Through-Hole Mounting Technology In PCB Assembly Still Matters

Prachi Shah
3 min readOct 23, 2018

When it comes to technology, we always tend to look ahead, even when old techniques seem to phase out. But is it that simpler? From Printed Circuit Board design perspective, this blog will answer the question, why through-hole mounting (THM) technology in PCB Assembly still matters? Going back to past 60s, the process of through-hole assembly for mounting components onto printed circuit boards was the only game in town. As this was the only option available during those days, where the through-hole assembly was labor-intensive and required a lot of space.

With the growth of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) in those days had all changed, as it allows the components to mount directly onto a PCB surface. The elements of SMT easily gets fixed on either side of the PCB board, since there is no requirement of drilling holes through a PCB. Moreover, they are much smaller in size. As a result, it is denser, as smaller PCB Assembly perform better, in comparison to a printed circuit board using the THM technology.

With the upcoming of SMT, most of the engineers believed that this would hark back the end of through-hole PCBs. But yet the THM technology is with us today in spite of SMT reign supreme. In particular cases, through-hole PCB assembly proves to be a better choice in comparison to SMT counterparts.

Uses of Through-Hole PCBs

In comparison to Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Through-Hole Mount PCBs are more significant, substantial, and old-fashioned, offering one crucial advantage. That is, the component of Through-hole are attached far more firmly than SMT, giving them a much stronger connection between layers.

On the other hand, for the vast majority of products used by people in their day-to-day lives, SMT connections are strong enough. However, in extreme environments where machines must operate, through-hole proves to be a reliable and stable option.

For instance, this technology is commonly found or seen in the machines operated by the aerospace and military industries, as they withstand the extreme temperatures, forceful collisions, and rapid accelerations.

Therefore, for these types of products, through-hole is the ideal reliable and resilient mounting option.

Prototypes Product

As prototypes products undergo testing and design alterations, through-hole mounting in PCB assembly is often found and preferred due to its more natural way of adjustment and replaced components. Hence, if you are dreaming up a new product, you will surely want to reach out to a printed circuit board vendor, who is proficient at through-hole mounting. And as you put the prototype through its paces, it will give you more flexibility.

Why Choose PCC for PCB Assembly Services?

PCC — an end to end Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider company, committed to delivering quality EMS and solutions. At our manufacturing facilities, we focus on low and high volume, high mix printed circuit board assembly to various customer markets globally. Moreover, our factory is fully equipped with state-of-the-art, well-maintained equipment for manufacturing both SMT (Surface Mount Technology) and TH (Through-Hole) technology PCB assemblies. Our services are highly personalized, and we respond quickly to your needs at any stage of the partnership.

--

--