Surface Mount - The Most Preferred PCB Assembly Method

Surface mount technology is one of the most preferred methods of placing or mounting components on printed circuit boards. It has greatly replaced through-hole technology and gave electronic designers and circuit board assemblers an alternative and more reliable means to fit components into the circuit board. In some cases, surface mount technology may be used in conjunction with through-hole technology, especially when certain components are unsuitable for surface mounting, as in the case of heat-sinked power semiconductors and large transformers.

There are various reasons to prefer surface mount to conventional PCB assembly methods. One of its advantages is its versatility and reliability when it comes to linking different individual parts in a single electronics system. This results in higher productivity, minimal downtime, and improved product quality. With the surface mount technology, you can manufacture smaller and more components for improved performance, especially in smaller hand-held devices.

Components that are made using surface mount technology are smaller and enable higher component density on printed circuit boards. With surface mount, automated assembly can be faster and seamless because it allows more than a single component to be placed on the board per hour. Small errors can be corrected automatically to reduce downtime. SMTs are better in mechanical performance, too, especially under situations where shaking or vibrations are common.

Experienced and reputable electronic design and circuit board assembly companies use surface mount technology to assemble printed circuit boards. They use high-end machinery—such as high-speed surface mount lines—to manufacture a large amount of various electronic assemblies. At the same time, they utilize the services of IPC certified manufacturing technicians to manually assemble other additional parts that machines may not be able to assemble or place.