SMD Soldering

SMD Soldering technology and techniques used in Electronics is little

SMD Soldering

different from soldering technology and techniques used to solder through-hole components on to the PCB.

In SMD Soldering, SMT Equipments and Solder Paste and Solder Flux used is different.

In SMD Soldering, the solder is either in the form of Solder Paste or BGA. Solder wire is also used in SMD soldering, mainly in SMD Rework / Repair.

In high-end mass manufacturing, assembly and production of SMT Equipments may include, Wave Soldering Machine, Reflow Oven, Pick-and-Place Equipment, Solder Paste Screen Printer,  SMT Solvent Cleaning Equipment and  Repair and Inspection Equipments for SMT.

For SMT Rework and Repair, Hot air SMD Rework Systems and Soldering Irons such as Weller Soldering Stations and Soldering Irons may be used.

Read: SMD Soldering

SMD Soldering  101

SMT Equipment and Machines

SMT Equipment and Machines are different from equipments and machines

SMT Equipment

needed for through-hole manufacturing and assembly. However, some of the through-hole equipment and machines are also used in SMT or Surface Mount Technology Assembly and Manufacturing Line.

Following equipments are required for any SMT production line:

• Solder paste printer

• THM Inserter

• SMD Placer

• Adhesive Cure Oven

• Reflow Oven

• Cleaner

• Wave Solder

SMD Components

SMD or Surface Mount Electronic Components for SMT are no different from through-hole components as far as the electrical function is concerned. Because they are smaller, however, the SMCs (surface mount components) provide better electrical performance.

SMD Components include:

- Passive Surface Mount Components

SMD Components

- Surface Mount Discrete Resistors
- Surface Mount Resistor Networks
- Ceramic Capacitors for SMT
- Surface Mount Tantalum Capacitors
- Tubular Passive Components for SMT
- SMD Active Components for SMT (Leadless Ceramic Chip Carriers (LCCC), Ceramic Leaded Chip Carriers (CLCC)
- SMD Active Components for SMT (Plastic Packages)
- Small Outline Transistors (SOT)
- Small Outline Integrated Circuit (SOIC and SOP)
- Plastic Leaded Chip Carriers (PLCC)
- Small Outline J Packages (SOJ)
- Fine Pitch SMD Packages (QFP, SQFP)
- Ball Grid Array (BGA)

Read:

SMD Components for SMT

Electronics Tutorial

Surface Mount Technology (SMT): Expert Tutorial on SMT

Expert tutorial and information on Surface Mount Technology (SMT) by an Electronics Engineer and SMT (Surface Mount) Expert.

What is Surface Mount Technology?

Surface Mount Technology is a technology used in electronics assembly and

Surface Mount Technology

manufacturing wherein, SMD Electronic Components are mounted on to the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) also referred to as PWB (Printed Wiring Board) instead of passing these electronic components through a hole and then the soldering as is the case with through-hole technology.

What are the Equipments needed for Surface Mount Technology (SMT)?

SMT Equipments include following:

- Pick-and-Place Machine for SMT
- Wave Soldering: Equipment & Process

SMT Equipment

- Reflow Soldering Equipment for SMT
- Solder Paste Screen Printer for SMT
- Curing / Baking Oven for SMT
- Solvent Cleaning in SMT
- Repair and Inspection Equipment for SMT

What are SMD Components?

SMD Components

SMD stands for Surface Mount Device. SMDs are counterparts of through-hole electronic components. SMDs don’t have legs or leads like through-hole. Surface Mount Components are mounted on the board ans soldered.

What is SMT Magazine?

SMT Magazine is an magazine an electronics magazine covering current events and developments in the field of surface mount technology.

What is SMTA?

SMTA stands for Surface Mount Technology Association. The name explains it all.

What is Surface Mount Soldering Process?

Surface Mount Soldering is different from through-hole soldering. Both soldering equipment and solder material are different in SMT. Equipments needed for Surface Mount Soldering have been mentioned above. SMT Soldering Materials include: Solder Wire, Solder Flux, Solder Paste, Solder Balls or BGA (Ball Grid Array).

What are the types of Surface Mounting?

Surface Mounting is of three different types: Type I, Type II and Type III.

What are the benefits of Surface Mounting Technology?

Surface Mount Technology offers several benefits. The benefits of SMT or Surface Mount Technology are available in both design and manufacturing.

Are Printed Circuit Board (PCB / PWB) for SMT different from Circuit Boards of through-hole technology?

Yes, PCB for SMT is different from PCB for Through-Hole. Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for Surface Mounting (SMT) need to be choosen wisely taking into consideration factors such as CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion), cost, dielectric properties and T_g.

What is the future of Surface Mount Technology?

Surface Mount Technology is still a evolving technology. Not all electronic components are available for SMT hence complete surface mounting is not possible at this time. The technology is still developing. New components and equipments are researched and developed. The future of SMT looks bright but it may take some time to convert to completely Surface Mount Technology.