Implementing SMT in a low-volume manufacturing environment

As surface mount technology continues to evolve and become more pervasive in the electronics industry, the need has arisen for low-priced, entry level production equipment that will allow low-volume or smaller companies to take advantage of the benefits of SMT. We manufacture a family of products geared toward industrial control applications that involve production quantities of PCB assemblies ranging from 25 to 150 pieces per month. In most cases, 90 percent or more of the components on each board are surface mount, keeping secondary through-hole assembly to a minimum whenever possible. The production system described was purchased for under $20,000 and was fully operational in less than two weeks, including operator training. Like any surface mount production facility, our system consists of three areas: solder paste deposition, component pick and place, and solder reflow.