Three Ways of Treating Via in PCB Manufacturing
In PCB board manufacturing, the treatment of vias is an important part. However, the need for via treating depends on the actual needs. If so, there are three ways of treating via in PCB manufacturing.
Tenting vias
Tenting vias
It’s a very easy and common via process in PCB board manufacturing. If you want the vias to be tented, you just need to remove the mask clearances from the vias. Tenting vias means the annular ring and vias covered by solder mask ink. But there is no special method that we can take to guarantee every hole be covered by solder mask. The main purpose for tenting vias is to cover the annular ring to prevent short circuit or connecting components, not simply close the opening of the vias.
Plugged vias
Plugged vias
Plugged via, which is also called as mask filled via or non-conductive filled via, is the via plugged and sealed by solder mask ink and annular ring is covered. It’s very common used for PCB with BGA design. It is in order to avoid the solder paste to be filled in the vias in BGA pads during the PCB board manufacturing.
Vias not covered
Vias not covered
It’s very easy to understand compared to tenting vias. Vias not covered means the annular ring not covered by solder mask, just like the hole in below picture.
