I really wouldn't trust those connections without adding solder yourself. What fab house are you using? I've generally stuck with 4pcb (advanced circuits) and there might be enough solder for a 0402 to "sort of" stick, but there is no way I'm going to trust that connection. It could just as easily be sitting in flux from a nearby wire and not actually have any connection at all.
My understanding is that the solder mask is there to only expose copper for the solder to flow, but mask off everything else with a main intention of preventing crowbarring, or shorting out traces -- not to put actual solder on the boards at the fab house.
I use APC. Perhaps their finish is thicker than others, or maybe I'm just high.
I usually get enough solder to wick up to a 0805 resistor to produce a reasonable fillet. I then give it a good tug with a pair of tweezers to make sure everything is good.
My iron usually has solder on it from tinning (not a lot though, I wipe it on one of those metal ribbon pad).
With IC's I can usually watch the solder reflow and the leg sink a bit.
All that said, I don't hesitate to put more if it's not getting a good joint. YMMV.
You're right about the solder mask, I had my terminology wrong: the solder mask is the plastic stuff that they coat boards in. I was thinking of the solder finish on the pads.
Comments
I really wouldn't trust those connections without adding solder yourself. What fab house are you using? I've generally stuck with 4pcb (advanced circuits) and there might be enough solder for a 0402 to "sort of" stick, but there is no way I'm going to trust that connection. It could just as easily be sitting in flux from a nearby wire and not actually have any connection at all.
My understanding is that the solder mask is there to only expose copper for the solder to flow, but mask off everything else with a main intention of preventing crowbarring, or shorting out traces -- not to put actual solder on the boards at the fab house.
I use APC. Perhaps their finish is thicker than others, or maybe I'm just high.
I usually get enough solder to wick up to a 0805 resistor to produce a reasonable fillet. I then give it a good tug with a pair of tweezers to make sure everything is good. My iron usually has solder on it from tinning (not a lot though, I wipe it on one of those metal ribbon pad). With IC's I can usually watch the solder reflow and the leg sink a bit.
All that said, I don't hesitate to put more if it's not getting a good joint. YMMV.
You're right about the solder mask, I had my terminology wrong: the solder mask is the plastic stuff that they coat boards in. I was thinking of the solder finish on the pads.