What is a solder paste stencil?

A stencil is a thin plate with openings matching the solder pads on your PCB. Place it on the board, spread solder paste with a squeegee, then position your SMD components before reflow. The result: precise and uniform paste deposits, much faster than using a syringe.

How much does a 3D-printed PCB stencil cost?

With Stenchill, generating your stencil file is completely free. You only need PLA or PETG filament and a 3D printer. A professional stencil costs $15-30 per side, while a 3D-printed one costs just a few cents of filament.

What 3D printer settings should I use for a solder paste stencil?

Use 0.1mm layer height, 100% infill, PLA or PETG material, and a 0.2mm nozzle for best results (0.4mm nozzle is acceptable). The stencil thickness should be 0.3-0.4mm (3-4 layers).

Which EDA tools are compatible with Stenchill?

Stenchill works with Gerber files from KiCad, Eagle, Altium Designer, and any other tool that exports standard Gerber files.

Are my Gerber files stored on the server?

When a generation succeeds, your Gerber file is processed and discarded immediately. When a generation fails, only the Paste and Edge Cuts layers are kept temporarily so the bug can be investigated and fixed; copper layers, silkscreen, drill files, BOM and schematics are never stored. In individual file mode, only the Paste and Edge Cuts layers are uploaded in the first place; your other layers stay on your machine.

Stenchill - Privacy policy

My commitment

At Stenchill, I take user privacy very seriously. I am committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal data. This policy explains how I handle information you share when using my stencil generation service.

Cookie usage

This site uses a single technical cookie to remember your language preference. No tracking cookies or analytics technologies are used. Your browsing is entirely anonymous and no personal data is collected without your knowledge.

Data collected

I do not collect any personal data via cookies or trackers. Gerber files you upload are handled as described below in "Your Gerber files". Feedback submitted via the form (message, email, optional attached file) is kept only to improve the service.

Your Gerber files

Stenchill is in beta. In full ZIP mode, your file is sent to the server and processed. I reserve the right to temporarily keep your Gerber files under certain conditions, notably in case of anomaly or for diagnostic and service improvement purposes. They remain strictly internal and are never shared. In individual files mode, you only select the Paste and Edge Cuts layers to upload.

Local storage

Your recent Gerber files and generation settings are stored locally in your browser (IndexedDB). This data never leaves your device and is not sent to the server. You can delete it at any time using the "Clear all" button.

Embedded video

The home page includes a YouTube video. To protect your privacy, no YouTube cookie is set and no data is sent to YouTube as long as you do not click play. Only the video thumbnail, a static image, is loaded. When you click play, the YouTube player loads in privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com) and may set technical cookies needed for playback and YouTube's internal audience measurement. No advertising or cross-site tracking cookies are used.

Changes to this policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be published on this page.

Web accessibility

I am committed to making this site accessible to as many people as possible. This site is designed following web accessibility best practices. If you encounter any issues, please contact me.

Contact me

For any questions regarding this privacy policy, contact me at:

stenchill.adc@gmail.com