Welcome to Guangzhou Tongsen Electronic Technology Co., LTD. Website!
Understanding the role of surface mount technology in circuit board assembly
After installing the SMC onto the circuit board, a conveyor belt feeds the PCB into a soldering oven containing different zones. This soldering method is designed to accelerate the curing and drying process to ensure that the solder paste is applied and the components are installed in place as quickly as possible.
Surface Mount Technology, also known as SMT, is a technique for soldering various components directly onto a circuit board. This technology is considered a breakthrough in the PCB industry primarily because it offers cost reduction without compromising quality.
SMT belongs to the electronic component assembly stage of circuit board construction; this technology aims for direct mounting onto the actual circuit board.
Let's delve into this technology, understanding in more detail what SMT is and further elaborating on the manufacturing process.
Surface Mount Technology: An Explanation
Used in the assembly process of PCBs, this is a production method that embeds various electrical components directly onto the PCB.
Its main selling point and the primary reason it's considered such a beneficial technology for PCB production is that the entire circuit board creation process can now be fully automated
because of how it works.
The parts mounted on the PCB are surface mount devices or SMDs.
How does it work?
The upgrade with SMT is that it eliminates the time-consuming process of installing components onto the board by inserting them through holes drilled into the circuit board.
With SMT, you can solder components directly onto the PCB using a technique called reflow soldering, saving significant time compared to assembling circuit boards using traditional methods.
However, circuit boards manufactured via SMT are usually automated by integrating different machines into the production process. Because of the high precision needed at the point of soldering components to the board, the entire process can be quite time-consuming.
High precision and accuracy are required when mounting components onto the board using this method, which is why specialized machinery called surface mount assembly was developed.
The need to use SMT to mount components onto the board is mainly because the technology involves very small components compared to those mounted using the through-hole assembly method.
PCB Manufacturing Process Using SMT
1. Preparing the board and necessary components
Before soldering any components to the board, certain tasks are usually performed to prepare them, including the board, components, and the circuit board design stage.
The initial state of the PCB includes a board containing copper or gold pads (also known as land patterns).
A stencil is an important tool used in the manufacturing process; it provides a set location for each component, which is necessary for the solder paste printing process.
2. Solder Paste Printing
This is a crucial stage in the SMT manufacturing process where a specialized printer applies solder paste to predetermined locations set using a stencil. Ensuring the solder paste is applied to the correct locations is crucial as it secures the mounted components in place.
3. Applying Components
After applying the solder paste to different locations and preparing the board, it's time to mount the components onto the board using SMT.
Specialized machines ensure that the devices are precisely mounted in their designated locations. Accuracy is crucial as the board moves on a conveyor belt, with each machine mounting parts onto the board while the PCB is also moving.
4. Reflow Soldering Process
After mounting the SMCs onto the board, the conveyor belt feeds the PCB into an oven containing different zones. This soldering method aims to accelerate the curing and drying process to ensure the solder is applied and the components are secured in place as quickly as possible.
5. Thorough Inspection
Once the PCB is fully assembled, it undergoes cleaning and a final inspection to check for any flaws or defects that may have occurred during the assembly process.
Conclusion
From the information above, Surface Mount Technology has successfully automated the entire PCB production and manufacturing process, which is the main reason why it is considered a breakthrough in the PCB assembly field.
RECOMMENDED NEWS
High-end Custom Services: SMT Chip Processing Meets Diverse Industry Needs
(Telephone contact)
Email:
Address： Room 502, Building 1, No. 13, Bohua 4th Road, Huangpu District, Guangzhou City
COPYRIGHT © 2025 Guangzhou Tongsen Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.