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Solder Paste Consumption and Reorder Calculator

Running out of solder paste stops a line, while overstocking risks expired material. This calculator converts print volume and waste into jars per week, a reorder point and a paste cost per board.

Your numbers

g

Stencil aperture volume times paste density, summed over all apertures.

boards
15 %

Squeegee edges, stencil wipe, aged paste, reprints and setup.

days
g

Jar or cartridge net weight.

working days
working days
per jar

Your results

Containers per week
27.6
Reorder point
83
Containers on hand that trigger a purchase order.
Paste used per day
2,760
Grams including waste.
Containers per day
5.52
Paste cost per board
$1
Includes waste.

Paste has limited shelf life and must be stored per the supplier datasheet, often refrigerated. Do not stock more than can be used within shelf life after thaw rules are considered.

Save results:

Containers per week vs waste allowance

Sweeps Waste allowance from 0 to 50, holding your other inputs fixed.

Automate consumables reordering

Optional: discuss driving SMT consumable reorders from ERP usage data.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use it

Start with grams of paste deposited per board. Many stencil tools report aperture volume, which you multiply by paste density. Enter boards per day, a realistic waste allowance, production days, container size, supplier lead time and safety stock. The tool shows daily and weekly consumption, the reorder point and the paste cost per board.

The formulas

Daily paste grams equal paste per board times boards times one plus the waste fraction. Containers per day equal grams divided by container size. The reorder point equals containers per day times lead time plus safety days, rounded up. Cost per board equals daily grams per board divided by container size times price.

  • Waste is often 10% to 25%, higher on short runs
  • Lead time is in working days of consumption
  • Round the reorder point up, never down

Reading the result

At 4 g per board, 600 boards a day and 15% waste, the line uses about 2,760 g a day, roughly 5.5 containers of 500 g. With 15 working days of lead time and safety, the reorder point is about 83 containers, which may exceed shelf life, so shorten lead time with a supplier agreement or consignment instead.

Common mistakes

Using stencil volume without paste density, or ignoring waste, understates demand. Another is setting a reorder point that outlasts shelf life after the cold storage period. Align the safety stock with the paste datasheet and track each jar by lot and open date in the ERP.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find paste per board?

Take the total aperture volume from the stencil design software, multiply by the paste density, typically around 7 to 8 g per cubic centimeter for lead-free pastes, and verify it against actual jar use over a week.

What waste factor should I use?

Start at 15% and replace it with measured data. Compare grams issued to grams that should have gone onto boards over several weeks, and refine by product family.

Does paste expire?

Yes. Paste has a shelf life from manufacture, longer when refrigerated, and a limited open life on the stencil. Check the datasheet and apply first-expired-first-out.

Why show cost per board?

Paste is small per board but large per year at volume. The figure helps quoting and shows the saving from lowering waste or switching container size.

Netray can drive reorder points for paste and other SMT consumables from live ERP consumption and lot data.

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