When cleaning a low volume of stencils, SMT adhesives and solder paste can be removed manually.  Automated stencil cleaning is desirable with a large volume of stencils and has the added benefit of offering high quality repeatable results.

When cleaning manually, it is important to use a stencil wipe material that does not leave any lint or other residues on the stencil. At the same time, manual cleaning must be done carefully as too much force can easily damage the stencil.

ZESTRON offers water-based MPC® cleaners as well as solvent-based cleaners in small containers for manually cleaning stencils.