Before using the mask, the PCB circuit board panel must be clean and free from oxidation. This is usually done using a chemical solution or scrubbing with a suspended pumice or alumina solution, then drying. The entire panel is then coated with a masking fluid and tack cured to remove the solvent and provide a surface that can be easily handled through the exposure process.

The most common methods of exposing surfaces to UV light sources are with contact printers and film tools. The top and bottom of the film are printed with an emulsion that blocks the areas to be exposed for soldering or to remove the mask coating. The film and production PCB circuit board panels are attached to the tool on the printer to ensure good registration, and then the panels are exposed to both top and bottom UV light sources. Using laser direct imaging eliminates the need for films and tools by controlling the laser and using fiducials etched into the copper surface of the panel.

The mask is developed by an alkaline chemical treatment to remove the "unexposed" material, leaving exposed copper pads. The final cure of PCB circuit board solder mask is the result of heat treatment, whether in batch or conveyor ovens. If the production process includes LPI legend ink, the legend can be applied before the final mask bake process, and both cure simultaneously.