What is the difference between SMT patches and post welding?
In the electronic manufacturing industry, SMT mounting and post welding are two common surface assembly technologies. Although they are all methods used for welding electronic components, there are some significant differences in their processes and applications. In this article, Jingbang Electronics will introduce the differences between SMT chip processing and post welding, helping readers better understand their differences and applicable scenarios.
SMT is a process of directly installing electronic components on the surface of a PCB. Compared to traditional perforation mounting technology, SMT has higher integration, smaller size, and lower cost. SMT chip factories use automated equipment to directly attach electronic components to the surface of PCBs and use melted solder to bond them. This technology is widely used in electronic products such as smartphones, tablets, televisions, and plays an important role in miniaturization, lightweight, and high-frequency applications.
On the contrary, post welding is a process of heating electronic components already installed on a PCB through a hot air furnace and melting the solder to complete the welding process. Post welding is usually used in the manufacturing process of double-sided or multi-layer boards. Its main advantages are high welding strength, low contact resistance, and the ability to use larger and higher power components. The post welding operation requires placing the assembled electronic components in a hot air furnace and completing the welding by controlling temperature and time. After completing the welding, reliability testing is required to ensure that the welding quality meets the requirements.
There are significant differences in the process between SMT chip processing and post welding. For SMT production, the first step is to automatically assemble components such as SMT resistors and capacitors onto PCBs. Then, use a hot air stove to heat the entire PCB, melt the solder, and solidify the components. Unlike this, post welding requires manually or mechanically fixing the components to the PCB first, and then welding through a hot air stove. Although post welding requires more manual operation, the welding reliability is higher because there is no movement of components during the welding process.
There are also differences in the applicable scenarios between SMT patches and post welding. Due to its ability to achieve high integration, SMT is suitable for the manufacturing of miniaturized, high-frequency, and high-performance electronic products. Later welding is more suitable for assembling larger sized components and PCBs, such as power circuits, power amplifiers, etc. In some special application scenarios, different welding techniques can also be combined to achieve better performance and reliability.
In summary, SMT mounting and post welding are two common welding techniques for electronic components. They have some significant differences in craftsmanship and application scenarios. Familiarity with these differences helps to choose the correct welding method that suits specific needs, thereby improving production efficiency and product quality.