SMD – Surface Mounted Device
SMT (Surface Mount Technology) is a modern, automated manufacturing process for placing and soldering electronic components onto printed circuit boards.
In this process, the miniaturized SMD components (SMD = Surface Mounted Device) are automatically positioned on the surface of the printed circuit board and then soldered in a reflow oven (reflow soldering), without the need for holes to secure them or for the components to be soldered individually.
The manufacturing process consists of three steps
1. Solder Paste Printing
The solder paste is precisely applied to the contact points on the printed circuit board using a stencil.
2. Component Assembly
The automated placement machine places the electronic components into the fresh solder paste at their designated positions.
3. Conventional or (Vacuum) Vapor Phase Reflow Soldering
The assembled circuit board passes through the reflow oven, where the solder paste melts and permanently bonds the components to the circuit board.
After soldering, an automatic optical inspection is performed to verify the quality of the solder joints.
Due to ongoing miniaturization and its low cost and suitability for mass production, SMT is now the standard process in industrial electronics manufacturing and is used in the mass production of most electronic devices.
Technology & Advantages
SMD components are smaller than THT components. This allows for a higher component density on the printed circuit board, meaning that complex circuits take up less space.
This results in more compact and lighter devices and enables the miniaturisation of mobile devices in particular, such as smartphones.
SMD circuits can be easily assembled and soldered using automated processes. This reduces production costs and ensures a high degree of precision.
As a result, they are ideally suited to mass production and improve manufacturing efficiency.
As they save on materials and space, SMD circuits can be manufactured more cost-effectively than THT circuits, particularly when produced in large quantities.
SMD components have shorter leads and are therefore less susceptible to inductive or capacitive parasitic effects. This allows for higher electrical power in RF applications and fast switching operations.
As SMD components are not connected via the printed circuit board, double-sided assembly is possible. This increases design flexibility and allows more functions to be integrated into a smaller area.
Direct mounting on the printed circuit board enables better heat dissipation via the board’s copper surfaces. This ensures that SMD components are cooled efficiently, thereby improving the circuit’s performance relative to its size.
With our fully automated SMD production lines, we offer you the extensive added value of this technology:
Compact
Automated
Cost efficient
Fast
Double-sided
We specialize in small and medium-sized production runs and support you every step of the way—from prototyping and certification to mass production.
Prototypes, sample batches, and mass-produced items are all manufactured using the same processes and equipment. This ensures manufacturability and process reliability from the very first component.
Maximum SMD panel sizes:
- XL boards: 550mm x 520mm
- Long boards: 600mm x 170mm
Our Technologies
- Conventional reflow soldering
- Vapour-phase reflow soldering
- Vacuum vapour-phase soldering
- Heating using hot air / infrared in a continuous-flow furnace
- Risk of overheating, as the temperature must be actively controlled
- Component stress caused by large temperature gradients
- Air or nitrogen as the furnace atmosphere: oxidation of solder joints is possible
- Pore content 10–25%
- High throughput, low costs
- Heat generated by the condensation of a boiling fluid on the components
- No risk of overheating, as the fluid’s boiling point acts as a natural upper limit
- Temperature uniformity ±1–2°C: no component stress
- Oxygen-free thanks to a steam atmosphere: no oxidation, clean solder joints
- Medium throughput, medium to high costs
- Pore content 8–12%
- Vapour condensation with a vacuum phase
- No risk of overheating, as the fluid’s boiling point acts as a natural upper limit
- Keine Überhitzungsgefahr, Siedetemperatur als natürliche Obergrenze
- Oxygen-free thanks to vacuum/active degassing of the solder joint before solidification
- Lower throughput due to vacuum cycle time, high costs
- Pore content <3%: maximum thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity and mechanical strength
Fields of application for SMD technology
Medical
Mass production
Lighting
Measurement
Communication
Testing
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We are looking forward to your visit and your inquiry!