RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Everything you need to know about SMT Lines

SMT technology is becoming pretty popular in the tech industry, and for some good reasons. In the past, the
process of manufacturing electronic devices was long and complicated. Manufacturers had to use wires to
attach components onto PCB via holes. In case of an error, the repairing procedure was even worse.
However, in the modern era, we now have SMT which is a technology that manufacturers utilize to mount
components onto PCBs. Mounting various components on PCBs directly eliminates the need for wires which
makes gadgets bulky. Hence, thanks to SMT technology, we have compact, efficient devices such as
smartphones in the 21st century. Comparing SMT to traditional electronic assembly processes, you will find
that SMT has:

 High density
 High reliability
 Low cost
 Miniaturization
 Sound field automation

So yes, the SMT technology is fascinating, but what does the SMT line or SMT production line entail? And
which equipment help process PCBs using SMT technology?

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Table of Contents

What exactly is SMT Line

We can group SMT lines into two classes according to the level of automation; we hence have:

 Automatic production lines

 Semi-automatic production lines

We can also group SMT lines according to their size, where we will have:

 Large production lines

 Medium production lines
 Small production lines

Automatic Production Lines

The automatic SMT production line uses production line equipment that are all fully automated. The entire
process hence does not require manual handling.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Semi-automatic production Line

The press, in this case, is semi-automatic. That means that the entire process is not fully automatic. You
hence might find:

 Manual printing of PCBs or

 The Manual loading of PCBs or
 Manual unloading of PCBs

One major factor to consider in the PCB production process is your client’s understanding of the entire SMT
production process. Your client cannot rate your work without actually understanding what you are doing.
Hence here is a basic breakdown of the SMT production line.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

SMT Line Process

DFM/DFA check

Once the production team receives a PCB order, they must validate the PCB design. To do so, they must
pass the order through a DFM/DFA check. The DFM/DFA check verifies consistency across various design
documents, for example:

 Centroid
 Gerbers
 BoM

It also checks on:

 Part spacing
 Footprint accuracy
 Clear orientation marking

The DFM/DFA process tries as much as possible to minimize the probability of there being a design error.

PCB Fabrication

When the DFM/DFA process is complete, the PCB order now moves on to the fabrication stage. In this stage,
the operators build a bare PCB board using the following steps:

 Material lamination
 Material drilling
 Copper etching/deposition

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

These processes have to follow set specifications.

The stencil, which is pretty crucial for screening solder paste, is also generated in this stage. Finally, the
production team has to add surface finish and solder mask onto the board before printing silkscreen over the
PCB.

Inspection of Material

The procurement team works hand in hand with the fabrication team to ensure that materials are ready for
utilization. Therefore, immediately the bare print circuit board is ready for assembly, there is no delay due to
lack of materials. In doing so, the assembly company can speed up production.

However, as these parts come into the PCB assembly facility, they have to go through an incoming quality
control team. The IQC team inspects every component thoroughly before warehousing any component or
material.

Inspection includes:

 Sample operation testing

 Date code verification
 Entry into software material/component management system

The sophisticated software system in use at this stage utilizes FIFO (first in, first out) rules to check each
item. It hence ensures every part in use during the PCB assembly process works in perfect condition.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

SMT PCB Loading (done by the PCB Loader)

Here the loading of print circuit boards onto an SMT stencil printer takes place automatically. Operators
place the print circuit board inside the magazine and then loads it to the PCB loader. On the other hand, the
loader sends the print circuit board onto the Stencil Printer.

Screening of the SMT Solder Paste (by solder paste printer)

After entering this stage, the very first step is to solder up the bare print circuit board. The stencil, which was
built in the fabrication stage, is the first component that connects to the print circuit board in this stage. The
stencil leaves pads which SMT equipment utilizes to mount components onto the PCB Board.

Component Placement (by the pick and place equipment)

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

When the soldering process is complete, the print circuits board moves on to the next stage, which is the
component placement. Here a pick and place machine picks up components and mounts them onto PCB
according to their associated pads. You should note that this process is entirely automatic to reduce errors.

When this stage is over, the PCB moves on to the reflow soldering phase to enhance the components
attachment to the PCB.

X-Ray Inspection (done by the SMT X-ray Equipment)

When the reflow cycle is over, any PCB having QFN, BGA, or any other lead-less packages moves on to
the X-Ray inspection.

The X-Ray inspection stage helps operators detect any issues in the PCB’s assembly process.

Wave Soldering (done by the wave soldering equipment)

In this stage, the board moves via a conveyer through a molten solder “wave.” The solder, in this case, bonds
together any leads and component pads that are not well covered.

Final Inspection

Intermediary inspection cannot confirm the actual quality of the complete electronic device. Hence there
must be a final inspection stage to thoroughly inspect the complete PCB.

The final inspection stage involves:

 Visual inspection
 Automated optical inspection
 Functional Circuit Testing
 In-circuit testing

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Summary of main SMT Line Equipment

Here is the main SMT line equipment that sees through the processing of PCBs:

Pick and place machine

These machines mount components accurately onto PCBs

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Solder paste Mixer

It mixes solder paste and solder powder evenly to help achieve perfect reflow effects and printing.

Oven

Bakes print circuit boards to remove moisture from the board.

SMT Loader

Places print circuit boards inside the racks of the solder printing machine.

Solder Paste Printing Machine

Prints solder paste onto bare PCBs.

SPI machine

It checks on the volume distribution, area, and thickness of the solder paste that is printed onto the bare PCB
surface.

Reflow Machine

The reflow machine melts the solder bond between components and circuits. It then cools the bond to form a
firm and conductive electric connection.

AOI

AOI machines detect placement failures

Docking Station

Acts as a station for connection between various machines

SMT Unloader

Receives and then stores PCBs after the reflow soldering stage

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Conclusion

SMT has become a cornerstone for innovation in the modern world. In this time and age, most people want
slick slim gadgets, and that is what SMT provides. However, to achieve these thin gadgets, many processes
have to take place. We hope that this article has given you an insight into the processes that occur during
SMT line processing plus the equipment in use.

Related Posts:

1. Reasons Why PCB Transmission Lines are Important

2. Implementing Transmission Lines Impedance Calculator PCB

3. What is PCA PCB?

4. Who are the Leading Electrical Coil Manufacturers?

https://www.raypcb.com/smt-lines/

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/