Is paste mask layer, both top and bottom layer, necessary for THT components?

I know the paste mask layer is also called the stencil layer. It's only used for assembly. I want to know if the paste mask layer (both top and bottom layer) is necessary for through hole components. For SMD components I know the paste mask layer is required to solder the components. Is it necessary for through hole components?

Nee. Paste mask is normally used only for reflowing surface mount components, while the through hole components are soldered either manually or by wave solder bath at a later stage.

If you have through hole parts and the surface mount components on the bottom side, the paste mask stencil is not required, as the parts will all be soldered at once in a wave solder bath. This process requires you to generate a glue dot coordinates file, which will be used to place a dot of glue under the surface mount component and that will keep the part in place during the soldering process.

If the only through hole parts in the PCB were the connectors, it is also possible to reflow through hole components with solder paste. That requires some tweaking to get the right pad size and stencil opening. All we need to do is to have a larger pad on the top side, so that there was enough paste on the pad to wick down the hole and ensure a solid solder joint.

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Picture of Olivier Smit

Olivier Smit

Oliver is een ervaren elektronica-ingenieur met kennis van PCB-ontwerp, analoge circuits, ingebedde systemen, en prototyping. Zijn diepgaande kennis omvat schematisch vastleggen, firmware-codering, simulatie, indeling, testen, en probleemoplossing. Oliver blinkt uit in het omzetten van projecten van concept naar massaproductie met behulp van zijn elektrische ontwerptalenten en mechanische vaardigheden.
Picture of Olivier Smit

Olivier Smit

Oliver is een ervaren elektronica-ingenieur met kennis van PCB-ontwerp, analoge circuits, ingebedde systemen, en prototyping. Zijn diepgaande kennis omvat schematisch vastleggen, firmware-codering, simulatie, indeling, testen, en probleemoplossing. Oliver blinkt uit in het omzetten van projecten van concept naar massaproductie met behulp van zijn elektrische ontwerptalenten en mechanische vaardigheden.

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