Techspray’s WonderMASK is the industry leading temporary solder mask brand because of quality and versatility. Depending on the product, mask can be peeled off manually or washed off in a batch or inline system.
WonderMASK has several useful applications in PCB assembly:
Thru-hole masking – Prevent soldering open holes in a wave soldering process by covering with WonderMASK. All of the masks listed below are well suited for this application.
Conformal coating masking – In a conformal coating dipping or spraying process, WonderMASK can be used to cover connectors and other components and areas that should not be coated. WonderMASK P and PX are recommended.
Temporary component adhesive – WonderMASK can be used to tack down components on double-sided PCBs.
All Techspray WonderMASK products have the following advantages:
Temporary solder mask is intended to be just that – temporary. Manufacturers of solder masks, like Chemtronics, always recommend removing the mask because there is no testing to support doing otherwise. If you decide to leave the solder mask on as a permanent part of the PCB, you will have to do your own functional and reliability testing to ensure it does not cause a problem.
Solder mask is engineered to withstand molten solder temperature for the very brief time (about a second) it is exposed in a typical wave soldering process. Most commercially available masks should be able to withstand melting point temperatures of lead-based and lead-free solder, up to 650°F (343°C). As exposure time is lengthened, like in a reflow oven, there is more potential the mask will bubble, char, and become brittle. How long a mask can withstand extreme temperatures depends on the thickness of the bead, and the type of mask.
No, temporary solder mask will not leave behind ionic residue that can lead to dendritic grown and board failure.