Choosing the right solution to optimise production and reduce assembly costs.
It wasn’t so long ago that PCB production was predominantly manual assembly of through-hole components followed by wave soldering and then manual test and inspection. In the mid-nineties I was tasked with introducing surface mount technology (SMT) into fire detection products and worked closely with production to optimise the design and manufacturing processes. Over time we were able to significantly reduce the use of the manual assembly and the wave oven, saving production costs and time consuming maintenance.
Over the subsequent years more and more electronic components have become Surface Mount Devices (SMD) or Through-Hole Reflow (THR) which have shorter pins than a wave component but are assembled and soldered together with the SMD devices in the reflow process. THR is sometimes referred to as pin-in-paste or intrusive soldering.
Industrial connectors do present certain challenges once you get into pitches greater than 1.27mm, but significant progress has been made in this area in recent years.
The challenges relating to industrial connectors come down to two main factors: size as there are limits to the height of a component that can fit down a reflow soldering line; and mechanical strength as they require wiring or mating as some later stage which can put significant force on the connector.
This is where Through-Hole Reflow (THR) comes into play. THR offers the best of both worlds by providing mechanical strength by anchoring the connector to the PCB with the contact pins, together with the ability to automatically assembly and solder the component in one process.
At Phoenix Contact we are a market leader in industrial connectors with pitches ranging from 2.5mm to 20mm and there is a growing range of options for reflow soldering, both SMD and THR. Packaged for automatic pick & placement and for the higher temperatures required in reflow soldering, this growing portfolio of products can help to remove the need for manual handling and secondary soldering process, and as consequence reduce production costs significantly.
Join us for PCB Design and Manufacturing Live at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham and discover more about what Phoenix can do to help you optimise production and reduce assembly costs. Discover more about what we will be showcasing at the exhibition here. We look forward to seeing you there.
