Soldering on: the importance of surface-mount technology

One of the main forces behind device miniaturisation has been surface mount technology (SMT). SMT uses miniaturised components soldered onto the top of printed circuit boards (PCBs) rather than the more traditional through-hole soldering techniques. The author discusses the two types of soldering used in SMT, reflow soldering and wave soldering, and describes the computer controlled production line. The production processes involved in SMT manufacture are described.