With global uncertainty today, many companies are investigating onshoring some or all of their production. If your company is looking to install a new SMT or Through-Hole assembly line, or you want to modify one, it can be a daunting task; managing multiple vendors who provide very complex (and expensive) machines or tools, each with different shipping lead times and logistics, set up procedures, and software compatibility issues. It can be a project management nightmare, especially if you’re trying to run your business.

• Collaborating with our pick and place partners, Restronics Metro will help coordinate and manage this herculean task. Working with our SMT pick and place partner experts, we can:
• Source all the machines you need for the line (even if we don’t have a direct relationship with the manufacturer).
• Manage the delivery logistics, making sure everything arrives on time and together.
• Manage the installation and line bring up.
• Manage the software compatibility between the different machines from the different manufacturers.
• Ensure your people are trained.

WHAT IS SMT ASSEMBLY?

SMT (Surface Mounting Technology) is a method to make electronic circuits that places components right on the circuit board’s surface. SMT assembly is an alternative to the through-hole method of printed circuit board manufacturing, which originated in the 1970s and 1980s.

As electronics manufacturing continued to gain momentum, a more efficient, smoother process became necessary. SMT assembly grew from this need.

WHAT IS THROUGH-HOLE ASSEMBLY?

Through-hole technology (also spelled "thru-hole") describes the mounting scheme used for electronic components involving the use of leads on the components that must be inserted into holes drilled in printed circuit boards (PCB). These leads are then soldered to pads on the opposite side by either manual assembly (placement by hand) or through the use of automated insertion mount machines.

Solder joint quality is important for a few reasons. The solder joint is the physical connection between the component and the circuit board. The quality of the solder joint is essentially the quality of the connection. The "look" of the solder joint is less important but is indicative of the quality of the solder joint.