Reduce the Risk of PC Board Damage With Surface Mount Technology (SMT)

Southco is pleased to announce the introduction of its Surface Mount Technology (SMT) for Printed Circuit (PC) board assembly. This next generation fastening technique simplifies the installation of captive hardware to PC boards by eliminating additional mechanical assembly.

The risk of damaging a high-value board when attaching captive hardware is a key concern for manufacturers in the telecommunications and networking industries. Improperly attaching the hardware can result in damage to the board and increased scrap rates.

Southco’s SMT allows our best-in-class captive hardware to be soldered directly to the PC board, eliminating the need for a secondary mechanical press to install captive screws after the reflow soldering process. Our complementary line of captive hardware is developed with a flange that allows the screw to sit on the board during the reflow process, enabling the solder to easily attach the screw while the board is in the oven.

As a result, the risks associated with production of high-value products can be diminished. Compared to traditional self-clinching, flare-in and PC board installation methods that require secondary mechanical assembly after the reflow process, Southco’s SMT solution enables the attachment of captive hardware to be completed at the same time, improving first yield pass.