Institute of Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC)
Scope
Background Solder masks are permanent protective
coatings that perform a number of functions during the
fabrication, assembly and end use of printed circuits. One
of the main purposes of solder mask is to protect the circuitry
from interacting with solder during the assembly
process. A solder mask’s job isn’t solely restricted to the
solder operation however, as it also helps to protect the
laminate, holes and traces from collecting contaminants
and from degrading during the service life of the circuit. It
also acts as an insulator of known dielectric property
between components and traces.