With global uncertainty today, a lot of companies are investigating onshoring their production. If you’re interested in installing a new SMT or Through-Hole assembly line, or you want to modify one, it can be daunting; dealing with multiple vendors that provide exceedingly complex (and expensive) machines or tools, each one with different lead times, shipping logistics, set up procedures and software compatibility issues. It can be a project managers nightmare, especially when you are running your business.

• Teaming up with our pick and place partners, Restronics will help coordinate and manage this overwhelming task. By partnering with our SMT pick and place partner experts, we can:
• Source all the machines needed for your line (even if we do not have a direct relationship with them).
• Manage the delivery logistics, making sure everything arrives on time and together.
• Manage the installation and line bring up.
• Manage the SW compatibility between the different machines from the different manufacturers.
• Ensure your people are trained.

WHAT IS SMT ASSEMBLY?

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

As electronics manufacturing gained momentum, a more efficient, smoother process became necessary. SMT assembly was born out of this need.

WHAT IS THROUGH-HOLE ASSEMBLY?

Through-hole technology (also spelled "thru-hole") describes the mounting scheme used for electronic components that involve the use of leads on the components that must be inserted into pre-drilled holes in printed circuit boards (PCB) and soldered to pads on the alternate side by either manual assembly (manually placing components by hand) or via automated insertion mount machines.

The quality of the solder joint is important for a few reasons. The solder joint is the connection between the component and the PCB. The quality of the solder joint is equivalent to the quality of the connection. The "look" of the solder joint is less important but is usually indicative of the quality of the solder joint.