Surface-mount technology is a replacement for through-hole construction where the components are fitted into a board. Electronics assembly industries developed them to help the board space become more utilized and to help with the costs of the manufacturing, and you can find out more on this page here.
Manufacturers are able to manufacture and fabricate complex units into smaller pieces while they can still get the complexities to work in a more efficient manner.
It was developed first in the 1960s but became hugely popular in the 1980s. During the late 1990s, most of the PCB assemblies are getting better, and various parts were designed to have end caps that can attach securely and directly to different surfaces.
Replacement of wire leads through the drilled holes was no longer necessary, and the components can be placed on both sides had significantly minimized the cost of labor in producing them, getting more technology on a smaller piece, and compounding the production that has led to the development of the more advanced versions.
Through-Hole Features and SMT
Drilling is unnecessary with the surface mount technology, and this is now common nowadays. A chip SMD company can provide you with ferrite beads, capacitors, inductors, and resistors, and there are fewer holes required. In a nutshell, the technology is used by various equipment and assembling machines to place the devices made from packages around components onto the board. The finished product is called an SMA or surface-mount assembly.
Applications may prefer these surface mounts because the printed circuits can get the other side done too. Processes involved are the application of solder paste to the fabricated areas with stencils where it’s made up of tin particles and flux. Attaching the components and using the reflow method can also work.
Through-hole process is where the components are going to be inserted into drilled holes that were on the board already. Wave soldering is applied on the other side, and since it’s heavily dependent on the bonds, and mechanical glue that are strong, it’s going to be very reliable.
PCBs are going to add to the manufacturing costs and the complex process of putting holes in the board. Limiting the signal traces below are some of the features that are incorporated in multi-layer types.
- Free up limitations with the SMT during the manufacturing processes
- Parts involved in through-hole are higher and more expensive because of the extra work
- Advanced production and design skills when using SMT
- Increased pin counts are produced by SMT compared to other components
- Unlike the through-hole type of manufacturing, there’s some kind of automation that’s very suitable at lower pricing, and this is in the form of SMT
- Compact and higher density can be achieved by selecting this as a way of manufacturing
- Great for bulky and larger components, through-hole is still going to be the best choice for those parts that are going to be exposed to high-power, extreme voltage, and mechanical stress.
Choose Surface-Mount Technology
Several factors that may affect your decision regarding the choice of the two processes. For one, consider the stability of the various components involved, ease of heat dissipation, thermal management, availability of some parts and their alternatives, the cost-effectiveness of the entire assembly, the lifespan
Supporting the micro-electronics sector is one of its goals, and the components are able to be placed together and closer to the board without affecting the future performance of various parts in the future. Lightweight designs are also preferable today when it comes to boards.
Production set-up is also faster because a single solder paste will handle it all. More connections are established because most of the parts of the circuits have a functioning component. The traces are accommodated on the same layer, and the surface tension of the molten solder will automatically correct minor errors and placement issues.
SMT has a lower inductance and resistance at the point of connection, and it can minimize undesired effects of the RF signals. High-frequency performance is also provided, and there are shorter signal routes that enhance its overall integrity.
Decreased material handling costs and the ability to have a more controlled manufacturing process can result in high-volume PCB that you can see posted at this link: https://www.aeronomie.be/en/encyclopedia/printed-circuit-board-pcb-computers-and-electronic-devices.
Disadvantages
Of course, it’s not all just flowers and rainbows because SMT has its own cons too. For one, the technology isn’t really reliable when you’re going to use it on external devices like hard drives that you have to periodically re-attach and remove.
Connections may also get damaged during thermal cycles when in operation, and it’s imperative to have a highly-skilled expert that will be able to help with the prototype assemblies. Packages are unable to get installed in various sockets, which can result in easy replacement and installation of components that are failing.
Less soldering is necessary for the joints, and most SMDs are smaller than the through-hole components that leave the surface area to melt when exposed to intense heat. It’s not going to work if the SMD is implemented in circuits with higher dissipation.
Technologies like these will require more expensive installation, and this is because there are a lot of extra costs in the form of reflow oven, solder paste, screen printer, pick and place machine, and hot air rework stations that needed to be set up first.
Facilitation of the entire process like the orientations, polarities, component names, and various placements in need for the footprints to match their actual parts. Kitting guidelines should be consulted with the right manufacturers and this is where you need to prepare your business accordingly.
Passive and discrete components are made up of capacitors and resistors where you’ll get a small outline integrated circuit, quad flat pack, and plastic leaded chips. SMC standards are specified by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, and the measurement sizes are in mm.
Knowing the pros and cons of the surface mount technology is important in understanding its overall role in the industry so you can also optimize your designs and assembly processes.
