JLC Assembly - stencil weirdness with non-component pads

[mikeselectricstuff]

My PCB has some non-component pads that I want paste on, so wires can be soldered on later - no problem I thought, just put a pad with an an aperture in the paste layer, like any component pad, and put a note in the comments box as I'd seen something about pasted non-component pads somewhere on their site.

I got a message from JLC that they don't use the customer's paste gerber file, and create the stencil from the component footprints - can I send a drawing showing which non-component pads need paste..?
And of course they add a cost supplement for this - $3.20 (Is it really worth bothering to bill for such a small amount?)

Out of curiosity - for anyone that's used JLC PCB assembly and had parts that were not populated - were the pads for the non-fitted parts pasted  or not ?

[coppercone2]

it sounds like a big hassle maybe its worth just spring connectors on there , or something like this
https://mac8usa.com/product/lever-type-electric-wire-installation-terminal/

I have a feeling that some how through translation problems or just general negligence your gonna get screwed on this

I think their cheap because its super structured and automated, i don't think its go-getters

[radar_macgyver]

Out of curiosity - for anyone that's used JLC PCB assembly and had parts that were not populated - were the pads for the non-fitted parts pasted  or not ?

The handful I've done did not have any paste on non-fitted part pads. My boards were all HASL, but even the larger pads (like the EPAD for a QFN) were flat so I'm fairly sure they didn't apply paste there.

[langwadt]

Out of curiosity - for anyone that's used JLC PCB assembly and had parts that were not populated - were the pads for the non-fitted parts pasted  or not ?

The handful I've done did not have any paste on non-fitted part pads. My boards were all HASL, but even the larger pads (like the EPAD for a QFN) were flat so I'm fairly sure they didn't apply paste there.

makes sense for people that want to source and mount some parts later

[fourfathom]

Out of curiosity - for anyone that's used JLC PCB assembly and had parts that were not populated - were the pads for the non-fitted parts pasted  or not ?

I've also had no paste on the non-populated parts.  These parts were not included in the BOM, or (as I recall) the placement file.

[Chalcogenide]

I have never asked JLC to put paste on non-populated components, but there is a specific drop-down menu in the "Advanced options" in the "PCB Assembly" section during ordering that is "Add paste for unpopulated pad & step stencil opening" that is "No" by default, but can be set to "Yes" or "Step Stencil Opening" - the catch is that neither option is available for the "Economic" PCB assembly.

[Zoli]

My PCB has some non-component pads that I want paste on, so wires can be soldered on later
...

Add a test point with the desired shape and layers, and you're set.

[mikeselectricstuff]

My PCB has some non-component pads that I want paste on, so wires can be soldered on later
...

Add a test point with the desired shape and layers, and you're set.

No - they only put paste on parts they will be assembling, they ignore your paste gerebr.
I can see maybe this makes sense as they prefer to use their own paste apertures to avoid assembly issues caused by random customer aperture sizes. 

[Zoli]

...
No - they only put paste on parts they will be assembling, they ignore your paste gerebr.
I can see maybe this makes sense as they prefer to use their own paste apertures to avoid assembly issues caused by random customer aperture sizes.

The paste cutout should be present both in the solder mask and paste layers; it is?
Side note: test point can be considered component, so less excuse for them not to add solder paste..

[langwadt]

...
No - they only put paste on parts they will be assembling, they ignore your paste gerebr.
I can see maybe this makes sense as they prefer to use their own paste apertures to avoid assembly issues caused by random customer aperture sizes.

The paste cutout should be present both in the solder mask and paste layers; it is?
Side note: test point can be considered component, so less excuse for them not to add solder paste..

why would you want solder paste on test points?

[mikeselectricstuff]

...
No - they only put paste on parts they will be assembling, they ignore your paste gerebr.
I can see maybe this makes sense as they prefer to use their own paste apertures to avoid assembly issues caused by random customer aperture sizes.

The paste cutout should be present both in the solder mask and paste layers; it is?
Side note: test point can be considered component, so less excuse for them not to add solder paste..

Unless it's a physical part they are placing, they don't put paste unless you specifically ask them to

[phil from seattle]

why would you want solder paste on test points?

That was my question, too. I'm doing this in a design right now. I don't need solder paste on them, I'll just hand solder a bodge wire if needed. I created a single pad part but excluded it from the BOM so it just shows up in the gerbers.

[jduncan]

Their assembly is so cheap (basically free), because it's HIGHLY automated and they're trying to minimize human touch:

So it makes that they want to drive stencil generation from their own code which can verify correct aperture for exactly the parts they are going to place. Otherwise Joe Hobbyist with his random Eagle footprint library will come along and their PNP is trying to spit chips on bare pads (and of course then they'll get blamed for the fuckup).