrication / Senior Manufacturing Engineer T | 450.967.7100 ext.244 E | [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> W | www.digico.cc <http://www.digico.cc/> N'imprimer que si nécessaire - Print only if you must ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________