Surface mount component assembly

The demands on the electronics industry towards greater packing densities require that more complex circuits and more sophisticated electronic components are packed into smaller volumes. This has led to demands for small, compact and lightweight components. One of the most successful approaches to this is the use of the surface mount component (SMC). Although surface mount components have been in existence in one form or another for several decades, there have been many technological difficulties associated with the manufacture of very compact and lightweight devices which have had to be solved. Surface mount components have now become almost indispensable, particularly for consumer electronic goods such as music and video reproduction systems. The requirement of an automatic assembly process for printed circuit boards which contain surface mount components has necessitated the development of new technologies in order to meet today’s time and quality standards. This chapter addresses the areas of the advantages of surface mount components, surface mount component assembly methods and soldering techniques. The implications of mixing surface mount components with leaded components, and the testing implications, are also discussed.