SURFACE MOUNT ASSEMBLY
SMT is a flexible and powerful assembly process that has allowed manufacturers to produce modern devices with ever-smaller footprints.
Surface Mount PCB Assembly
SMT is a flexible and powerful assembly process that has allowed manufacturers to produce modern devices with ever-smaller footprints. In SMT, all the different components needed for today’s devices are attached to the surface of the printed circuit board. SMT can be highly automated, so it’s a natural fit for clients who need circuit boards in high volume, but it’s also highly customizable. If you need circuit boards assembled to meet unique requirements, SMT may be the best choice.
Solder Electronics Assembly is a longstanding provider of surface mount PCB assembly services for customers in a range of industries. We specialize in contract manufacturing and have extensive experience with assembling electronics for a wide range of applications. With a broad selection of equipment and expert staff, we can assist with product prototyping and testing, contract manufacturing and more. Read on for details or contact our office directly to request a quote.
How Does SMT Work?
Briefly put, SMT is a process for electronics assembly in which electronic components supplied are mounted to the surface of a printed circuit board (PCB). It’s a highly automated and flexible process that allows manufacturers to construct circuit boards with a wide variety of components.
Surface mounting has several advantages over similar PCB manufacturing techniques. Perhaps most importantly, it allows for much smaller products — up to one-third the size and one-tenth the weight of through-hole boards — and higher connection densities. SMT enables manufacturers to place increasingly complex circuits into small assemblies, so it has been a crucial factor in the proliferation of small electronic devices in everyday life.
Surface mount boards are also faster and easier to assemble and more cost-effective than boards constructed with through-hole technology. Through-hole PCB assembly is an older technology which involves attaching leads to holes drilled into the circuit board. This process creates very durable products, as these connections are quite sturdy. It can be more expensive than SMT, though, and the component density is generally higher. Our engineers can help you determine which assembly process best fits your use case.
There are four basic steps in the process of PCB SMT board design assembly:
- Prepare the printed circuit board
- Place the components
- Reflow soldering
- Inspection
