Some designers make an effort to maintain a web of soldermask between the solder pads on SMT devices, where pad spacing permits. When the spacing of fine pitch devices preclude the web, it is omitted. I have heard that the webs are used to reduce solder bridging. Thinking through this issue, I find webs being used where pad spacing is large enough so as to make solder bridging unlikely, while webs are omitted when the pad spacing is close enough to make solder bridging most likely. I am interested in any factual data that supports the reason for, or the value of, soldermask webs. Thank you in advance for your response. Jim williams [log in to unmask]