What is SMT | Surface Mount Technology | Devices SMD | Radio-Electronics.

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What is SMT Surface Mount Technology - Tutorial

- an overview or tutorial about surface mount technology, SMT and surface mount devices
SMDs

SMT TUTORIAL INCLUDES

SMT overview (/info/data/smt/what-is-surface-mount-technology-tutorial.php)

SMD component packages (/info/data/smt/smt_packages.php)
SMD resistor (/info/data/resistor/smd_resistor/smd_resistor.php)
SMD resistor markings (/info/data/resistor/smd_resistor/smt-resistor-markings-systems.php)
MELF SMD resistor (/info/data/resistor/smd_resistor/melf-resistor-smt.php)
SMD capacitor (/info/data/capacitor/smd_capacitor.php)
Quad Flat Package, QFP (/info/data/smt/smd-qfp-quad-flat-package.php)
BGA, Ball Grid Array (/info/data/smt/smd-bga-ball-grid-array-package.php)
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Virtually all of today's mass produced electronics hardware is manufactured using surface mount technology, SMT.
The associated surface mount devices, SMDs provide many advantages over their leaded predecessors in terms of Latest news
manufacturability and often performance.
Premier Farnell and IDT announce new
It was not until the 1980's that surface mount technology, SMT became widely used. Once SMT started to be used, global franchise (/news/distribution-
the change from conventional leaded components to surface mount devices, SMDs took place quickly in view of the supply/premier-farnell-and-idt-announce-
enormous gains that could be made using SMT. new-9132)
First profile 35b bonding CPE released
(/news/telecoms-networks/first-profile-
35b-bonding-cpe-released-9131)
26 GHz 5G mmW reconfigurable 256-
element active antenna array
(/news/antennas-propagation/26-ghz-5g-
mmw-reconfigurable-256-element-9130)
Nokia, Deutsche Telekom & Hamburg Port
Authority collaborate in 5G research
(/news/cellular-telecoms/nokia-deutsche-
telekom-hamburg-port-9129)
Why SMT? Compact step-down µModule meets PCB
Mass produced electronic circuit boards need to be manufactured in a highly mechanised manner to ensure the area constraints (/news/power-
lowest cost of manufacture. The traditional leaded electronic components do not lend themselves to this approach. management/compact-step-down-
Although some mechanisation was possible, component leads needed to be pre-formed. Also when the leads were module-meets-pcb-area-9128)
inserted into boards automatically problems were often encountered as wires would often not fit properly slowing . . . . More News (http://www.radio-
production rates considerably. electronics.com/news.php)
It was reasoned that the wires that had traditionally been used for connections were not actually needed for
printed circuit board construction. Rather than having leads placed through holes, the components could be FOCUS ON WIRELESS (/TECH-
soldered onto pads on the board instead. This also saved creating the lead holes in the boards which added cost to ZONE/DIGIKEY/)
the production of the bare PCBs.
Select and Apply the Right Low-Power
Microcontroller for the IoT
(https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/413031238;21397211

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What is SMT | Surface Mount Technology | Devices SMD | Radio-Electronics.com 06/02/2018, 01)41

https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/dec/
and-apply-the-right-low-power-
microcontroller-for-the-iot)
Develop Real-Time Microcontroller-Based
Applications Quickly Using MicroPython
(https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411419961;21221031
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/sep/
real-time-mcu-based-applications-
micropython)
Typical SMT board with transistors, and passive components Wireless Modules Operating in the Sub-
GHz Bands Offer a Simpler Route to
As the components were mounted on the surface of the board, rather than having connections that went through
Market for Sensor Networks
holes in the board, the new technology was called surface mount technology or SMT and the devices used were (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411477151;21221031
surface mount devices, SMDs. The idea for SMT was adopted very quickly because it enabled greater levels of https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/nov/
mechanisation to be used, and it considerably saved on manufacturing costs. modules-operating-in-the-sub-ghz-bands)
To accommodate surface mount technology, SMT, a completely new set of components was needed. New SMT Selecting the Right FCC/CE Compliant
outlines were required, and often the same components, e.g. ICs were sold in both traditional leaded packages and Wireless Module
SMT packages. Despite this, the gains of using SMT proved to be so large that it was adopted very quickly. (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411424308;21221031
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/nov/
the-right-fcc-ce-compliant-wireless-
module)

More Focus on Wireless (/tech-

zone/digikey/)

FOCUS ON TEST (/TECH-

ZONE/FOCUS_ON_TEST/)

