Surface Mount Technology
SMT Component Assembly
The process of a printed circuit board going through surface mount technology component assembly and testing.
Solder Paste Application & SPI
The blank PCB is put into the solder paste stencil to create a temporary adhesive for the SMT components to stay in place before soldering. Solder Paste Inspection is conducted right afterwards to evaluate solder paste deposits on the PCB, including, insufficient solder, excessive solder, misalignment, and smearing.
Component Assembly
The electronic components are mounted directly onto the surface of the printed circuit board via Pick & Place machines.
Reflow Oven Soldering
The PCB gets put through the reflow oven where controlled heat melts the solder paste, forming permanent electrical and mechanical bonds.
Automated Optical Inspection
The AOI machine is a quality control step to check for external component issues, soldering defects, scratches, and other surface and board defects.
X-Ray Inspection
The X-Ray Inspection is a quality control step to examine hidden internal structures, components, and solder joints. Specifically, BGAs, solder voids, and multilayer alignment.