Methods of Printed Circuit Board Assembly

 Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are used in a range of applications. They are made up of layers of copper foil and an insulator (plastic or glass) that separates the layers. Circuits are then etched into the copper to form connections between various components on the board, and the process is called printed circuit board assembly.

PCB assembly is a complex process that requires advanced equipment and trained personnel. In addition to this, the PCBs need to be tested in the final stage of production. This process can be very expensive for companies that do not have the resources or expertise to handle it internally.

PCB assembly services are very important to the electronics industry because they help manufacturers to meet their production deadlines. A service provider is a company that undertakes the process of assembling a printed circuit board into a finished product.

PCB assembly services matter because they help companies reduce production costs and increase the speed at which they produce electronic components. They also help to ensure that products are manufactured in line with customer specifications, which means that there is no room for error.

PCB assembly services can be provided by a variety of different companies and as such it is important that you choose an experienced supplier who can offer you the right solutions for your needs.

What are the methods of printed circuit board assembly?

1. SMT or surface mount technology

Surface mount technology or SMT is a method of soldering components to the surface of a printed circuit board. Since the 1980s, the trend has been for electronic manufacturers to decrease the size of all their products, from mainframes and microcomputers to mobile phones and digital watches. The dramatic reduction in size is due to advances in semiconductor processing and packaging technology. While integrated circuits were once assembled by hand, they are now almost always assembled using SMT techniques.

The SMT process involves placing components on both sides of a PCB, and then using heat and pressure to bond them directly to the board. This differs from through-hole component mounting, where leads are inserted into holes drilled through the PCB's laminate layers. In surface mount assembly, each component lead is placed through a hole in a solder mask (a protective coating on top of the laminate layers), then soldered to pads on opposite sides of the board by its leads or feet (pins).

2. THT or through hole technology

Through holes are components that have leads on the top of the PCB and are soldered to the solder pads on the bottom side.

Through hole technology is a method for printed circuit board assembly where components are inserted into holes in the board and soldered. Through hole technology is also known as THT.

The advantages of through hole technology are:

·         It is more reliable as it does not rely on solder joints.

·         It is easier to repair if a component fails.

·         It can be used with large components such as coils or relays.