The steps of the SMT assembly process flow include: incoming material inspection, solder paste printing, solder paste inspection, components pick and place, reflow soldering, AOI (Automated Optical Inspection), and X-ray testing. As optical module design pushes for tighter layouts and lower parasitics, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) becomes a foundational manufacturing choice. Many customers ask us, “Why is there such a large difference in the lifespan of boards made in different factories using the same. Surface Mount Technology is an area of electronic assembly used to mount electronic components to the surface of the printed circuit board (PCB) as oppose to inserting components through holes as with conventional assembly.
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