San Marcos, CA – June 2026 – Metal Etch Services, Inc. has installed a Watt NEVIS stencil laser platform at its Metal Etch Services Motor City facility in Detroit, Michigan—the first system of its kind operating in the United States.

The investment comes as stencil requirements continue to tighten, especially for customers working with fine-pitch components and high-density PCB designs. The NEVIS platform is built for that shift, giving Metal Etch the ability to cut ultra-thin materials with a higher level of consistency across even the most complex aperture designs.

For customers, that shows up where it matters—on the line. More consistent apertures mean more consistent paste release, which helps reduce variation, improve yields, and cut down on the kind of defects that slow production.

The system also brings speed without giving up control. With continuous Z-height monitoring and optimized laser parameters, NEVIS holds tight tolerances while running at higher throughput. That allows Metal Etch to move jobs through faster, helping customers hit tighter deadlines without sacrificing stencil quality.

Setup and repeatability are also more streamlined. Automated fixturing and integrated software tools reduce setup time and help ensure each job runs the way it’s supposed to—especially important for customers running multiple revisions or high-mix production.

“This is about staying ahead of where our customers are going,” said Elias Malfavon, President, Metal Etch Services. “Boards aren’t getting any simpler, and stencil performance plays a bigger role than ever. Bringing in NEVIS gives us another level of control and consistency that our customers will see right away.”

The installation is part of the company’s broader expansion into the Midwest, giving customers in the region faster access to advanced stencil manufacturing without the delays of cross-country logistics.

For more on Metal Etch Services’ stencil solutions, visit www.metaletchservices.com.

• Next