Pre-5G-NR Signal Generation and Analysis

SMT board with typical IC packages
(https://www.rohde-
schwarz.com/applications/pre-5g-nr-
What are SMT components? signal-generation-and-analysis-
Surface mount devices, SMDs by their nature are very different to the traditional leaded components. They can be application-note_56280-493057.html?
WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_141_re_17-
split into a number of categories:
18__1ma308_ros_text-link___)
Passive SMDs: There is quite a variety of different packages used for passive SMDs. However the majority of Characterization of SIGFOX Devices
passive SMDs are either resistors or capacitors for which the package sizes are reasonably well standardised. (https://www.rohde-
Other components including coils, crystals and others tend to have more individual requirements and hence schwarz.com/applications/characterization-
their own packages. of-sigfox-devices-from-lab-to-production-
line-application-note_56280-
Resistors and capacitors have a variety of package sizes. These have designations that include: 1812, 1206, 502083.html?
0805, 0603, 0402, and 0201. The figures refer to the dimensions in hundreds of an inch. In other words the WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-
1206 measures 12 hundreds by 6 hundreds of an inch. The larger sizes such as 1812 and 1206 were some of 18__1ma294_ros_text-link___)
the first that were used. They are not in widespread use now as much smaller components are generally Increase the IP connection security of
required. However they may find use in applications where larger power levels are needed or where other your IoT device (https://www.rohde-
considerations require the larger size. schwarz.com/applications/increase-the-
ip-connection-security-of-your-iot-device-
The connections to the printed circuit board are made through metallised areas at either end of the package. application-card_56279-391458.html?
WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-18__ip-
Transistors and diodes: These components are often contained in a small plastic package. The connections
connection-security-appcard_ros_text-
are made via leads which emanate from the package and are bent so that they touch the board. Three leads
link___)
are always used for these packages. In this way it is easy to identify which way round the device must go.
Characterization of LoRa Devices
Integrated circuits: There is a variety of packages which are used for integrated circuits. The package used (https://www.rohde-
depends upon the level of interconnectivity required. Many chips like the simple logic chips may only require schwarz.com/applications/characterization-
14 or 16 pins, whereas other like the VLSI processors and associated chips can require up to 200 or more. In of-lora-devices-application-note_56280-
view of the wide variation of requirements there is a number of different packages available. 507458.html?
WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-
For the smaller chips, packages such as the SOIC (Small Outline Integrated Circuit) may be used. These are 18__1ma295_ros_text-link___)
effectively the SMT version of the familiar DIL (Dual In Line) packages used for the familiar 74 series logic
More Focus on Test (/tech-
chips. Additionally there are smaller versions including TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) and SSOP (Shrink
zone/focus_on_test/)
Small Outline Package).

The VLSI chips require a different approach. Typically a package known as a quad flat pack is used. This has a INDUSTRY CURRENTS BLOG (/INDUSTRY-
square or rectangular footprint and has pins emanating on all four sides. Pins again are bent out of the CURRENTS/)
package in what is termed a gull-wing formation so that they meet the board. The spacing of the pins is
dependent upon the number of pins required. For some chips it may be as close as 20 thousandths of an
inch. Great care is required when packaging these chips and handling them as the pins are very easily bent.

Other packages are also available. One known as a BGA (Ball Grid Array) is used in many applications. Instead
of having the connections on the side of the package, they are underneath. The connection pads have balls of
solder that melt during the soldering process, thereby making a good connection with the board and
mechanically attaching it. As the whole of the underside of the package can be used, the pitch of the
connections is wider and it is found to be much more reliable.
Andrew Adams | ETAL Group

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What is SMT | Surface Mount Technology | Devices SMD | Radio-Electronics.com 06/02/2018, 01)41

A smaller version of the BGA, known as the microBGA is also being used for some ICs. As the name suggests A little thought on magnetics can save a
it is a smaller version of the BGA. lot of energy (/industry-
currents/posts/a-little-thought-on-
SMT in use magnetics-can-save-a-lot-of-energy)
Electromagnetic components like
SMT is used almost exclusively for the manufacture of electronic circuit boards these days. They are smaller, often transformers and chokes are considered
offer a better level of performance and they can be used with automated pick and place machine that in many unglamorous, so frequently insufficient
cases all bit eliminate the need for manual intervention in the assembly process. thought is given to their selection.
Wired components were always difficult to place automatically because the wires needed to be pre-formed to fit Engineers will often simply re-use a device
the relevant hole spacing, and even then they were prone to problems with placement. or even a power supply from a previous
project, ignoring the fact that new and
Although many connectors and some other components still require assisted placement, printed circuit boards are better components are available, allowing
normally developed to reduce this to an absolute minimum, even to the extent of altering the design to use them to save weight, improve efficiency or
components that can be placed automatically. In addition to this, component manufacturers have developed some reduce size. This article reviews some
specialised surface mount versions of components that enable virtually complete automated assembly for most recent developments that are creating new
boards. optimised solutions across a range of
By Ian Poole (https://plus.google.com/104687638164370436625?rel=author) applications.

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